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Published: February 6th 2015
We arrived in Alice Springs, the geographical centre of Australia, in the late afternoon and stepping off the plane was like being placed into a fan-assisted oven - the heat was so intense!!
We walked into town over a bridge across the dry Todd River bed. Numerous Red River Gum trees lined the river with surrounding sand channels - the river only flows a couple of times a year after heavy rain storms and then dries up again after several days or weeks. The town was fairly small, compact and dusty with groups of Aborigines sitting in the shade of eucalyptus trees - a typical outback scene.
Next day we went on informative visits to the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the School of the Air - both supply amazing services to the people living in the vast barren Outback. A trip to the Anzac memorial, atop a small hill, provided extensive views across the town to low mountain ranges in the far distance.
The road to Uluru, 275 miles, was pretty straight with only two right turns!! We drove through the Outback seeing many different varieties of gum trees, spinifex grass, acacia bushes and bright red sand
under the blazing sun and searing heat - too hot even to see kangaroos which would apparently be in the shade under the trees!!
In the early evening we set off for the giant monolith of Uluru and there in front of us, with a glass of sparkling wine in hand, we witnessed the spectacular colour and shadow changes occurring on one of the natural wonders of the world.
Next morning we were up very early to watch the colour changes of Uluru at dawn. A walk to the base of Uluru, to see Aboriginal cave art and a small waterhole near the base of the rock which never dries out was an interesting and spiritual experience at this sacred Aboriginal setting.
Accommodation - Chifley Alice Springs Resort
- Outback Pioneer Hotel at Uluru
Weather - Very hot & sunny - 40-42c
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Helen and Bob
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Alice
Lovely photos again. Bob has been there but I have not. We decided against it but your pictures made me think that I wish I had seen it. I also thought it must be hard living in Alice in the middle of nowhere with that intense heat and all those flies! Sunny here today but frosty. We are off to Fife for the day. Not as exciting as your trip but should be fun!! X