Red Ochre, Olive Pink and Heavitree Gap

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We slept in a bit today and didn’t get moving until about 10am. We then went to look around the CBD of Alice Springs and get Barry’s hair cut. While he did that I started looking around the galleries and tourist shops in Todd Mall. I didn’t get very far before he returned but he put up with the rest of them, under sufferance. There were several places showing Aboriginal art and crafts, much of it similar to other places we’ve seen it and some that were cheaper than usual and looked as if they had been churned out on a conveyor belt as they were almost identical. A few, though, were innovative and colourful and I would have liked a couple but, as with all good works of art, they are hundreds or thousands of dollars. I’ll just have to remember them.

I also looked for the replacement for my swimming sandals that I’d left at Katherine Hot Spring. I finally found exactly what I was looking for, with the Velcro on all three embroidered fabric-covered straps (including the back strap around the heel) so I can adjust everything when my feet swell in the heat. I was thrilled – until they told me they were only made in children’s sizes now. I’d looked in three towns with no luck so I gave up and found a cheap plastic pair (a bit like Crocs with open toes) that are wide but have no back strap. For only $10 it won’t be a catastrophe if they get left behind somewhere. I also found a nice bright skirt, also for $10,that I can put on over my swimsuit when walking back to the van as I don’t like displaying my legs.

We noticed the Sounds of Starlight Theatre just opposite and booked ourselves in for the Didgeridoo Show Outback on Wednesday at 8pm. We’ve heard good things about it so it should be enjoyable.

We’d stopped at the Red Ochre Grill and Café for some lunch, originally for the Devonshire Tea special at $5.90 each, but we hadn’t had lunch and so decided on another of the day’s specials to share – a Garlic Prawn Pizza for $16. They also had an alternative to scones, a new recipe just added to the menu the day before – banana cake – so we had one with the Date Scones and one with the cake and shared so we each had both.

The pizza was the best I’ve ever tasted. It was on a thin crust and had globe artichoke hearts, haloumi cheese (which I gave to Barry as it doesn’t agree with me) and a frilly black type of mushroom I can’t remember the name of, plus the garlic prawns. Absolutely delicious! The date scones were very large and tasty, too, but the banana cake was fairly dry and had no butter cream on top to moisten it, either, so was a bit of a let-down. Still, the meal, overall, was very nice and I only needed a light dinner later (not Barry – usual size for him with his hollow legs!)

Barry was curious to see where the Henley-on-Todd Dry Riverbed Boat Races are held every August so we walked down to the Todd River and found the spot where they hold the races. It is a wide, dry dusty bed with majestic Red River Gum Trees scattered through it so it almost has three lanes. Even the trees are confused about what is the river and where the banks are. There must have been water there consistently at one time for them to grow, as they usually follow the river banks and sink deep roots down so they can survive using the moisture underground when the river is low or gone. They are found all over Australia, except Tasmania.

The Henley-on-Todd is the only boat race that can be spoiled by having water in the river, which does occasionally happen! The racers use all kinds of materials to create boats and then power them “Fred Flintstone” style by running and holding their crafts, which can be single person or teams, depending on the event. There is also an event where people lay or kneel on skateboards and use a spade as a paddle to pull themselves along. They also have a “Galleon” battle between two large ships firing bags of flour at each other. It is very popular and attracts large crowds. Only in Outback Australia!! Sounds like great fun, though, so maybe we’ll try and time it for us to be here next year.

We walked across the river bed, filling our shoes with sandy grit as we went, and then recrossed the “river” using the very high pedestrian bridge that runs beside the much lower road bridge, after emptying out our footwear, of course. We had a good view along the river and to the Ranges. The road bridge had barriers that can be lowered to close the road if it floods, which would be any time the river has water as it is so low.

We walked back to the ute, past a wonderful mural, the full length of a car park, and full of amazing, colourful images of Australian animals and figures which appeared ghostlike and even as skeletons. It looked as though there should be a story attached to it but there was none shown – a pity.

It was close to 4.30pm and we had wanted to see the Olive Pink Botanic Gardens, which we’d been told were small but very nice, so we drove there and were very happy to see it stayed open until 6pm, which gave us enough time to enjoy it.

Miss Olive Pink, for whom the garden is named, arrived in Alice Springs in 1930 and quickly became active in fighting for social justice for Aboriginal people, including a long campaign to establish a sanctuary for tribal Walpiri people in the Tanami Desert. In 1956, aged 72, she was successful in having land gazetted for the “Australian Arid Regions Flora Reserve” and held the position of Honorary Curator until her death in 1975. She and her Walpiri gardener, Johnny Jampijinpa Yannarilyi (no I don’t know how to say it, but he deserves credit for all his work!) established plants of arid zone trees and shrubs, despite huge problems with feral goats and rabbits and, of course, drought. Some of their original plants still survive. Ten years after her death, the garden was opened to the public and named in her honour.

There is a Visitor Centre and Café, several gazebos and lots of seats scattered throughout so you can sit and enjoy the myriads of birds that inhabit the reserve. The dirt pathways meander around areas of garden focussing on different aspects of arid plants, such as Medicinal Plants, the Mallees, the Saline Garden. There is also Annie Myers Hill, where you can get good views of the city, Todd River and Macdonnell Ranges, and where a group of Euros (Hill Kangaroos) live, hiding among the rocks during the day and coming out at dusk. We were lucky enough to see a female and a juvenile joey come down and begin to graze. They didn’t stay long once they saw us, though, and bounded off. They are bigger than Rock Wallabies but smaller than most other roos, and had quite long fluffy ears and the usual strong tail.

We also enjoyed finding all the birds, including another race of the Australian Ringneck Parrot, this time with a black head and yellow collar. There were quite a few and they weren’t too timid around us so long as they were out of reach. We saw some Yellow-Throated Miners feeding on a patch of beautiful scarlet Sturt Desert Peas (one of my favourite flowers) and some little yellow breasted birds which I think could be Weebills. The Western Bower Bird (smaller and darker in colour than the Great Bower Bird we’ve seen so much of in the Top End) had built a bower near one of the car parks, which Barry spotted just as we were leaving. He had lots of white items around his bower, just like his bigger cousin, some of which were plastic bottle caps and six pack rings. We got out of the ute to have a closer look and there, right in front of Barry’s face, was the male displaying his neck crest (nuchal). It is almost the same colour as the Great Bower Bird’s being a lilac pink.

We then headed to the gate, which was supposed to close at 6pm (and it was now 6.10pm) and were relieved to see some plumber’s vehicles and people working on water pipes. They won’t lock us in with them still there!

At the exit were two women with cameras and binoculars also bird-watching. We got chatting and they told us they were from Canada and were over on a six-week holiday hoping to see as many of our colourful birds as possible. We told them some we’d seen and said to come back tomorrow. They mentioned having been to Uluru already but not having seen any Aussie mammals so we told them about the Rock Wallaby feeding and suggested they follow us there immediately as it was already sunset. They eagerly accepted and we all set off for Heavitree Gap Outback Lodge.

I bought two $2 bags of pellets for us to feed the wallabies and gave one to our new friends then headed for the edge of the hill and the feeding site. There were already quite a few people and wallabies down and we soon coaxed one over to feed from our hands. They are so tiny it is amazing that so many will come as close to such big animals as us, even with food in our hands. You have to squat right down or kneel on the concrete edge. Some will just stand and eat and let you stroke them as they feed but some are more cautious.

One grabbed our hands with both forefeet and pulled it closer to her and away from us so there was a bigger distance between us. This was very hard on the back and neck but we couldn’t move or she would have jumped away. Another would take a mouthful and then sit back a bit to eat it, then come forward a step for the next one. Most of the young ones were too timid to come down off the hill and hopped up it further if anyone approached. Notices told us not to go onto the hill but to stay in the car park to allow them a safety zone as they are wild animals and this is their home. One female had a tiny joey head poking out of her pouch but she didn’t come down to feed until nearly everyone had gone when she ate from the dropped pellets on the ground, as did the shyer young ones.

The Canadian ladies were thrilled with their first Aussie mammal encounter and thanked us profusely. I hope they see the Euros when they go to the Botanic Gardens.

After all that excitement, we went just up the road to our G’Day Mate Caravan Park and had dinner. We both fell asleep watching TV afterwards for a while and then Barry worked on the laptop. Unfortunately, while he was doing so, his memory stick with some important financial data and the Eudora e-mail programme that we use on it, failed. Nothing he tried would recognise the stick. I persuaded him to try again when he is fresher tomorrow

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Photos

Feeding Rock Wallabies at the Gap
We bought some pellets from reception for the wallabies this day and coaxed a couple down to eat them. They are so tiny you have to crouch right down and this one hung on to Barry's finger to keep him in the right position. They are very dainty and you can hardly feel them take the food.

The Todd River, Alice Springs
This is where the Henley-on-Todd Dry Riverbed Boat Races are held every August, "Fred Flintstone style". If it rains they have to cancel the boat races.

A Central Netted Dragon
These are evidently common in Central Australia, although it was my first sighting. The tail is as long as the body.

Yet Another Race of Asutralian Ringneck Parrot
These are just two of a group that were nesting in the Olive Pink Botanic Gardens. They didn't seem too scared of us so long as we were out of arm's reach.

A Euro (not the Money)
This young Euro *Hill Kangaroo) came down from Annie Myers Hill with his Mum and started foraging but they realised we were there and jumped off into the bush.

A Western Bower Bird
This is the male sitting near his bower, meant to woo a female. He is displaying his lilac pink neck crest to attract her attention (only it was us!) You can just see some of the white decorations outside his bower, on the ground through the branches.

Sunset over the East MacDonnell Ranges
The sun was just setting as we approached the Gap on our way to feed the Rock Wallabies. A few rays of gold caught the edge of the range and made it gleam.

Tasty Red Treats
The Yellow-Throated Miners enjoyed the nectar in the beautiful Sturt Desert Peas, (my favourite desert flower) at the Botanic Gardens.