Melbourne to Alice Springs


On The Road Again – At Last

Oh What A Feeling!   We left home on schedule on Sunday 1 May 2005 for our five month trip.   Our first stop was for a coffee on the Calder Highway, would you believe, then lunch before arriving at Ouyen for the night and a stop in the caravan park..  It was an early night after all the preparation to get away and next morning we were ready for a long trip to Burra, via Mildura, and Renmark.  A quick stop at Mildura with an appropriate photo of Big Lizzie with Little Lizzie and then off again.  We stopped at Renmark for a quick wine tasting and then continued onto Morgan situated on the River Murray - finally reaching Burra late afternoon.  The caravan park was full so we were taken to the Burra Football Oval where we spent the night with power, hot and cold running water, showers and toilets.  We decided to stay the two nights here as we were quite comfortable with great views over the township of Burra.

 

Burra Tourist Information Centre has an interesting Burra Heritage Passport which enables you to visit some unique sites around the historical area including the old mining area, the old gaol, numerous cottages and miners dug outs.  It is a very good way of learning about the history of Burra and doing it at your own pace.  The town of Burra is quite quaint with a number of antique and curiosity shops to browse in.  After two days it was time to move on to our next destination.  We arrived in Port Augusta and after replenishing a few supplies took off on the Stuart Highway to start our big trip up the middle.  From Port Augusta the Stuart Highway takes you through a range of landscapes, including vast saltbush plains, dense stands of mulga and dried salt lakes.  We arrived at Woomera and decided to stay there for a couple of nights.

 

The Tidiest Ghost Town In Australia!   Woomera is known for its testing of long range missiles and rockets during the Cold War and the launch and tracking of spacecraft in the early days of the Space Age.  We were surprised with the tidiness of the town and the good facilities available to the remaining locals.  We took a drive out to the now closed Woomera Detention Centre and we decided that to even think of trying to escape this centre, would not have been a good idea as there is just nowhere to go.  All detainees were moved to Port Augusta two years ago and it is now totally desolate and most uninviting.  The refugees would have wondered where they were being taken with the desolate land all around them.

 

We took a day trip with some people we had met in the caravan park to Roxby Downs.  This town was built to support the Olympic Dam mine so it has all the facilities needed to make this town an oasis in the middle of a desert.  The giant mining operation is nine kms from Roxby and produces copper, uranium oxides, gold and silver.  We drove out to Andamooka where opal was discovered in 1930 – especially the crystal opal.  This town was an eye opener to all of us with dugouts and historical cottages dotted here and there with piles of “so-called treasures” everywhere.  From here we took a 4WD track out to see Lake Torrens a huge inland salt lake.  It was then back to Woomera for a Thursday night “not to be missed” counter tea at the RSL, where Rob won a six pack of beer in the raffle.

 

 

You Either Love It Or Hate It!!!   Coober Pedy meaning “kupa” white man “piti” meaning hole was our next stop.  It hasn’t changed much since our last visit in 1999.  We had heard on the ABC radio on the way that Coober Pedy was fielding its first football team in 10 years and the team was to play its first match at Roxby Downs on the Saturday.  This meant a 1000 km round trip for the local team which consisted of 19 aboriginal boys and 5 others who were making the trip.  We went down to the Ampol Service Station to see them off on the Friday night.  There were a couple of rules – no one turning up drunk would be able to make the trip, and no drinking on the trip.  The aboriginals were going to sleep under the stars overnight and kill a kangaroo for tucker 20 km out of town and the others were staying in the Woomera motel overnight.  Three of their best players couldn’t make the trip due to warrants out for their arrests and seeing the coaches of the team were policemen, it was not a good idea that these three put their hands up for the trip.  We bid them good luck and waved them goodbye.  There are only 5 teams in the league but there is a fair bit of traveling to be done during the year.  Their home ground is beautifully green and ready for the team to play its first home match in a couple of weeks.  Hopefully, they have a few wins as it would be good for the town.  On the other hand the golf course is not so green.  Not a blade of grass to be seen anywhere.  Sandscrape greens and gravel fairways but a beautiful new clubhouse that was due to have its official opening later in May.

 

Seeing is believing.  We were then off to Erldunda but along the way we called in to Cadney Park Roadhouse for morning tea and found out that it was worth a visit to the Painted Desert in the Arkaringa Hills.  This was a well maintained gravel road about 90 kms due east from the Stuart Highway and 50 kms short of Oodnadatta.  The Painted Desert was really worth visiting with all the different colours of the mountains looking quite spectacular in the sunlight.  We stayed the night in the free camping area of the roadhouse and enjoyed a meal and a drink in the tavern that night with a German couple who were out for their annual vacation.   

 

The following day we travelled to Erldunda Roadhouse on the Stuart Highway where we stayed overnight then left our caravan in storage and took off for Ayers Rock (Uluru) and Kings Canyon for 4 days of camping.  On arrival at Ayers Rock, we set up camp on the beautiful green lawned camp area and then set off for the Olga’s (Kata Tjuta – the traditional name meaning “many heads).  We did the Valley of the Winds walk and by the time we returned to the carpark, it was time to see the sun set over Ayers Rock. 

 

It’s Raining On The Rock.   A number of rain clouds had been gathering and the sun kept disappearing behind the grey clouds.  We thought that it would not be a good night for the sunset as the rain had started falling, but just as the sunset was nearly over, the sun appeared on Ayers Rock and a perfect rainbow appeared centrally located over The Rock.  The sky was a very dark grey and what with the fierce orange and reds of Ayers Rock, it was such a spectacular site.  We were so lucky to experience this sunset.  It has been a highlight of our trip so far.  The next morning we were up with the birds to experience the sunrise, along with everyone else. This morning there wasn’t a cloud in the sky and we saw a totally different picture of Ayers Rock.  Amazing.

 


It was then time for a bit of exercise so we decided to walk the 9.4 km around the base.  There are many sacred sites around the base so no photos are allowed to be taken. We had two nights here then took off to Kings Canyon 295 kms away.  We really enjoyed it here.  The camp ground was nice and green and so much quieter than Ayers Rock Resort.  We walked the Kings Canyon Creek walk with a local guide and found out that Kings Canyon has had no rain since last May so it was interesting to learn how the vegetation survives in drought times.  It was up early the next morning for the Rim Walk a 6km, 3 ½ hour walk around Kings Canyon.  This is a must do if you are fit enough.  To start there is a strenuous uphill climb, then the walk levels out.  The scenery is breathtaking with a 300 metre view down to the canyon floor. This time around we found the whole walk not really all that tiring, so we must be fairly fit.  Mind you, the weather was cooler being earlier in the year, compared to August 1999. 

It was Friday 13th the day we did the rim walk and that night all the staff at the resort were having a party in the Outback BBQ and Grill.  They had been looking forward to the night for weeks.  Everyone dressed up in Friday 13th costumes and the whole room was decorated.  We ended up having dinner there with some friends we had met along the way and we stayed on to enjoy the night.  The next day we were a bit slower packing up and driving back to Erldunda and an overnight stop. 

 

It was then on to Alice Springs which was an uneventful trip 200kms up the road.  There is a lot of road kill and the huge eagles sit with their talons firmly planted on the dead animal having a good feed.  At times we have driven so close to them before they decide to fly away – fortunately not at us but to the side of the road. We had booked to stay at the Macdonnell Range Caravan Park. This park is the best in Alice Springs.  The sites are well grassed and it’s a nice place to call home for the eight days. The first thing to do was restock our pantry, book the car in for a service, collect our mail and catch up on emails and the web site.

 

A Park With A Difference.   We visited the Alice Springs Desert Park.  This park was so interesting and after doing a talk with the ranger, we were able to understand more about life in the desert and how plants, animals, birds and aboriginal people survive in very harsh conditions.  At your own pace you stroll through three different habitats – sand country, desert rivers and woodlands with exhibits in each habitat.  Our favourite would have been the unique animals in the nocturnal house and the free flying birds of prey.  It is a well set up tourist attraction and well worth the entrance fee of $18.00 per person.

 

A report must be made on the standard of meals being cooked by the “chef of the caravan”.  The meals have been outstanding due to the “driver of the rig” buying the RFDS Mantle of Safety Cookbook 2 for the chef.  Not only has there been Sunset Chicken, Bombay Curry, but the chef excelled herself with Roast Fillet of Beef with a “homemade” mushroom and pepper sauce with a nice bottle of red wine.  Another highlight of the trip.

 

 

For the rest of our time in Alice Springs we will venture further a field to the East Macdonnell Ranges, West Macdonnell Ranges and to Palm Valley on the Finke River out near Hermansberg. We then continue our journey north up to Katherine which we will cover in our next trip report.

 

Rob & Liz