Snapshots

View of Uluru not far from our campground on the second evening in Yulara.



Artistic shot of Uluru in the late afternoon.



Top of Kings Canyon. Impressive walk. From the top looking over it looks like the Bungle Bungles. Highly rate this walk.



Alice Springs view from on top of Anzac Hill.

Alice Springs

What an experience it has been to be in Alice Springs for 3 evenings. The name is gorgeous, the town not so much so.

Wandering downtown to check the place out felt empty, there weren't many people around in the shops and a lot of places seem to have closed down. It made Stockinbingal feel like a busy place. Discovered were the "locals" were on the way home, down by the Todd River.

It's Alice Springs meets the Eiffel Tower security - in Paris when I visited a few years ago they had the military walking around with massive guns and police to watch guard, in Alice Springs there is a cop at the front door of the grog shop to deter any trouble. My favourite though was Alice Springs meets the UK - in the 2 malls you have to pay 50c to use the toilet. More than happy to pay to be guaranteed a clean toilet (that was 50c for all day not just the once, bargain).

Today we ventured out on the bikes to the original Telegraph Station that was set up to coordinate the construction of over 3,000kms of communication technology between Darwin and Adelaide back in 1872. Followed by a steep climb up to Anzac Hill that gave us a 360c view of the town that is surrounded by the MacDonnell Ranges. The ranges look pretty special on the outskirts of town.

There is a great lot of history to the town that makes it what it is, but it is hard to find the beauty of the place in a 3 day stop over. Like all places though quite often it isn't until you have immersed yourself in the community do you see it's true qualities. Worth a visit should you get a chance. A town where anything goes.

Bound for Uluru & Kata Tjuta (Yulara)

Back on the bitumen - Kulgera
Need to book in for a trivia night when we get back, we'll be full of knowledge at this rate. Having a quiet beverage with lunch at the Kulgera pub because outside was too fly blown it was discovered that we were a bees dick away from the true centre point of Australia. Pretty cool. Out in this part of the country is where they map the country from. See full of useful knowledge for the next trivia evening.

Uluru to Kata Tjuta
If you're strapped for time when in central Australia to see Uluru (Ayers Rock) then here's our tip to save an unsuspecting tourist 1/2 a day in travel time. About 140kms in on the Lasserter Hwy that takes you to Yulara (where
Uluru is located) is Mt Connor. If you weren't too familiar with the round shape of Uluru and that there was another 100 odd kms to go you could be convinced Mt Connor was the real deal. Feel a bit sorry for Mt Connor, its shear size is impressive but it is overlooked by Uluru. It's been listed on our list of "next trip adventures".

We made it into Yulara just before sunset so we headed to the rock to see what all the fuss was about witnessing with our own eyes an Uluru sunset. It didn't disappoint. View was spectacular. It is as some would say 'just a rock', yes but a pretty special rock. We scored on this evening. Just as the sun had set and tourists packed up to head in for the evening up popped the moon (we aren't considering ourselves tourists in this area we are one of the locals - great to see the large volume of international travellers supporting the Australian economy). It was a show in itself, watching the moon rise up from the horizon next to Uluru. Illuminating the sky with its red glow from the red centre sand.

Whilst at Yulara we took in the sites of Kuta Tjuta (the Olgas) with a hike in and around them followed by a mandatory closer look at Uluru. Two massive icons relatively close together (60kms apart - thats considered closenin my book for out in this part of the world) but yet totally different rock formations.

Uluru - to climb it or not to climb it? Really wasn't a hard decision to make for me. You'd have to be bloody mad to climb up that cliff face. Damian conquered it on his adventure in a bus with mates years ago, but was not so eager on this occasion to give it a whirl. Thank goodness!! Great entertainment watching others do it though!

Fuel Prices
Talk about getting stung on the price of fuel. Won't be complaining about the price back home anymore, we've got it good. Started at around $1.60 (Leeton), $1.77 (Hawker, SA), $1.99 (Maree), $2.05 (Kulgera). Held off filling up in Yulara thinking $2.25 was rich, they were just trying to sting unsuspecters. Silly silly decision, back on the highway at Curtin Springs it was $2.31. But it got better from there $2.33 at Kings Canyon. All worth it though for what we are getting the chance to check out.

Oodnadatta Track via the Flinders Ranges

Flinders Ranges
We detoured from our itinerary to take in the Flinders Ranges. Taking the off-road track through the national park we drove through to gorges. Photos don't do the views justice. A South Australian local made comment that this is the first time in his lifetime he has ever seen the area green. He would have seen a few decades through the area.

Oodnadatta Track
Making tracks across the Oodnadatta we covered some rugged terrain between Williams Creek to Oodnadatta. Made up for it with a cold one at the local in Oodnadatta. Stinkiest pub around, but the drinks were cold and the publican was up for a chat. Thank god the weather has been good to us. The publican was telling us that the place was flooded in for 5 weeks. Being stuck there for 5 weeks would make me put the "princess shoes" (apparently I brought some with me but yet to find them) on and be on the 1st plane available out of there. Place has character but not somewhere I'd be parking for too long, not even to camp the night.

Coward Springs was a great spot. The whole way along till we got there Damian was "I went to this spring along here somewhere wouldn't mind calling into there" problem was he couldn't recall the name and it was over 15 years ago. Getting late in the day and it was our best choice to call into this place called "Coward Springs", then the memory came back. "This was the place it's got palm trees!" It was a cool spot in the middle of no where. That was the fun about the track you really felt away from civilisation and in the middle of no where. Nice. Rate it!

Oodnadatta Track con't

Coward Springs - bath taken care of for the day.



Morning tea break at the William Creek pub. Priceless advertising for "Deaton Metalfab" (spot the business card).



Home away from home for 8 weeks - no creature comforts to found. Mastered the art of life in the bush at this camp site! Funnels are an amazing thing to have in the tool box.

Oodnadatta Track

The start of the Oodnadatta Track



View on the track heading into camp at Coward Springs. Great camp.

Mad Max to Magnetic Hill

1,500kms travelled 14,500kms more to come. Travelling from Leeton we headed up to Broken Hill via Hillston, Ivanhoe, Menindee onto Broken Hill. Roads were dry so we were set. Wide open dirt tracks to test out the cruiser. All reports are its held up really well.

Broken Hill was way more impressive then I thought it would be. No sight of the town ahead as its hidden by the lodes of ore piled high around the township until you sneak in through the main road in as you come from the east. What lied ahead is a pretty thriving township that was oozing with character. We made our 1st "should have gone with 1st instinct" travel error. Could have gone to the camping spot with a view or drive on and see what else is there. Tough decision but time wasn't on our side. Where we settled was good but view was of a corrugated fence. Got to love travelling, at home you wouldn't be seen dead in your pj's outside of your yard. Head to a caravan park and the park is your new found back yard.

Sight seeing will not leave you disappointed in Broken Hill. Taking in the sites from the "big red chair" on top of the hill you can see for miles. Up with the chair was probably the most unique memorial site around, dedicated to the 800+ miners that have lost their lives since mining began in the area back in the 1800s.

Today we travelled to the land of Mad Max ~ Silverton. Quaint spot about 35ks north-west of Broken Hill. Beautiful old buildings that would have seen many a piece of history being made in the town. Then there's the "Silverton Hotel". If only the walls could talk in that place, you'd be in for a good night if they could.

Heading across the South Australian border we headed to "Magnetic Hill" just outside of Orrorro. That was one freaky experience. A 4 tonne landcruiser packed to the brink rolling backwards in neutral up hill. Go figure. Just to make sure it wasn't a fluke we tried it 3 times. Top speed 8ks up hill backwards, impressive. If you didn't know the hill's trick and you just happened to have left you car in neutral oh my you would be freaking out.

Today we were aiming for Leigh Creek but with all of our site seeing here & there we have pulled up stumps in Hawker. Hawker is at the foothills of the Flinders Ranges. Driving through the rolling green hills of SA brought back memories of travelling in Canada from Calgary to Banff. Wide open spaces & there in front of you are the ranges. I didn't think we had any views similar but we do.

1 Week to go.....

And this is the current state of our wheels. Concerning? No cause Damian has it all under control!

The Trip

Setting off from Leeton at the crack of dawn to ensure we cover as many miles as possible in a day to reach our goal destination of Broken Hill will be day one. My travel motto til now has been that if your desitnation is greater then 5 hours away opt to fly. No option on this adventure, open roads ahead for approximately 16,000ks +.

On Saturday 17th August Damian and I will be heading across Australia on an 8 week camping adventure. We'll be taking in the Oodnadatta track, Lake Eyre, Ayers Rock, Kings Canyon a bit of a longer stop over in Alice Springs before heading off on another length of the trip. From Alice we are bound for Mataranka, Jabiru via Gunlom Plunge Pool (hope it's as spectacular in person as it is in the photos) then Jabiru before arriving in Darwin. All this in the first 2 weeks. Along the way we will meet up with Steve & Robyn(Damian's uncle & aunt from Perth) who are traveling with a few other friends. From all reports of Darwin it sounds like we might want to retweak our itinerary to be able fit it all in. 8 weeks in proving not enough time to do it all but all is not lost it is our backyard we can come back.

Heading off from Darwin it will be fun times ahead. I declare now that I like camping although I've personally never done it for more than 3 days, so approaching the 3rd week heading further outback will toughen me up. Damian's in for a treat! We'll be setting off for Litchfield NP, Katherine, Sullivan's Creek, Kununurra. From Kununurra we say good-bye to any form of luxury for a week as we venture across the Gibb River road. Lots to see and do along the way (will save the finer details for when we've experienced them for you along the way). The reward at the end of the Gibb Road will be arriving in Broome to walk along Cable beach.

It is when we arrive in Broome that we are at a crossroads, spend a couple of days to head up and check out Cape Leveque or head off earlier down south. Make that decision as we get closer. After all we are on holidays, we can do anything.

The change of scenery from red dirt of the off road tracks to the highways of Western Australia along the coast line will be a welcomed change. We'll zig zag a little down the WA coast and inland. So much to see so little time but here's a taste of where we'll venture:- Port Hedland, Karijini NP, Exmouth, Monkey Mia (swimming with dolphins) then onwards bound to Perth.  Heading from Perth will be on the open road of the Nullabor Plain. Too excited about the 1st seven weeks that its hard for one to get excited about the final length of the trip so will save that for another post.

We welcome any recommendations as we trek around. So that is the summary of "The Trip". Till the next post.......