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Geo: -25.3211, 130.987
Hello again we are currently at Yulara, Ayers Rock or
Uluru which ever you desire to call it in the name of political correctness.
I refer to it as the Rock.
We travelled from Camooweal to the Barkly Homestead
Roadhouse and spent one night there before heading to Tennant Creek which
hasn't changed since I was there close to 30 years ago.
The only thing Tennant had going for it was the old
Telegraph Station and also the annual Camp Draft and Rodeo was on a few days
after we arrived so we booked an extra 2 days so we could attend the Rodeo and
be sitting still for the AFL Grand Final. Rode our bikes around town a few
times and did the self-guided walk. Tennant was the site of one of the Overland
Telegraph Repeater Stations and Gold was discovered in the 1930s. The Pebbles
(small version of Devils Marbles) and Lake Mary Ann which was built in 1981 for
recreational use are just north of town. The Rodeo was fun, the announcer was
thanking all the volunteers and mentioned the police support and the fact that
there are 48 officers stationed at Tennant Creek!
We stopped at Prowse Gap Rest area overnight and at the
Devils Marbles on the way to Alice
Springs.
At Alice Springs we stayed at the Big 4 MacDonnell Ranges
Tourist Park which even had grass sites, a welcome luxury. Stayed 16 days at
Alice and paid $140 for a month's temporary membership at the Golf Club.
Challenging course with grass tees fairways and greens with spectacular views
of the MacDonnell Ranges. Grass fairways are fantastic but you still need to hit
the ball straight to enjoy them. If you stray there is unforgiving sand and rocks which we both managed to find on many occasions.
Played 6 times and Caroline won the Ladies Comp on the last Sunday,
I managed to win the nearest to the pin approach shot at the 18th on
the same day.
Drove out to the West MacDonnell Ranges taking in John Flynn's Grave (founder of the Royal Flying Doctor), Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, Glen Helen Gorge, the Ochre Pits and a swim at Ellery Creek Big Hole.
Spectacular scenery for the whole journey. Another day was spent at the East
MacDonnell Ranges taking in the sights at Emily and Jessie Gaps, Corroboree
Rock, Trephina Gorge and Ross River Resort (a resort out here could be a tent
in the dirt).
Free walking tour around town was interesting.
Had the Silverado serviced while we were here.
Mick Melino had
recommended the Casa Nostra Italian
Restaurant as a good place for a meal and suggested we pre order the Vanilla
Slice when booking as it sells out every night, excellent pasta and the Vanilla
Slice was to die for all washed down with a bottle of Penfolds Bin 407 which Kate
and Pete had given us for Xmas some time ago. Made friends with the couple
camped next to us and ended up going back to the Casa Nostra a second time for
a Pizza and Vanilla Slice with them the following week.
The National Transport Museum is a truckers heaven and an
insight into the heavy transport industries history, also has a Kenworth Hall
of Fame with many Aussie Built Kenworth's on display, some restored and some
brand new.
Rode our bikes around the nearby caravan parks and the
Big 4 was by far the best park.
On our last day in Alice the World Solar Challenge
reached here with a number of the teams staying at our caravan park overnight. It
was interesting checking out the vehicles and talking to the crews.
Wasn't so pleased when we had to slow down to 50Km/Hr
multiple times on the way from Alice to Erldunda to pass them and all their
support vehicles.
Left Alice and drove to Curtin Springs
with the intention of staying a couple of nights.
Stopped at Mt Conner Lookout on the way. Mt Conner is often mistaken by tourists as the
Rock when driving in so the locals call it Fooluru. A spectacular plateau of rock
with the appearance it has been pushed up out of the ground. Curtin Springs is
a Cattle Station bought by the current owners in 1956 and still run by them
today. It was the first wayside stop for tourist in the NT providing
accommodation, meals and drinks for travellers to the Rock. They make paper
here using native grasses.
The next day we decided to move on to Kings Canyon where
we walked into Kathleen Springs and along the river bed in Kings Canyon.
Watched the sunset on Kings Canyon from the viewing platform at the caravan
park along with Naomi, Mick and the boys who had arrived here shortly after us.
Next morning we were at the Canyon to start the rim walk at 6am. Spectacular
rock formations and sheer cliff faces along the 3 hour walk. During the walk we
came across a group of Dutch tourists who we spoke to briefly. Jumped in the
car and headed to Yulara.
On the way to Yulara we stopped for lunch at the Mt
Conner
Lookout and while there the bus load of Dutch tourists we had seen in
Kings Canyon turned up. When Caroline left the van to put some rubbish in the
bin one of the young girls asked if she could see inside the van, next thing we
had her and a guy in there asking questions and looking around. Her parents
have a small caravan back in Holland, they went back outside to the shelter and
proceeded to tell all the others about it in Dutch which Caroline could understand.
When we finished lunch and were about to
leave I could see the tour guide and hear him describing Mt Conner to them but
as soon as I pressed the button to wind in the slide they all turned around to
watch so he stopped talking. As we walked out he said “they are more interested in your little toy than me talking about Mt Conner”
We had booked into the Ayers Rock Campgrounds and
intended staying a few days but have ended up staying 9 days in total as there
is plenty to see, its hot here and has been all the way from Tennant, in the
mid to high thirties each day so we have our activities in the morning then
relax in
the afternoons. We have seen many people come and go only staying a day
or two, they must be exhausted by the time they leave spending all day out in
36 deg plus heat trying to see it all in such a short time.
The Rock is about 15km drive from the Campgrounds. The
first sighting of the Rock makes you think how did this thing get here ? In an
area of small undulating red sand dunes appears this massive monolith as if it
has been photo shopped into the scenery. The first explorers must have thought it
was an illusion when they first sighted it. Every day we drive out there we are
in awe of this magnificent creation of nature. Someone asked me if it was
spectacular or is it just another rock, well as the advert for the NT said
“You'll Never Never Know if you Never Never Go” There are of course the
beautiful postcard photos but until you see this thing and its surrounds in
person you cannot fully appreciate how rare and amazing it is. The Rock is 348m
high and like an iceberg only the tip is visible as it extends 2.5Km into the
ground and is approx 9.4Km in circumference.
Chances of us being able
to climb the Rock are slim as
they close the climb at every opportunity, a ranger arrives at 7am and declares
it open or closed, any forecast of rain or high winds and it's closed at 7am
then at 8am its closed for the day if the forecast is for 36deg or more.
Possibility of a storm has been the forecast every day since we arrived and for
the rest of our stay.
We rode our bikes around the base track of approx 12km
which allows you to get up close and has informative plaques around the Rock,
absolutely spectacular.
There is a Ranger Guided Mala Walk each morning from 8am
which takes in a few of the important locations at the base of the Rock and
gives an interesting insight to the Anangu culture and the significance of
Uluru in Tjukurpa (traditional law).
It is 30 years since Uluru was handed back to the Anangu
people and subsequently leased back to National Parks to help run and maintain
the area, we attended the celebrations out at the sunrise viewing carpark
consisting of local bands and indigenous female choir.
Naomi, Mick and the boys were here for 3 days so we caught up with them once again.
As we are booked into the campgrounds we are allowed
to
use the pool area at any of the hotels in Yulara. Sails in the Desert has the largest and nicest
pool and surrounds so we have been there a few times as the pool at the
campgrounds is a bit murky trying to deal with all the kids using it.
Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) is about 50km from Yulara and although it's classed as the sister formation to the Rock it's very different.
The Rock is exactly that one large rock made of sandstone with its layers or
formation lines at 90deg to the ground.
Kata Tjuta is many large chunks of conglomerate rock with its layers at
approx 15deg to the ground. You can clearly see the rounded rocks embedded into
the sandstone as if the rocks had rolled into an area and then the silt
filtered in between before being compressed and formed into sold rock.
I didn't study Geology so that's the best I can do.
The Valley of the Winds Walk is 7.4Kms and took just over
2 hours taking in many spectacular views along the way. Walpa Gorge is the shorter
walk between the two main rock formations.
Have been out to watch the sunset on the Rock but unfortunately
it has been too cloudy to see the
full spectrum of colour changes, hopefully we
will get clear skies one evening before we leave here.
Saturday 31st is Caroline's Birthday, our 34th
Anniversary and 3 months since we left Brisbane, to celebrate we have booked a
Helicopter Flight lasting 55 minutes taking in Lake Amadeus, Uluru and Kata
Tjuta, it will be amazing to see it all from the air.
Then we are off to the Outback Pioneer Hotel for a few drinks and a meal.
We have walked in many very dry river beds and creeks it
would be something else to see these places when the water is raging through
them. Yulara has an average rainfall of approx 300mm, this year they managed to
get 60mm. It did rain last night but only very lightly probably only a few mm at best.
Sunday we leave heading for Agnes Creek for the night then on to Coober Pedy.
I hope this finds everyone fit and well and enjoying life.
Th th th th th that's all folks.
Kym and Caroline
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Robyn and Geoff
non-member comment
Hi Guys, great to hear from you. Sounds like you are having a great time. There's great photos. Happy birthday Caroline and congratulations on your wedding anniversary. The helicopter flight will be amazing. Chat soon Robyn and Geoff x
xx