Alice Springs and Homeward Bound

 We were pretty tired from our big day out in the Macdonnell Ranges so Sunday was a quiet day. We went to church in the morning at the Alice Springs Branch who were very friendly. We did a tour of the School of the Air and I caught up with a friend who had lived in Canberra at the Golf Club. We went for a drive out to Emily and Jessie Gap

Monday morning we packed up and checked out of the hotel then went to the Olive Pink Botanic Gardens and then out to the Telegraph Station before heading to the airport for our flight home at 1:45pm. Arrived at mum's later that night then I flew back to Canberra the next day. It was a great trip and everything went to plan.

Some of the student work at the School of the Air- this was a metal quilt

Emily and Jessie Gap

Hill walk at Olive Pink Botanic Gardens

View from the top of the Botanic Gardens Hill

The West Macdonnell Ranges

Saturday we discovered the West Macdonnell Ranges and it was a stunning day. First stop was the Standley Chasm, we did the 1.2km return walk up to the Chasm. It was a lovely walk along a dry creek bed, with tall gum trees, cycad bushes, lots of wattles and wildflowers and rock cliffs, it was such a lovely walk and then we reached the chasm which was very striking. The sun was coming overhead so the light was coming into the chasm. Mum did well, it was slightly uphill on the way down so a bit easier on the way back. 

John Flynn memorial- started the Royal Flying Doctor

The walk up to Standley Chasm

Our hire car 

Then we drove on to the Ellery Creek Big Waterhole, I can see why people talk about the light out here, it is just so clear and crisp, the mountain range is stunning and the view changes. It was a short walk down to the waterhole at Ellery Creek, with water one side and then a wide dry creek bed running into it. 

One of many dry river beds- this one a rocky one. Would be interesting to fly over the area when the rivers are flowing.

We headed to the Ochre Pits next, a sacred site for the aboriginals and the colours and layers in the rocks were fascinating, more great views. 

It was then another 20km on to Ormiston Gorge, more stunning scenery. Mum and I walked down to the waterhole, then I headed back with mum following at her pace. I went ahead and went up to the Ghost Gum lookout which gave you a view across the top of the gorge. I have been lucky with my knee holding up with the walking. 

We then drove a few kilometres up the road to Glen Helen Gorge for a brief look, then up to a scenic lookout over the Finke River and Mt Sonder. You could look back down the ranges where we had come from. 

Then it was 135 km back to Alice Springs, we had a break halfway at the Eric Hargvreave Lookout ( more great views) then our last stop was Simpson Gap just out of Alice. I am glad we didn’t miss this one, it was a short walk along a lovely red track beside a wide dry river bed, to the Gap, the light was stunning, the cliffs staggering, it was such a lovely spot, quite magical. It was a fitting last stop to end a great day out.

 Simpsons Gap

A sandy dry river bed

Uluru to Alice Springs

 Thursday morning we packed up, checked out and had a couple of hours to fill in before we caught the coach to Alice Springs. We walked up to the Town Square and brought a few souvenirs, then went up to Sails in the Desert to walk around the Gardens there, had some lunch there before heading back to Desert Gardens and just chilled out for a bit and read our books till the coach arrived. It was only half full, so we had a seat each, and with the big windows it was lovely being driven through the desert. It was a 6 hour trip, around 470km, so quite a distance. We had a stop at Curtin Springs- a Station about an hour from Uluru, we could see Mt Connor- which does look a bit look Uluru from the distance but has a flat top. Then it was 2 hours to  the Stuart Highway where we stopped at the Erldunda Road House ( stopping off beforehand to meet the King Canyon coach which took some of our passengers). Then it was another 2 hours to Alice Springs, all with a commentary some of the way with a character of a bus driver. So by 7:30pm we were in our rooms at the Mercure Hotel in Alice Springs.

The print in our room 

Time for a few last photos before heading to Alice Springs

The lovely ghost gums at Sails in the Desert

Curtin Springs- on route to Alice Springs

The sunset from the bus in the desert

Friday morning it was a chilly 2 degrees in the morning but clear and sunny and warmed up to around 21 degrees so was rather pleasant. We had a room each here which was nice. After breakfast at the hotel, I walked across the Todd River- the dry river beds throughout the area were amazing- and picked up our hire car for the next few days. We went to the visitors centre, got our bearings and had a little walk around then headed out to the Alice Springs Desert Park about 8km out of Alice. It had various areas of different vegetation, animals, aviaries, birds and a bird show. We watched and introductory film and then headed out into the park. They had electric scooters you could hire for a $10 donation, so convinced mum to hire one. She hadn't used one before but took to it like a duck to water! Made it a lot less tiring for her and we were able to get around the whole park.

The Todd River

Mum on her electric scooter- she loved it!

Love the red sand and blue skies

A splendid fairy wren

The stunning back drop of the Macdonnell Ranges

Salt Pan

One of many dry river beds

The Desert Park Bird Show

On the way back to Alice Springs we went up to the ANZAC Lookout which gave great views of Alice Springs.