Uluru to Alice Springs (the long way)

On Thursday we left Uluru after Jim picked the brains of a diesel mechanic and NRMA repairman (all fellow travellers) about various things we needed help with. So although we didn’t leave until nearly midday, we did make it to Kings Canyon that afternoon to set up camp and had half a pub meal each at the local (only) pub. Wild dingoes were hanging around the campsite and chomped up an empty milk carton (to lick the inside) that evening outside our tent. The next morning we did the 6 km Kings Canyon Circuit walk which was pretty amazing. It consists of old sea beds and sand dunes that are 400 million years old.

Small part of Kings Canyon

Scenery on the Kings Canyon walk

Ancient ocean floor ripples in the rock

The walk took us longer than expected so we didn’t set off until about 2:30 pm for our trip through some aboriginal land (permit required) amongst more amazing scenery (and rough roads) and into the West MacDonnell ranges from the western side. Bronte thought it was logical that there must be a McDonalds restaurant at these ranges, given that that they share the same name (unless you have to spell it). We took a small detour into Gosses Bluff which is a crater formed by a comet impact 140 million years ago. We later found a camp site at 6 pm on a rocky ridge with great views at Redbank Gorge.

Gosses Bluff - from a comet impact 140 million years ago

The next day was an official rest day, in observance of Bronte’s 5^th birthday – and what a great place to rest, with great views and a camp fire all day (to cook birthday cake and a rump roast for dinner – both in the camp oven, and both pretty successful). Bronte (and the rest of us) had a great day with presents and party food sourced from the Yulara IGA!

Bronte's camp oven birthday cake

Bronte's birthday party

We ended up spending 3 nights here (the camp fire was a hit) and checked out some of the nearby gorges.

Ghost Gum in rock cliff

Ormiston Gorge

west of Alice Springs

Mt Sonder (west Macdonnell Ranges)

On Monday 11 June we hit Alice Springs for our first wash in 4 days and for some – you guessed it – McDonalds for dinner. The Finke Desert race had just finished in Alice Springs, so we purposely timed our arrival to miss the crowds.