We WERE on the road before sunrise, in fact we saw it in the rear view mirror on the way to Kata Tjuta.

We were a little regretful that we hadn’t gone to the Uluru sunrise viewing area instead because it looked so spectacular even from a distance but we were keen to do the Kata Tjuta walk before the expected maximum of 34C.

We saw the turn off to the Kata Tjuta sunrise viewing area (which we hadn’t planned to include) and it was just after sunrise so we decided to sprint up there and get a few shots. It was worth the detour I think.

Driving on to the Valley of the Winds trail head we started walking at around 0745, there were only a couple of other cars in the car park. Living up to its name, it was quite windy but pleasantly overcast and we made it to the first lookout quite quickly.

A young couple had arrived just before us and said that the wind ten minutes earlier had almost blown them over the edge so we sat and absorbed the view whilst the wind abated a bit before beginning the descent. The trail after Karingana is initially downhill but then curves around and slightly uphill again before rejoining the loop at the foot of the valley. The wildflowers were out in profusion and the cloud cover persisted making walking conditions much more tolerable.

We completed the walk as the less adventurous and later risers were appearing in numbers to visit the first lookout and feeling pleased with ourselves decided to check out Walpa Gorge as well.

A much shorter walk took us through massive domes that lead to the gorge with its small permanent water source and thousands of nesting birds in the shelter of its walls. The noise at times was deafening and we stopped to watch them swooping down for a drink in large flocks before returning to the safety of the cliff.

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We had our lunch rolls on a conveniently placed park bench enjoying the absolute splendour of our surroundings and calculated that we had walked 23 kms in the past two days! Not bad for a couple of overweight seniors 😁

The next morning, our final one here, we dragged ourselves out of bed to drive to the Uluru sunrise area and despite not delivering quite the colours of yesterday it was yet another impressive view of Uluru. 

Heading back to the campground we were able to capitalise on our early start and made good time packing up and hitting the road, somewhat excited that today we would cross the border and be back in SA. We paused for one last drone shot as we left Yulara, the stunning ‘red centre’ in all of its glory.

Stopping for fuel and a break in Kulgera,  we met some fellow motorhomes with whom we have mutual friends, had a chat before continuing south and eventually crossed the border in the early afternoon.

Our intended stop tonight was a free camp at Agnes Creek and there were already a number of rigs in the main park when we arrived but I had done my research and we took ” the first left” and found ourselves further from the road in a spacious area with great access to the (dry) creek bed and a lovely view. We had many avian visitors, from beautiful ring neck parrots to galahs, maggies and cheeky willie wagtails. Our last campfire that night was the perfect place to reflect on our trip whilst toasting marshmallows over the coals. In many ways this was one of the most memorable stops that we made and we resolved to spend more time free camping in the future, we might even buy a fire pit!

Tomorrow, its on to Coober Pedy, one of the few places in South Australia that I have never visited.

As we counted down the kilometres toward Uluru (Ayers Rock) we came across another monolith that to be honest, I had never heard of!

Mt Conner is actually linked to the same underground rock formation as Uluru and sits on Curtin Springs Station. An impressive 300 metres high, this towering chunk of sandstone, siltstone and mudstone creates an incredible impression on the otherwise flat landscape and is often mistaken for Uluru when people first view it.

We had a cuppa here and it was a popular spot for many, mostly the view but partly the toilets 😜

Not too much further along Uluru itself as well as Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) both became visible and the first of many photos was taken. You can just see Russell walking up to the lookout in this one.

We had read about lengthy queues to check in at the Ayers Rock Campground and we were anxious given that we didn’t actually have a secured booking but when we arrived there was only one caravan ahead of us and we were told we could have our planned three nights but would have to move sites after the first night.

We had an early night and actually didn’t do much the next day, both of us feeling the after effects from the Rim Walk at Kings Canyon I think. We did attend an excellent free talk given by a local indigenous man on native plants for food and medicine and then a cooking demonstration using some of the ingredients displayed. Russell stayed for an astronomy talk and I had a wander through the galleries and other retail outlets, many more than when I had visited in 1996!

The sky was clear when we met the bus for the Field of Light and we were driven to a great vantage point from which we had the opportunity to watch the sunset with bubbles in hand and canapes to follow.

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As the sky darkened the light installation began to illuminate below us but its real magnificence was evident when we walked down the garden path and became immersed in it, the photos don’t do it justice at all.

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We made an effort to be up early the next morning, the forecast was for 33C and we planned to complete the Uluru Base Walk listed as 10 kms (without side walks.) We stopped off at the Cultural Centre en route, wanting to be respectful of the traditional owners by familiarising ourselves with the dreamtime stories associated with Uluru. Unfortunately this delayed our start time by a good half an hour and all of the information was displayed on story boards as we walked anyway.

We visited all of the side points of interest and were hot but proud of ourselves for clocking up 12.8 kms and seeing some sensational scenery along the way. I have to be honest though, in the last few kms when my hip starting playing up I was viewing those that hired bikes or segways quite enviously!

I would like to think that the closure of the rock to climbers (in 2019) has led to more people getting up close and personal to its many different facets and stories rather than setting out solely to conquer its height.

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A quiet afternoon to recover from our exertions and then we were packing chips, dips and wine for the short drive to the sunset viewing area where once again nature put on a display.

By now we had both agreed that we needed an extra night and after confirming that this was available we decided to dedicate the next day to Kata Tjuta.

Kata Tjuta is situated a little over 50 kms away and with another hot day forecast it was early to bed with a plan to be on the road before sunrise…

Our border crossing was quite uneventful in the end, a quick check by the friendly policeman stationed at the hot and dusty ‘state line’ and we were on our way west. The original destination was a free camp that John and Steph were familiar with but given the estimated maximum was 36C, Steph and I won out and we checked into Barkly Homestead, a veritable oasis in the desert with power to run our AC and a pool! Barkly Homestead is privately owned and as well as accommodation offerings it has petrol and a pub, what more could you need? All at a price of course, they are extremely isolated, generate their own power and receive no government assistance.

We cranked the aircon up as red dust swirled around us. The generator failed, we went to the pool which was tiny and full of sweaty humans, the generator came back on and then went off again and eventually more blustery, dusty wind delivered a cool change of sorts and we had dinner in relative comfort.

Another big advantage here was that we didn’t have to disconnect our ‘toads’ so were on the way again in the morning with a minimum of fuss, headed for the Devil’s Marbles, south of Tennant Creek.

We stopped in Tennant Creek for diesel where there were chaotic scenes at the petrol station, long queues, impatient people and frayed tempers. Tennant Creek has a pretty bad reputation at the moment, other grey nomads reporting rocks being thrown as they passed through and frequent theft and even assaults in the Caravan Park 😒

Luckily for us though we arrived at Devil’s Marbles early enough to secure two sites adjacent to one another in this amazing location and had time for a walk through the Marbles before positioning ourselves up on the plateau to view sunset. 

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The next morning we were on the road reasonably early in order to cover a decent distance into Alice Springs. John told us he would be showing us a bit of ‘culture’ today when we dropped in to Barrow Creek Hotel and he wasn’t wrong!

If these walls could talk there would be many interesting tales to recount!

We stopped again for lunch at the Tropic of Capricorn and said farewell to our travelling companions as John and Steph were continuing on to SA the next day. It had been wonderful having their company for the last few days and they are a wealth of knowledge when it comes to motor homing which was very helpful for us newbies.

We had a couple of nights in Alice and marvelled at how much it has changed since we both use to visit several times a year for work. One of the new additions that caught our eye was the Alice Springs Brewery, situated very close to our CP and we ended up sampling some lovely gin and delicious buffalo wings for Russell’s birthday.

Leaving Alice Springs on Friday we were headed for Kings Canyon Resort ultimately but planned to free camp overnight to break up the journey and just after lunch we settled on Salt Creek campground about 50kms up the Luritja Road.

Surrounded by vibrant red sand and muted grey/green spinifex it was absolutely sublime. I’ve always thought that the ‘Red Centre” term is in part good marketing but here we were surrounded by it and there is no more apt description. Three other units stayed overnight but there was space for everyone and we enjoyed yet another beautiful sunset, a campfire (marshmallows as well) and then a beautiful sunrise the next day. This is indeed what motor homing is all about!

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It was such a joy to hear nothing but birdcall, free camping at its best.

The next day we only had a little over an hour’s drive to reach Kings Canyon Resort but we stopped for a little drone action on the way and were amazed at how varied the landscape was as we drove northwards.

We checked in to the red dirt caravan park but were pleased to see a nice pool surrounded by lawn and modern amenities. Diesel at the servo was $2.05 c/L but look where we are.

The opportunity to get a bird’s eye view of the canyon presented itself in the form of helicopter flights leaving from just down the road so we decided to treat ourselves and booked a flight after lunch. Our young female pilot was excellent and provided a short commentary on the area as we enjoyed a 15 minute fly over.

Later that afternoon we joined the masses at the sunset viewing area and enjoyed a couple of drinks whilst we watched the sky change colours toward the distant range.

Our plan the next morning was to be up early as the Canyon Rim Walk is 7+ kms and the recommendation is to complete no later than 1100 in hot weather which it was.

We managed to commence the walk at 0750 and for the first 30 mins tackled ‘heart attack hill’ as the path rose steadily toward the top of the canyon.

Words and even pictures do not do this area justice. I am running out of superlatives writing this blog but let me just say the agony of the climb was totally worth it! Once up to the top the trail meanders through sandstone domes (aka The Lost City) the lush Garden of Eden with its sacred waterhole and sites made famous in Priscilla Queen of the Desert, before its more gentle descent back to the car park on the eastern side.

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There are several emergency helipads clearly marked along the trail alongside large metal lockers with emergency medical supplies inside and I suspect that they get used reasonably often. We also passed several memorials to people that have tragically lost their lives in this beautiful place.

We completed the walk in just over 3 hours (with lots of photo stops) without incident and then continued on to the Creek walk, a much flatter two kilometres to round out almost 10 kilometres for the morning! Seeing the Canyon up close and personal is not to be missed. Not a bad effort for grey nomads. Channeling some AFL tactics I jumped into the very cold pool on our return but couldn’t convince Russell of its merit. 😁

A lively dinner at the Thirsty Dingo Bar finished off the day and tomorrow we’re off to Ayer’s Rock.