Day 63: Down the Western Macs to Ormiston Gorge (03/08/12)

The day dawned with less severe temperatures than yesterday. We were going to have an overnight stay in the Western Macdonnels and then come back to Alice Springs.

The road out of Alice west, the Larapinta Drive, revealed endless lines of mountains, right and left stretching out to the horizon. A really imposing and grand landscape.

Western Macdonnels (just a small selection..)

....And who are you staring at?...

The mountains furthest away were grander echoes of the hills closer by, which in turn were reflected by the hillocks and dykes and ridges occasionally running alongside the road. We turned right into the Namatjira Drive and drove a long distance before reaching the first turnoff into Ellery Creek. There was a Gap there which was down 3 kms of bone-jarring corrugations. As usual the result was worth the trouble. Here was a gap filled with a deep waterhole, filled with birds and plants. The cliffs were once again imposing.

Ellery Creek Gap

Yes, she had to pose. No, she doesn't like it! (But she makes a pretty picture, ay?)

These mysterious ferns were growing all over the cliff.

Looking down at the waterhole from above.

We moved on until we were about 130 kms out of Alice.

Glen Helen Gorge from a distance. We would have a proper look at it tomorrow.

Down a 8 kms side road we got to Ormiston Gorge park. They had solar hot showers and toilets, so that was a bonus. For a park fee of $20 we had a place for the night. The park is set out very nicely in a valley and a number of walks start from there, including the walk into the Gorge itself. We chose an over the top and back down the gorge walk similar to the one at Trephina. We started a bit late, so the sun did not make the cliffs quite as spectacular as at the Trephina Gorge. But Ormiston Gorge’s cliffs are 3 or 4 times higher and the effect altogether is quite grand. We had to scramble across a long stretch of rocks in the Gorge bottom and negotiate the permanent ponds, but the overall walk was well worth our while.

Ormiston Gorge. The contrast was almost too much between sunlit and shady bits.

We thought we would have to wade/swim through this pond to get back.

Our camp seen from the lookout

Joke on the lookout in her favourite hat.

Ghost gum catching the sun

The cliff face opposite was brilliant

The pool made going upstream difficult, but going back downstream was easy.

Joke was nursing a sore back, so we took it easy for the rest of the day.

Evening light plays over the mountains surrounding Ormiston Gorge

In the evening we went to bed to the accompaniment of a chorus of howls from nearby dingos. ”Azaaaaariaaaaah!!” they howled mournfully.

In a faraway place, happier sounds were heard as a transfer of carbon and metal took place. There the howls were of pure pleasure, both at the materials transferred and the reason for the transfer. Adam had proposed to Miriam........