Friday 30^th June, 2017

John McDouall Stewart Rest Area to the Devil’s Marbles

We got away last, as usual, even though it was somewhat earlier than our usual time. We had a very cold night, extra blanket on top to fight the cold from the window.

Our first stop was at a very old pub/roadhouse with very basic offerings (a $3.00 cup of tea that I made myself), toilets with the water turned off (and, believe me, they shouldn’t have switched off the water with Stephen and I coming), and a lovely big open fire. The other odd thing was there was a very good 3g signal, so we enjoyed catching up on our emails. I heard some news from home from Marie.

It turned out to be a very windy day, with gusts that made it difficult to drive. My plan for us was to drive to the Devil’s Marbles camp ground for the night, but I was having second thoughts about free camping in an exposed area in the wind.

Fortunately, we decided to brave going to the camp ground anyway. We have been able to face nose into the wind, ideal for this vehicle. The only downside is that the tree next to us likes Winnies very much and strokes the roof in the wind. But, better than being buffeted around side on.

Going on the photos on GeoWiki, I had imagined nice dispersed camping. We came up the road around the rock formations, not knowing what we would see. As usual, in a good spot, there is a great crowd of RVs of all descriptions in a sort of parking lot. We arrived at about 2.00 p.m. and most of the spaces were already filled. We squeezed into a little spot at the end, with views over the bush from our cab and passenger side.

 

It’s still windy at 5.00 p.m., so I will have to brave the wind to get out and take photos.

About a week ago I bought a couple of LAZY LETTERS, which Glenn and Matt may like, and a postcard for Mum. I’ve now completed them and hope to post them in Tennant Creek tomorrow.

There are still RVs coming here looking for spaces. A large Winnebago just came down and appears to be reversing into a spot.

Saturday 1st July, 2017 – Northern Territory Day

Devils Marbles to Tennant Creek

We need to fill up with water and do some washing, which meant for us going to a caravan park. We rang up on the way at one of the mobile phone booster stations.

When we arrived we asked about a place to eat out this evening. The first suggestion was to join the Northern Territory Day celebrations tonight at a nearby park. We were told it is safe to walk there, and a better option than driving and trying to park closeby.

I did some washing as soon as we arrived and have hung it around the van. For one thing, I worry about security in these places, for another, as at home, it is much easier to dry clothes on airers inside than hang them out and have to bring them in again. Is it age, laziness, or just being practical?

We are already finding this blog useful when we want to verify where we were at a particular time, etc. We will be able to relive the experience by projecting the blog on our TV at home.

Alice Springs to Ti Tree after overnight at Tropic of Capricorn Rest Area

We spent about five hours at the Araluen Centre. It has been built on the site of the Connellen Airways, and we were able to revisit the hangers where Dad (Ralph) used to work and we used to play. Or at least I could see one of the hangers, at the time I went the second one wasn’t open.

Apart from the Galleries, and I was especially impressed with the photographic exhibition by Aboriginal photographers, there was the Strehlow Centre with exhibits showing central Australia from the beginning – very interesting and well done. There was also more information on the anthropological work done with local aborigines by Strehlow and his son, who weren’t a trained anthropologists, and made the sort of mistakes typical of the times, such as selling objects to a museum in Germany. There is a huge archive of film taken by the son which has never been edited, I hope they realise it will need to be digitised soon. The reason for the lack of editing, just too much to do in one lifetime and being unsure of the audience, given that much of it was of secret/sacred business.

It was after 3.00 p.m. when we set off, stopping to fill up with fuel on the way. We went about 30kms to our first rest area at the Tropic of Capricorn Rest Area. It continued to be slightly wet, but became very windy. We decided to sleep with the slide in as the little cover was flapping about in the wind and we thought it might break off. I also had to raise our TV arial a little to keep it from banging on the roof. It was still quite cold and windy this morning and as we drove to Ti Tree. Interestingly, the landscape became greener on the drive here.

I checked the Alice Springs climate information. It does indeed get most of its rain in summer, but that doesn’t mean it can’t rain in winter as well, just that it won’t be as much.

We are parked at the Ti Tree Roadhouse because we have (slow) access to the internet.

We are having fairly short travel days today and tomorrow as I would like to overnight at the Devils Marbles Rest Area tomorrow night.

We are staying at Ti Tree for a while as our next overnight is only about 20 kms down the road.

Alice Springs Desert Park

This morning we picked up the camera, went to the pharmacy and did some shopping in Coles in preparation for leaving. Stephen had a good session with the podiatrist and feels it has been helpful. He had some pressure socks to wear and exercises to help with loss of flesh on the bottom of his foot which has lead to the pain.

Then we went to the Alice springs Desert Park. There were animals in fenced enclosures and a variety of plants and environments to see. Two of the staff were indigenous and they were very likable and knowledgeable.

There were wildflowers, including the Sturt Pea.

A highlight of our visit was the presentation on local birds. The birds appeared as if by magic, interacting with the presenters, mainly the man in the featured image, but also a woman working with a raptor. I was rapt, but Stephen asked how he managed to bring each bird in on cue. They are in cages, and though flying free for the presentation, they return to cages and the presenter works with them to ensure that they feel comfortable being with him, and also with the crowds who come to the presentation. He was able to take the birds close to different sections of the ampitheatre, so that we were actually quite close to them. We had lots of young people, including older school children, in the audience.

We came home and put a meal into the electric pressure cooker. There will be enough for tonight and for several days to come. It smells great, so I will stop writing to have our meal.

It’s been a cloudy day with light sprinkles of rain here and there, and quite cold again this evening.

Hermannsburg to Alice Springs via Simpson’s Gap

We had quite a good night feeling a bit spooked by our strange location in a locked compound. We woke at 5.30 a.m. to the sound of very light rain drops and the smell of ozone. I quickly closed the hatches, but we didn’t need to close the windows as it stopped quite soon. A little later there was a slightly heavier shower which lasted for about 20 minutes. Just the sort of thing that settles the dust on a vehicle!

At dawn the clouds lit up in a display that lasted for about 15 minutes. I was enjoying my cup of tea, but still jumped outside for a couple of photos.

The day continued to be partly cloudy as we drove back towards Alice Springs. The scenery was still quite spectacular. Stephen had been doing his research and suggested we call in at Simpson’s Gap for lunch. There was a short path through to the Gap. On the way we met up with Cathy who is travelling in a campervan and admires our Winnie. She is planning to travel full time for a couple of years and wants to have a bit more space. We first connected with her at Uluru during the sunset ritual.

We saw some rock wallabies, but only in the distance and my camera could not pick them up. I’m missing my good camera.

Stephen has managed to get an earlier appointment at the podiatrist, tomorrow at 11.40 a.m. I rang up about my camera, but it was not due at the shop until later today, so I said I will pick it up in the morning, which suited them.

Stephen rang Tourist Information at Alice Springs last night to see if we could get a night at a caravan park. He was successful, and when we arrived we were able to book two nights. We are located about 2 kms from the centre of town and opposite the Araluen Arts Centre. Stephen has already been there, but the galleries were closed and we plan to go together tomorrow afternoon. We plan to get our shopping done, pick up my camera, and go to his appointment in the morning.

This is decision time about the next few weeks of travel. I mentioned to Stephen that on another trip I would be interested in travelling more of the eastern states, and even up into Queensland. He is now contemplating turning East rather than West at Katherine, so that we would travel across into Queensland, visit a cousin in law, and then visit small towns, travelling across to Port Augusta and across the Nullabour. This is partly because as the days have been warmer here he has realised that maybe it is more comfortable to travel in cooler weather, even if we encounter rain. Of course, we would still experience some warmer weather going up to Katherine.

 

 

Day 36 – Alice Springs to Standley Chasm 24/6/17

We dropped in at Standley Chasm on our way to Hermansburg, and decided to stay. The car park acts as a campground, with toilets, showers, drinking water and even a washing machine that guests can use for free. We had morning tea, then went on the 1.2km walk to the Chasm itself. We arrived around midday, said to be the best time because of sunlight on both walls. I took lots of photos and we stood around waiting for about half an hour. It was impressive for the whole time.

We enjoyed the drive along Larapinta Drive, with mountains on both sides of the road. The drive into Standley Chasm was winding and scenic.

After the walk we had lunch and a rest. We set up our chairs outside and did some reading. Around 4.30 we had showers, not wanting to wait for the evening cold. We have a fairly easy meal tonight of stirfry meat with onions, capsicum and tomatoes. We don’t have any potatoes or carrots, but do have greens. Anyway, we have potato chips with our diet cola as nibbles, so that could count (not).

We’ve been invited to sit around a campfire tonight by one of our neighbours. There are about 6 motorhomes/campervans/campertent and one tent camped here tonight.

 

Day 37 – Standley Chasm to Hermannsburg 25/6/17

We woke quite early and had cups of tea. It was cloudy and the overnight was a bit warmer than we have been used to, though we were still comfortable under our warm doona. I went for another walk to the chasm before breakfast, Stephen had a walk up the road after breakfast.

We had a nice time around the campfire with two other couples, but did not discover much commonality, beyond all being part time travellers. It was very peaceful after the day tourists had gone.

We set off for Hermannsburg at about 10.40 a.m. We had the mountain range on one side and a lower, but still interesting range on the other. The bushland is beautiful and is probably the result of really good rainfall.

The camping here is very odd, we are in a locked compound. We feel a bit like refugees, except that we have our own key. The woman who gave us the key said something about the compound being necessary because of wandering stock, but that doesn’t actually explain why the gate is locked!

The day became more cloudy and rather humid, there is apparently a 20% chance of rain and it looks more like a storm possibility. However, it is still relatively cool – in the low 20’s now, and doesn’t feel too oppresssive. Mind you, we had the airconditioner on for a short while.

The historic precinct was interesting, if a bit rundown. It would be interesting to get an Indidgenous take on it as the literature we read was written by the Lutherans and painted their time here in a good light. Still, it’s impressive that they focussed on learning the local language, rather than just imposing their own or English.

There was some information about Albert Namatjira, but not many of his paintings. His story was tragic, despite his success as a painter. Still, he appears to have had a good marriage and built his own house for himself, his wife and their seven children.

Oddly, the 4G service here is much faster than in Alice Springs. Well done the local community to make it happen. Although the historical precinct is a tourist attraction it is far less busy than Uluru. We are the only people staying in the campground.

 

A Day at Alice Springs

We had a relaxing morning, finally getting away at about 11.00 a.m. I sat outside to have breakfast and coffee.

I had noticed a large dust spot on the camera sensor, and rang up the only camera store in town. They are able to arrange to have cleaned, but we won’t be able to pick it up until about lunchtime on Monday. I dropped it off whilst we were doing grocery shopping.

Stephen has noticed that one of his heels is painful. He rang up regarding a podiatry appointment, the earliest one is on Wednesday.

Therefore, we will definitely have to be here until Monday lunchtime, and if his heel continues to be painful it may be Wednesday. The only slight problem is that our present campsite will close after Sunday due to preparations for an agricultural show to be held here the following week. We are not sure if we will be able to get accommodation in town and may have to make small trips away. Not that we will be bored, there are lots of places to go.

Yesterday our next door neighbour offered to share their water connection with us. They have a tap on the frame of their caravan and we have connected up our hose. Very, very nice having drinking water coming out of our taps.

After shopping we went out to the Telegraph Station Museum. It is beautifully kept and has interesting history, though later was used to house Aboriginal children who were taken from their mothers. That rather spoils it for me.

We came back to enjoy another mild evening sitting outside enjoying the mild temperatures. After sunset it was chilly again, so we have moved inside.

I had forgotten how picturesque Alice Springs is. Obviously not the buildings, but the hills around the town. Essentially, it is a narrow place between steeply sided hills.

 

Urulu to Desert Oak Rest Area (on the Stuart Highway)

 

We had filled the Winnie tank yesterday, so this morning we just had our water containers to fill. Stephen put some more coolant in and I put some water in the windscreen wiper container.

We had our last showers, then our usual breakfast of wheatbix, tea/coffee, yogurt, a shared piece of fruit, and muesli/wheat germ.

We stopped at the first roadhouse, but made our own cups of tea and fruit cake after filling up. We had lunch at the lovely rest area where we stayed on the way in.

We stopped again at the roadhouse at the junction of the highways, then on about 33 kms to a place called the Desert Oak Rest Area. We were late getting in, about 5.00 p.m. and there were lots of caravans and motorhomes already there. Still, we managed to find a spot. We put the awning out, with help from our neighbour, and I put my handwashed clothing out on the little line that I rig up from the awning strut to the hand grab near the door. It was still mostly quite wet.

It has been a beautiful, mild evening, with lots of people sitting about socialising and enjoying the beautiful colours.

We had drinks and nibbles and I finished the last of the Jack Daniels. More needed!

Despite the many neighbours this place is very peaceful. The drop toilets are clean, with soap and paper. There is also a water tank, we are not sure whether the water would be potable, but fortunately we don’t need it.

Desert Oaks Rest Area to Alice Springs

On our way here we stopped at the Finke River Bridge rest area for morning tea. We walked down to the riverbed on the fine sand which had a sparkle to it.

We have been driving through ranges of hills, but as we got closer to Alice the The MacDonnell Ranges are very much higher. There was no room for us at the caravan park we went to, and they recommended going to the recreation park where there were powered sites, with water taps, showers and toilets. Although people are linking up their caravans, the taps are meant to be shared and we will be able to fill up in the morning before we go.

We had showers, me a cold one in our bathroom and Stephen a warm one in the shower block.

I did some handwashing and we’ve been sitting outside for our drinks and nibbles for the first time on our trip.

 

The Olgas and another Urulu sunset

Another day in this beautiful landscape. The Olgas, which are quite beautiful at a distance, seemed to become more ordinary as we got really close to them. We stopped at a lookout.

The landscape as a whole is very beautiful, with very interesting and beautiful trees and plants. I realise that the experience is very different in the heat of summer, but I couldn’t help feeling that the people who live here must feel extremely blessed by all of this beauty. Urulu is truly awsome and the setting does much to enhance the overall effect.