Kings Canyon

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Thursday - traveled to Kings Canyon which is 300km north of both Kata Tjuta and Uluru. Like Uluru, there is a resort here which is more like a little settlement with options for accommodation. It was a pretty hot day so when we arrived we stayed out of the sun until about 6pm before going on the Creek walk in the gorge at Kings Canyon.


Kings Canyon is quite different to both Uluru and KataTjuta, red sediments of rock, with huge willowy grasses, bright flowers, trees and shrubs lining the layers of the red, rocky outcrops. The creek walk takes you past huge gums coolibahs and cycads!. Birds everywhere and happy to let you wander by. The perfume was thick from the heat and the budgies everywhere.


We are only spending one day here so we decided to beat the heat and get up really early on Friday morning to climb to the top of the canyon and complete the 6 km walk. We unfortunately were not alone and arrived at the base of the walk to a full car park including several coaches. The Germans, French and Italians were taking the canyon by storm!! Noisily!


The first part of the walk is a 500 step steep climb, but is a magnificent feat of engineering - the path is really well made with cemented in paths and wooden stairs and bridges.


It is hot with a top temperature of 38 degrees on Thursday but today was fantastic. As we climbed to the top of the canyon we could see to the Peterman Ranges- lightning and rain!! By the time we got to the top of the gorge and started walking down to the "Garden of Eden" - the rain started. It was magnificent. At the bottom of the gorge there was a beautiful waterhole with cycads and greenery everywhere.


Once at the top of the canyon we walked amongst the enormous domes of red sandstone, which sometimes looked like the sphinx others like giant pots or just heads. Due to all the rain the canyon is overflowing with wildflowers and in all sorts of nooks and crannies little white daisies were clumped across the canyon faces. With the sky dark from the approaching storm and

After the 6 km we headed back to the resort and packed up ready for our 700 km back to Coober Pedy. Most of the trip was through rain. The centre of Australia wet!

One more night back in the cave - then back to Port Augusta to pick up the van... Can we go back to vaning???

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Photos

wild flowers
These honestly carpeted the landscape

Sturts desert rose
the NT flower

Comments

[Charlton Grant]

Nice Photo
Hey Lachlan this is a nice photo!