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Published: December 22nd 2010
Coober Pedy
Mad Max meets The HobbitLeaving Darwin felt like an escape more than anything else – the heat and humidity were just so stifling, but the rain held off long enough for us to pack up.
This was the first time in a few months that we were out traveling on our own again, and although we missed our friends we felt free and fantastic.
Our first stop was bitter springs near Mataranka. The place is well known for the hot springs there. Mataranka was indeed gorgeous – the springs had been developed around the edges with steps and what not, but bitter springs was so much better - basically au natural. We took our goggles and snorkels and just floated downstream checking out the scenery and then walking back. It was one of my favourites!
As we traveled south, the heat and humidity just disappeared – it was great! When we hit the ‘Three Ways’ turn off, I still hadn’t decided whether I was going to turn left and head for QLD or go south to the centre. We decided to head south. QLD is so close to home that even if we don’t get it done this trip, we will easily
Rex the Reptile Man
Rex was extrememly generous and let Shay do work experience at his reptile centre all week! be able to do a loop up that way another time. Alice and Uluru on the other hand are a long way from anywhere, and may not ever be done again!
The Devils Marble’s were absolutely fantastic!!! How great it is to be back out on the road again! The kids climbed and climbed all day long! The first day we were there, low and behold, we met a woman traveling on her own with 2 girls! Her partner had flown back to Melbourne for a few weeks and she would be traveling on her own in the meantime. We hit it off straight away!
Our next stop was Alice. We caught up again there and camped together for a bit. Alice has so much to offer … much more than I could ever imagine! The East and West Macdonald Ranges are just glorious. I never would have thought that there were so much beauty in the middle of the ‘desert’. And as far as deserts go, there certainly wasn’t one! The ‘red’ centre was green with a smashing of colourful wildflowers everywhere! Tourists were complaining that it wasn’t the ‘desert experience’ they came to see, but I
Alice Springs Fun!
After my midnight mystery caller I got a visit from the boys on khaki! thought it was very special – something many people never get to see!
While in Alice, we saw the Todd river flowing (I think that means we’re a local?), visited the desert park (very cool place), and experienced live outback country singing in the local tavern (complete with reptile show as well).
The park that we stayed at looked nice, and seemed secure. By the time we’d set up camp though, we realized we were right in a thoroughfare for the local drinkers. The pub opened at 10am with a line out the front. They only admitted a certain number, so for the next few hours the line didn’t get much smaller unless people ran out of money inside and left! Then at 2pm take away alcohol goes on sale, so they buy that and go and sit out the front of the caravan park or in the Todd river (rubbish EVERYWHERE!), and scream and fight with each other ALL AFTERNOON and well into the evening!!! You know they are serious when the shirts come off, but they are usually so drunk they cant even walk straight so fall over before they can get a punch in. It
Sunset at the Rock
It really was something special! was very very sad to see! I can understand how people who are traveling through and this is all they see of Aboriginal people go back to their countries or homes with a messed up view of Aboriginal people and culture.
While there, I had a 3am visitor from one of these friendly people – he came into my caravan (which doesn’t lock very well) while we were asleep, and stole my handbag! A fellow caravan neighbour saw the whole thing, but didn’t think to alert me until the next morning?!?!? When I travel, everything of importance goes into the handbag so it doesn’t get lost, so now it’s all lost!!! iphone (only a few months old), car keys (with jerry can keys), group certificates (I was going to do my tax return the next day), camera, wallet (with kids school photos and people’s business cards that I’d met), pieces of jewelry, and just so many other little things that are impossible to replace.
My view of the local Aboriginal culture was pretty messed up for a bit after that too, let me tell ya!!!
I cancelled my cards and ordered a new one, along with a
Friends
Kal & Amy played Lego for hours! new sim card although I still don’t have a phone to put it in, so my apologies to anyone that has tried to call me over the past few weeks! The new cards were going to take a week, so we were there for a bit longer!
Anita’s car broke down while we were there, then mine did too! All it was was a new battery, and I was thankful that it happened there and not in the middle of nowhere!
The amazing thing to come of all this was the opportunity for Shay to do work experience at the reptile centre. We had been to Rex’s shows at the tavern, and he now knew us all by name, especially Shay who he knew loved reptiles! She worked there all week – just ten years old! She helped out in the shows, at feeding time, cleaning up after them and helping out the customers. The staff loved having her there – they joked that she worked better than some of the other staff members! It was the experience of her life – and we are eternally grateful to Rex for his amazing generosity at having her there and
Kings Canyon
with the thunderstorm rolling in behind. inviting her back!
Traveling with Anita, we moved on to Yulara (the campground near Uluru), catching up with Anita’s partner Andrew along the way. We were all up for climbing the Rock, but due to the very strict rules regarding when it gets closed down, we didn’t get the opportunity all week … BUMMER!
The rock itself was majestic – as Kalahni explained it one day ‘everyone sees photos of the rock but no-one really knows what it’s like until they see it up close’. We spent an afternoon exploring the base. We also did the walk at The Olgas – very lovely. I thought the formations were a little like the Bungle Bungles on a smaller scale.
While we were there we were fortunate to see 2 thunder and lightening storms – what a special treat in the desert.
Anita’s car died a few days into our stay there, and the RACV flew them back to Melbourne and transported both car and caravan all the way – no charge. Not bad considering they were one the tail end of their trip and it was a bit of a Godsend for them! So we were back
Funny Signs
This sign at Coober Pedy was fantastic!!! on our own again.
King’s Canyon was our next stop, and it definitely was beautiful even though we had been ‘all gorged out’ by this stage in the trip. We made it up ‘heart attack hill’ just in time for another spectacular thunder and lightening show. The rain held off until we were back down at the car park, but then bucketed down for the whole afternoon and into the night. Getting out of our camp was interesting as we were almost bogged, and driving out to the highway was quite a treat – water lined the side of the road and there were parts of the road that were flooded! No wonder we were getting such a spectacular show of wildflowers!
The next couple of days were spent traveling to Coober Pedy. So many travelers had told us that it wasn’t very nice – a crappy little mining town, and not to stop unless we needed to. Well I thought it was nothing like that at all – maybe one of the most interesting places we’d visited on our trip!
About 20 kms out of Coober Pedy we started seeing these little mounds all over the
The Dug Out
This was where we stayed. The dug out's are just fascinating! place, they became thicker the closer we got to town. They are diggings where people have looked for opals. It was a very interesting sight I have to say! Town not only small, but like stepping back in time. Nearly every yard had a broken down vintage car or truck. Many of the houses are underground ‘dugouts’ – which works really well to keep the temperature at a lovely 24 degrees all year round. The feel of the place is kind of a cross between Mad Max and The Hobbit.
One of the funny things about Coober Pedy is that there are lots of signs for shops and interesting tidbits, but when you go there the shop has been closed for 6 years or there’s a padlock on the door. LOL – Very Strange indeed!
The kids and I ‘noodled’ all day long and found some really lovely opals to keep as souveniers. We really had so much fun here!
Southward we drove to Port Augusta, and managed to complete our ‘Western Loop’! Quite an achievement I thought!
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Ian Hogan
non-member comment
Still great story!
Thanks for posting. Great pictures too! See you soon.