West MacDonnell Ranges

As you approach Alice Springs you enter through a narrow gap in the ranges which is just big enough got the road, the railway and the river. The West MacDonnell Ranges extend from here 150 kms west and very beautiful. This is the area where the artist Albert Namatjira lived and painted and many of the scenes are familiar from his paintings.
We visited the Desert Park on our way out of Alice which is a wonderful park that shows all the aspects of plant and animal life that occur in the desert. It was so interesting and well presented. We saw a bird of prey show and heard a talk on how the aborigines survived in this harsh climate where it can get up to 50 degrees in the summer and is very cold in the winter. We were given audio headsets that you could listen to information at given relevant points around the park. After a very interesting and informative morning we headed out to the West MacDonnell Ranges.

A large ridge of rocks towered beside us on the left and often you would swear someone has built a stone wall. As you go further the hills become very undulating and the mountains become a series of undulations that become bigger and bigger. There has been so much upheaval here millions of years ago which has created these beautiful mountains and rivers have carved out huge gorges. The rocks are full of iron oxide so they are very red especially when the sun shines on it in the evening sunsets.

We found a lovely campsite in the national park at Ellery Creek Waterhole which is a permanent waterhole surrounded by huge red cliffs and huge river gums flank the banks of the waterhole. It is a very popular swimming hole in the hot summer for Alice Springs residents.
There were many people camped here and in the evening everyone gathered around a communal campfire to share stories.
We decided to have a “day off” the next day and spent the time relaxing, reading and catching up with the blog. It was a beautiful day and I took my chair down to the waterhole which was bathed in sunlight and soaked up the scenery. Lots of people passing through come to waterhole so I had plenty of people to chat to and didn’t get much “work done”
Our neighbours at our campsite just happened to be camping next to us at Uluru and they had some kayaks. They went for a kayak down the gorge and then offered me to have a turn which I gratefully accepted.
It was magnificent to get so close to the fascinating rocks and the sun was shining on the massive cliffs to emphasise their beauty. Another night around the campfire revealed some travelling tips and lots of laughs.

The next day we went on a day trip to Ormiston Gorge and Glen Helen Resort which offers motel style accommodation with a lovely cosy dining room, an open fire and a wonderful outlook onto massive sheer red cliff.
On the way we visited Serpentine Gorge(named as is winds around like a serpent) and the Ochre pits – a large area of different coloured ochre
which was used by the Aboriginies to paint their bodies for their ceremonies. It was also very valuable to trade.


Then to Ormiston Gorge for a walk to the creek bed to view the beautiful ghost gums and then a walk to the lookout on top of the cliffs. From the lookout we could view the whole beauty of the gorge and we watched people down below trying to find their way back across the rocks to avoid wading through the water

We also spotted some dingos trotting along the river bed looking for prey. I and another couple decided to go back the longer way which took us down into the creek bed. This involved a lot of clambering over rocks (which had the most amazing colours), down onto the creek bed but then we had to find our way across the rocks and slither down a very steep part trying to find footholds. Luckily I had some assistance from someone down below otherwise I would still be stuck on the rocky outcrop.
The drive out to Orminston Gorge was so beautiful with mountains on both sides – one side jagged and the other rolling undulations. Even the road was up and down for mile and miles, Hues of blue from the mountains and blue from the sky as well as green grassy slopes made a very pretty scene.
That evening we returned to our campsite to find it crowded out with tents and camper trailers and they were a rowdy mob so our gathering around the fire wasn’t funny more so most of the “old crew” retired early.


Driving back to Alice the next day you felt as if you were immersed in one of Albert Namatjira paintings with picturesque mountains whizzing by on either side.



We stopped at Standley Chasm about lunch time to crane our necks to see the narrow towering chasm lit up by the midday sun. The chasm is very tall and very narrow so you feel like a miniature person in this work of grandeur by Mother Nature.
Back to the hustle and bustle of Alice Springs, we needed to do washing, emails and shopping so overnighter in a caravan park but it made us appreciate our last few nights of camping out.

(If you click on the images you can see them full size)