We were up early the next morning, trying to catch Kata Tjuta (formerly known as the Olgas) at sunrise. But again, the elements conspired against us. Rain during the night meant that the cloud cover was substantial at dawn, but this time it actually made for a spectacular sunrise over Uluru, which was 30km distant.
My first glimpse of Uluru.
It was a strange seeing something so iconic: so familiar and yet not because I have never seen it in context. In pictures, I saw the red rock, but in reality there was also the red sand, desert oaks, spinifex and bloodwood.
Of course, being there in person also means that I saw the true reality of the rock: that it is a high profile tourist destination with a cultural centre, souvenir shops, and climb.
At the end of the day we gathered to watch the sunset. Unfortunately the sun was obscured by clouds, hence the muted colours. Well, you can’t have everything.
That night we stayed at Oak Valley, owned by a family from the Luritja group. Craig, the owner, took us on a little drive around the property…
… Teaching us about the Luritja culture and stories. Not just about the past but what is happening at the moment. He was very open and honest, as well as engaging. I think what he had to say impressed us all.
He also showed us some interesting rock formations. Looks very much like snakeskin doesn’t it? Maybe the rainbow serpent slithered through here?
We took a walk in Ormiston Gorge the next morning: over the hill and into the deep gorge. The hills form layers, one on top of the other, towering above the cool river bed.
When we came out of the gorge, we saw a heron perched beside the river, contemplating the ancient landscape.
Glen Helen is deep within the West Macdonnell Ranges. We arrived late in the day to watch the last rays of the sun reflect off the gorgeous red rock, before having dinner under the stars.
I love the ghost gums that grow out of the rock, their white trunks standing out even in the twilight.
A bumpy ride brought us to the Finke Gorge National Park. This rock amphitheatre at Kalaranga Lookout reminds me a lot of the Wild West.
I love the colour of the rock, a rich red due to the iron ore accummulated through millions of years of exposure.
I flew to Alice Springs right after I returned from Arnhemland, and the next day I was on the road again, this time with Wayoutback Tours.
We visited the West Macdonnell Ranges on the first day, and the first place we stopped at was Hermansburg. It’s a bit of an oddity because it’s an old Lutheran mission. The Germans made it up to Alice overland from Adelaide in the late 1800’s, and have had a great influence on the locals. It was my first taste of the vivid desert colours – red of the earth, blue of the morning sky.
Static and Silence 