Leaving Kings Canyon we took the Mereenie Loop Road, 150k of other dirt track with lots of mud and corrugations but perfectly passable, to the small mission station of Hermannsburg. Set up in the 1890’s by German Lutheran missionaries to bring education and Christianity to the poor indigenous peoples in return food and other sustenance it rather reminded me of George Bernard Shaw’s “Major Barbara” – give the poor food and they become easy converts – I’m perhaps rather cynical! The town is now an aboriginal community and the mission buildings are a museum rather falling apart at the seams but none-the-less very interesting.
Our destination was Finke Gorge which was a further 20k down a track with dire warnings of being “severe 4WD only” with a rough surface and lots of deep riverbed sand. However it was well worth it as it proved to be the best camp we have had all trip. After numerous river crossings and the promised deep sand we found an ideal spot on the shore of the Finke River – so good was it our original one night visit extended to three. The gorge itself was excellent with a number of good but challenging walks with the highlight being a place called Palm Valley – one of the last places in Central Australia where the Red Cabbage Palm can be found – there’s one for the pub quiz.
Unfortunately, having set up camp in still conditions and having erected Sandra’s mobile craft studio tent (she felt her creative juices flowing in the perfect environment) at 3am a gale came whistling down the gorge and started to blow things down. Sandra is not good in the morning and needs at least one cup of coffee, and not before 7am, in order to get going. At 3am, wearing her yellow flannelette pyjamas, she was not really firing on all cylinders – unfortunately I was otherwise occupied fighting a blow away tent to take what could have been interesting photographs.
We had originally expected to be away from Alice Springs for about 5 days and had provided sufficient food and drink for that period. However our prolonged stay at Finke led to food rationing and, even worse, WE RAN OUT OF BEER! Camping nearby was a single guy from Sydney called David who had developed a blister on his foot. Sandra, the consummate negotiator and business woman, was able to trade a sticking plaster for two bottles of beer – she drives a hard bargain! David, who was leaving the next day, also kindly provided us with two massive steaks, some salad and milk. A white Knight and a Gentle
man – even if he was an Estate Agent!!
After Finke, and having been away for 10 days, we had to return to Alice Springs to re-provision before setting off once more to explore the West Macdonnell Ranges. All the campsites in Alice were busy and, as we were being turned away from the G’Day Mate Tourist Park, we were told to wait as they may be able to fit us in provided we would accept a waterside site. This turned out to be by the swimming pool, which was not being used as it is too cold for the locals. The spot was excellent and we were given keys to a private shower and toilet so we decided to base ourselves in Alice and do day trips to West Macdonnell
National Park as the distances were not too great.
A series of gorges and gorge walks then followed – all excellent including Standley Chasm, Ormiston Gorge (v. high cliffs and a great walk) Serpentine Gorge at which Sandra made me climb to the top of the cliffs to see “one of the finest views in Central Australia” – it was too but the camera battery ran out at that point.
As I type this Sandra is packing up at the G’Day Mate Tourist Park (well someone’s got to do the blog) and we will be heading north and expect to be in Darwin in about 7-10 days. Our route is as yet uncertain and may well depend on road closures however we should have enough food to last the trip and, just in case the trip is extended again, double beer supplies have been purchased.
One last thing – June 4 is Sandra’s birthday and I think it would be good if all blog readers could post a comment on the blog to wish her a Happy Birthday. If you don't know how to do this - go to the blog entry in February which tells you how to post a comment.
Our destination was Finke Gorge which was a further 20k down a track with dire warnings of being “severe 4WD only” with a rough surface and lots of deep riverbed sand. However it was well worth it as it proved to be the best camp we have had all trip. After numerous river crossings and the promised deep sand we found an ideal spot on the shore of the Finke River – so good was it our original one night visit extended to three. The gorge itself was excellent with a number of good but challenging walks with the highlight being a place called Palm Valley – one of the last places in Central Australia where the Red Cabbage Palm can be found – there’s one for the pub quiz.
Unfortunately, having set up camp in still conditions and having erected Sandra’s mobile craft studio tent (she felt her creative juices flowing in the perfect environment) at 3am a gale came whistling down the gorge and started to blow things down. Sandra is not good in the morning and needs at least one cup of coffee, and not before 7am, in order to get going. At 3am, wearing her yellow flannelette pyjamas, she was not really firing on all cylinders – unfortunately I was otherwise occupied fighting a blow away tent to take what could have been interesting photographs.
We had originally expected to be away from Alice Springs for about 5 days and had provided sufficient food and drink for that period. However our prolonged stay at Finke led to food rationing and, even worse, WE RAN OUT OF BEER! Camping nearby was a single guy from Sydney called David who had developed a blister on his foot. Sandra, the consummate negotiator and business woman, was able to trade a sticking plaster for two bottles of beer – she drives a hard bargain! David, who was leaving the next day, also kindly provided us with two massive steaks, some salad and milk. A white Knight and a Gentle
man – even if he was an Estate Agent!!After Finke, and having been away for 10 days, we had to return to Alice Springs to re-provision before setting off once more to explore the West Macdonnell Ranges. All the campsites in Alice were busy and, as we were being turned away from the G’Day Mate Tourist Park, we were told to wait as they may be able to fit us in provided we would accept a waterside site. This turned out to be by the swimming pool, which was not being used as it is too cold for the locals. The spot was excellent and we were given keys to a private shower and toilet so we decided to base ourselves in Alice and do day trips to West Macdonnell
National Park as the distances were not too great.A series of gorges and gorge walks then followed – all excellent including Standley Chasm, Ormiston Gorge (v. high cliffs and a great walk) Serpentine Gorge at which Sandra made me climb to the top of the cliffs to see “one of the finest views in Central Australia” – it was too but the camera battery ran out at that point.
As I type this Sandra is packing up at the G’Day Mate Tourist Park (well someone’s got to do the blog) and we will be heading north and expect to be in Darwin in about 7-10 days. Our route is as yet uncertain and may well depend on road closures however we should have enough food to last the trip and, just in case the trip is extended again, double beer supplies have been purchased.
One last thing – June 4 is Sandra’s birthday and I think it would be good if all blog readers could post a comment on the blog to wish her a Happy Birthday. If you don't know how to do this - go to the blog entry in February which tells you how to post a comment.
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