Devil's Marbles and UFOs?

---

The Devil’s Marbles (also known as Karlu Karlu (round rocks) and Rainbow Serpents Eggs) are found in a slight diversion of the main Stuart Highway about 50k north of Whycliffe Well. It was a good place to stretch our legs after the 450+kms of driving through the morning and early afternoon. I was surprised at the beauty in these granite formations. Everywhere I looked, there was another formation with a boulder precariously leaning on another, or looking like it was just a round ball balancing on a flat piece of ground. After we had walked through and past a number of these formations, we drove off, wondering if this was it. We rounded the bend, and found the information billboard, which explained the significance of these to the local aboriginal people. These formations were much more sacred than I had imagined. The local tribes viewed these as holding significant ‘magic’ and were full of dreaming stories, many of which were only to be passed from certain tribal elders to others. The locals don’t even camp in the nearby campground as they feel there is too much of a force from the dreamings. To get the fullest knowledge and insight into the Devil’s Marbles, a guide or ranger would be a handy companion.

Our next stop was Whycliffe Well, the UFO capital of Australia. I must admit that I was looking forward to this stop. I had seen it profiled on several ‘lifestyle’ television programs over the past few years, and being a closet nerd, I wanted to see it for myself. In the guidebooks, and advertising, the Whycliffe Wells Caravan Park was highly recommended, and full of features, like a pool and fishing lake, a train, a petting zoo, as well as kooky references to UFOs. Unfortunately, it did not live up to the hype. In fact, I was sorely disappointed.

Most of the caravan park operators seem to share a passion either for the hospitality industry, or for caravanning itself. It seems the owners of this caravan park have bought it within the past 2 years, and have no passion for it, nor have they an understanding of the significance of the asset they’ve bought.

The whole scene reminded me of driving Route 66 in America. Whycliffe Well, in it’s heyday, was a destination in itself. The owner had painted every cabin, shed, and outward facing wall to reflect the UFO culture. There were lifesize figures and scenes of UFOs and aliens everywhere. Each site sign was depicted with an alien head. The owner had even created a lake and filled it with fish, then put a train track around it. They had created a zoo (with emus, donkeys, and even water buffalo) and an impressive aviary. There was a 300 seat restaurant, and amphitheatre. And there was an indoor pool – complete with alien paintings on it’s floor.

When we arrived, the kooky alien paintings and decorations were still there, but the lake had been drained, the train didn’t run, the grounds were overrun with chickens (and associated chook poo), the restaurant was closed, and moved into the office / shop space, the paintings in the pool had come off, and there was a general feeling of malaise from the staff. Added to that, the local indigenous people were giving the office staff a hard time (being the only ‘pub’ for 500kms).

Sidenote: the federal government prohibitions on liquor and pornography are working in indigenous communities where the locals enforce it themselves. The indigenous communities that don’t enforce it themselves make a lot of trouble for the local publicans who are trying to run a business and much of this seems to be through stealing.

Needless to say, it was just a bit of a letdown. We still stayed the night, but didn’t feel the rejuvenation I was expecting.

Song of the Day : UFO by Sneaky Sound System
Game of the day: Can we look out for UFOs, Mum?

---