Blogs from East McDonnell Ranges, Northern Territory, Australia, Oceania
DON'T FORGET YOUR FLIP FLOPS!
Published: December 4th 2010Oceania » Australia » Northern Territory » East McDonnell Ranges
November 23rd 2010
We were pleased to be leaving the hustle and bustle of town to get back on the open road again. It felt like every time we hit a big town there was always something that we needed to do to fix something however minor. When we are on the road there are no shops and supermarkets so you just forget about it. It was another hot morning so we were both looking forward to cooling down in some rock pools - the croc free ones. Our first stop was at Emily Gap. It is one of the most important Aboriginal sites in the Alice Springs area. Its associated with the Eastern Arrernte Caterpillar Dreaming Trail. It promised a deep waterhole and the possibility that we would have to swim to reach the next stop of the ... read more
Alice to East Macdonell to Rainbow Valley
Published: July 7th 2008Oceania » Australia » Northern Territory » East McDonnell Ranges
June 22nd 2008
We got to the Toyota dealership in Alice Springs and paid for the replacement rear windscreen $796 (thanks for coming) and arranged to drop the car off on Thursday morning to be fixed. We walked into Alice town centre whilst the car was being fixed and we bumped into Amy & Owen (met them at Chambers Pillar, they are from Berwick) - they were waiting for replacement clutch, which broke in Alice Springs and were waiting for parts to arrive. Picked up car and got cardboard to cover new rear windscreen. Went to see School of Air - very interesting. Bought groceries, did washing - boring. Kids had a swim in pool at Caravan Park. Got to 27° again today. Getting warmer. Headed out to East Macdonell Ranges, set up camp at Trephina Gorge. Went to ... read more
Alice Springs to East Macdonell Ranges
Published: July 11th 2008Oceania » Australia » Northern Territory » East McDonnell Ranges
June 22nd 2008
Went to the School of the Air in Alice Springs. They had a map and it showed every student they had, they were spread all over the Northern Territory. It is the biggest classroom in the world. Some kids are over 500km away and they have school between 8am to 5pm - but only have classes for 4 hours a day. Went to Emily Gap, Jessie Gap and Ruby Gap. At Ruby Gap I found Garnets in the river bed. The water must have washed the Garnets up near the rocks where I found them. My Mum and Dad found some spots as well. They look like glass that is pinky-red. On the way back to camp we saw some Donkeys and one had really fuzzy ears (the one on the right). They looked really soft. ... read more
Outback Day 5: Mooooore Gorges!
Published: April 6th 2008Oceania » Australia » Northern Territory » East McDonnell Ranges
March 24th 2008
Mooooooore Gorges The day started in the wee hours of the morning when I felt some raindrops though our tent (made mostly of mesh). It was only sprinkling but it felt like it would rain more so I decided to get our fly on. I heard our friend the cow freaking out as I decided to climb out to find the fly. After Sam and I got a fly, that we’ve never seen before, on and in a good position, I looked across all the tents in our camping area and saw a black shape moving. I reached out my arm and grabbed Sam. “Look I think it’s the cow” The black object was moving around the edge of the tents towards us. As it came around one of the tents on the end it started ... read more
Well, you gotta do it sometime...
Published: March 15th 2007Oceania » Australia » Northern Territory » East McDonnell Ranges
March 10th 2007
Saturday: We got up early (well, not really), and headed out in the morning (ok, it was midday-ish) to the East McDonnell Ranges. We being Chris the Radiographer, myself, Ange and Ange, the Pharmacists (Simply Ange The First and Ange The Second, cause they both have dark hair, they're both pharmacists, and every other differentiator ends up being rude). First we went to Emily and Jessie Gaps, the next two breaks in the otherwise uniform wall that forms the McDonnell Ranges to the South of Alice Springs. The Ranges are so forbidding, they rise as a solid mass, and it is only as you get close, and if you know where they are anyway, that you can see the gaps in the rocks. all the gaps seem to run down to single level, which is the ... read more
