Road Tripping: Alice Springs

posted in: Northern Territory

Between Yulara and Alice Springs we stopped in Erldunda to refuel.  There’s supposed to be a Big Thing there, a Big Echidna.  When I asked about it at the petrol station they had no clue what I was talking about at first.  Finally they realised what I was asking about and they told me it had been ruined by mice and the like.  It used to be where their emu farm is now.  We were happy to see the emus.  We’d stopped here on the way to Uluru and happily watched them for a good while.  On our way back through we were lucky to be able to feed them, a tour group was leaving and gave us their extra feed.  I could not keep JitterBug(8) off the ground, he was so enchanted with the emus. Road Tripping: Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? TurboBug found food pieces on the ground and threw them through the fence at the ‘meemus’.  They happily followed him around hoping for more.  The sound an emu makes is so peculiar, it’s like a  hollow thumping noise.  With a couple of dozen emus we heard them ‘talking’ plenty. Road Tripping: Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? Have you ever fed an emu by hand?  You place the food in your hand with your palm flat so that they can’t pinch your palm.  I tried it and it didn’t feel very good.  The kids were downright afraid to feed them! Road Tripping: Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? I can’t blame them, look at that mouth!  When they raise their heads they are as tall as I am!  We started placing the food on that wooden railing and the emus were happy to eat from that. Road Tripping: Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? When you are heading to Alice Springs there is a stretch of road with no speed limit.  I had never seen such a sign before!  There’s just nothing out here.  Towing the van we couldn’t go very fast anyway, so we were passed many times. Road Tripping: Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? Not far north of Alice Springs is the monument marking the Tropic of Capricorn which we stopped at the day we left Alice.  It’s only 30km outside of town, so the kids were not keen to get out of the car, we hadn’t been in it long enough yet.  This trip has made our perception of distances a little warped.  What used to seem like a long drive is not so long anymore.  🙂 Road Tripping: Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes?Road Tripping: Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? Road Tripping: Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? Road Tripping: Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? We stopped at Aileron that day to refuel.  Don’t stop there if you can help it, the price was too high and with a credit card surcharge on top of it!  The toilets were in the pub but they were clean enough and they didn’t mind the kids walking through to get to them.  Outside were these lovely goannas. Road Tripping: Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? Also this lovely man in a loincloth, watching over the petrol pumps. Road Tripping: Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? Nearby is the huge Anmatjere Woman and Child.  It’s so hard to tell how big it is in these pictures, but it’s huge.  The trees in the background give you an idea.  The goanna is taller than I am. Road Tripping: Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? Road Tripping: Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? Road Tripping: Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes?Road Tripping: Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? Off in the distance you can see the Anmatjere Man statue.  He’s 17 metres tall and weighs more than 8 tonnes.  Both he and his family were created by a sculptor from Alice Springs.  It requires a short walk to get to the man on the hill, we didn’t do since we wanted to get back on the road. Road Tripping: Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? There’s that no speed limit sign again. Road Tripping: Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? The raod trains were massive.  Four trailers on this one.  This is the only size trucks we’ve seen for ages.  Normal semis with just one trailer will seem tiny! Road Tripping: Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? Our next stop is the Devil’s Marbles near Tennant Creek.  We skipped these on our way south to Uluru as we knew we’d be coming back this way.  Then on up to Katherine, Kakadu, and Darwin.  North, north, and north!

Flynn’s Grave

posted in: Northern Territory

Our last stop during our visit to the MacDonnell Ranges was a quick one.  Close to Alice Springs is John Flynn’s grave.  He’s the man who started the Royal Flying Doctor’s Service.  We’d just visited the RFDS tourist facility, so the name was fresh in our minds.  When John Flynn was 70 he climbed Mt Gillen (see it in the background?) and declared he wanted to be buried here.  This spot is about 15km west of Alice Springs.  (Look at that red dirt on TurboBug’s shorts!  That red dirt is everywhere here, this really is the Red Centre of Australia!) Flynn's Grave | How Many More Minutes? Flynn died just a couple of years after declaring where he wanted to be buried.  He died in Sydney, if he hadn’t chosen this spot himself then I wonder where his grave would have been.  (Why do people feel the need to desecrate signs?) Flynn's Grave | How Many More Minutes? See the map of Australia here?  The red portion is the area which in 1910 had no medical facilities.  That’s a huge, huge area.  The black circles are locations of hospitals and nursing homes established by the Australia Inland Mission from 1911-1938.  Flynn was superintendent of the mission.  The first Flying Doctor Service base was started in 1928 in Cloncurry. Flynn's Grave | How Many More Minutes? Originally the stone resting on top of the grave was taken from the Devil’s Marbles/Karlu Karlu, near Tennant Creek.  They transported it some 400km to the grave, no small undertaking.  But it was taken without consulting the traditional (aboriginal) owners of the land.  Since the location is of spiritual significance to them you can imagine it caused many issues.  The rock was finally returned more than four decades later and a suitable replacement was found from a location closer to Alice Springs and with the approval of all involved. Flynn's Grave | How Many More Minutes? Not a bad location for a final resting place.  I bet when he declared he wanted to be buried here that he meant on the mountain, though.  Up where he could have a good view.  🙂 DSC_6138 ‘He brought gladness and rejoicing to the wilderness and the solitary places.’ Flynn's Grave | How Many More Minutes? At the other end of the carpark at this same stop is the sign for the Red Centre Way, the name given this highway that leads west from Alice Springs through the MacDonnell Ranges. Red Centre Way | How Many More Minutes? The other kids were not getting out of the car again.  It was hot and after several stops that day, they were done.  TurboBug was happy to pose for a picture, though.   Actually he saw me head down there and followed. 🙂 Red Centre Way | How Many More Minutes? Red Centre Way | How Many More Minutes? Nature walks done.  Historic site visited.  Picture of highway sign taken.  Yep, that’s enough for one day! 🙂

Simpson’s Gap

posted in: Northern Territory

After our walk at Standley Chasm we made our way to Simpson’s Gap.  The MacDonnell Ranges are a nice backdrop as you drive along.  So many lovely gorges hiding in there! Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes? Every so often we see these roadsigns that have been added to in a lovely fashion.  :)  They nearly look like they were designed this way! Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes? During the dry season you can walk down the riverbed.  It’s full of sand, on a warm day that sand is very hot if you decide to remove your shoes. Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes? For some reason everyone was drawn to this low-hanging branch.  The tree was huge and right in the middle of the path, the kids couldn’t resist. Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes? Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes? Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes? Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes? More to climb!  This was a short, easy walk.  Thank goodness since it was so hot. Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes? Thankfully once we got closer to the end it was very shady.  And beautiful.  Did I mention beautiful? Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes?Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes? Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes? The end of the walk is where you reach the water.  I’m not sure if you can wade through the water or not, we didn’t see anyone trying it and I’m not sure how deep it is.  What a gorgeous spot this is! Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes? Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes? Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes? Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes? The kids took turns sliding down the side of this rock.  They climbed up one side and slid down the smooth part on the other like it was playground equipment. Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes?Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes?Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes? See all those rocks in the background?  There was a sign saying not to climb there so as not to scare away the rock wallabies.  We didn’t see any, I’ve heard they only come out at dawn and dusk.  Apparently there used to be quite a number of them here but they are harder to find now that this has become a popular tourist stop. Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes? These two found a couch-shaped rock and hung out there for awhile. Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes? On the way back we walked the trail rather than the riverbed.  It was much easier to walk on than all that sand.  In the wet season you can’t make it down the riverbed as far as we did, but I think the trail next to it is still open. Simpson's Gap | How Many More Minutes? We had one more stop that day, if the kids could stand it.  🙂

Standley Chasm

posted in: Northern Territory

There’s much to see in the MacDonnell Ranges near Alice Springs, we spent a day visiting only some of the closer attractions.  Some of us were still recovering from our round of gastro and we didn’t want a huge day in the car.  I snapped a few pictures from the car as the scenery changed.  Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes? Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes? Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes? Our first stop was Standley Chasm.  It’s on private land owned by the Iwupataka Land Trust, so there is an entrance fee which we paid and started our walk.  It’s only about a twenty-minute walk to the chasm, quite a pretty walk with a varying landscape as you go. Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes? I was anxious to get there while the light was good since light only enters the chasm for a short time while the sun is directly overhead.  What a sight! Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes? Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes? The light changed just during the short time we were there, see the shadows on the floor of the chasm have moved? Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes?Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes? There were plenty of rocks to sit on while we had a snack.  🙂 Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes? Everyone had a turn standing in the hole in the wall of the chasm. Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes? Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes?Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes?Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes?Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes? Also a turn climbing, this looked scarier from the ground but it was really more like steps.  At least that’s what I told myself as my children climbed. Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes?Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes?Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes? More rocks to examine, more climbing to do. Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes?Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes? Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes?Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes?Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes?Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes?Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes? This might be my favourite picture from that day! Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes? On the way back down the trail these two picked up sticks and pretended they were the aboriginal weapons we’d learned about at Uluru.  A long stick with a shorter one that attaches at the end, when thrown just right that shorter piece goes flying and can knock out a kangaroo with one hit.  Of course the real weapons are much bigger than these.  Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes? We’ve been seeing these gorgeous red dragonflies lately in the NT, they are so brightly coloured that you just can’t miss them. Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes? We called this the rainbow tree, we waited while another family took pictures here too.  With that strategically placed bench I imagine it’s in a lot of pictures. Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes? TurboBug had a stick so he was happy.  It’s amazing how often we can use these to keep him moving.  Quick, hit the rock up there with the stick!  Look, there’s another rock, go hit that one! Standley Chasm | How Many More Minutes? We were lucky to miss a school group who was just coming out as we were going in, but even toward the end of the season there were plenty of people on this walk.  It was quite hot but this walk had plenty of shade.  Not to be missed if you can get there the right time of day.

RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs

posted in: Northern Territory

Our first night in Alice Springs had us up in the middle of the night washing sheets and cleaning the ensuite when gastro hit another of the kids.  We had a much needed rest the first couple of days in Alice, waiting to see if any of the rest of us would be sick.  Finally toward the end of our stay we made it out to see some sights, starting with the Royal Flying Doctor Service Tourist Facility. RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? The facility has had a recent upgrade and they’ve done a great job with it.  I wish I’d gotten a picture of the front desk, they’ve made it up to look like an airline counter and the person behind the desk even wears an outfit reminiscent of an airline employee.  RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes?RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? The tour starts with a short talk outside the theatre where they run through a basic explanation of the RFDS.  There was a screen on the wall showing current flights which you can also see on the main RFDS webiste.  She talked us through some stats and showed us an enlarged version of a $20 note which features John Flynn, the man who started RFDS.  We were led in to the very comfortable theatre where the man himself comes to life in front of you and tells you all about the history of the organisation.  Okay, not really the man himself, but an actor portrays John Flynn in a hologram which is a unique experience.  [Random memory: we shared our tour with a school group made up of teen girls.  We ended up in the front row in the theatre with TurboBug (2) sitting on his own seat at the end of the row with a couple of empty seats between us.  The theatre went dark and I was wondering if he’d be scared.  He didn’t make a peep until the hologram of John Flynn appeared.  ‘Mommy, look!’ he loudly exclaimed, and I heard teen girl giggles echo through the theatre.] After the holographic show you are left to wander the museum and shop on your own.  They have a replica of a Pilatus PC-12 in the gift shop area but to go through it costs a gold coin which we didn’t have that day.  We’d toured a jumbo jet recently so I didn’t feel to bad about not getting a look at this one! RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? Speaking of the gift shop, it had the strangest assortment of goods I’ve ever seen at a museum.  From clothing (not just tourist t-shirts) to topiaries.  If I was in need of a topiary I’m thinking this isn’t the first place I’d think to look.  Not to worry, they had the usual assortment of souvenirs as well. RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes?RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? The museum itself wasn’t huge but was well done.  As you enter you see this gorgeous quilt on the wall.  I’m not really into quilts but the detail on this one was amazing! RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? The ‘quilt room’ had some model planes.  That one on the left would be the first aircraft they used. RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes?RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? We were fascinated by this life-size display of the inside of one of the planes. We learned that it is often a nurse and pilot who work the flights while the doctor remains at the hospital unless the patient is seriously ill. RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? It was interesting to see how well they could fit everything inside the plane.  It’s downright spacious in there! (Spoken by someone who has been living in a caravan for a year now!) RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? Hey, that’s where we are!  RFDS has 21 bases covering 80% of Australia.  They can reach anywhere (in the area they cover) within two hours.  They have over sixty aircraft now.  We were told that they are only allowed to use the planes for ten years.  Ten years doesn’t seem long for the life of a plane, but they have to ensure the highest safety.  See that CD display right behind SkeeterBug?  It’s one of those where you can press buttons to hear samples of the music.  TurboBug was entertaining everyone by pressing the buttons and then dancing to the music.  It was very cute, but I could not keep him away from it once he found it! RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes?  We found this poster on a wall and we weren’t the only ones staring at it.  Look how big Australia is! From Sydney to Perth it’s over three thousand kilometres.  With the population mainly around the coast that’s a lot of outback to cover. RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? I found this picture of a royal visit in 1963.  That’s the Queen on the left and the Duke of Edinburgh on the right.  They told us that the RFDS got the ‘Royal’ designation in 1955.  The room featured some old radio equipment. RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? This is an old medical chest from 1958.  So interesting! We learned that they use a numbered body chart to help patients describe their problems so that they can make a diagnosis remotely.  If you look at a $20 note you can see an example of the chart. RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? Just across the road we saw this giant statue and we were curious as to who this might be.  Turns out that it’s a statue of John Stuart.  A large John Stuart. RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? We’ve been travelling the Stuart Highway so the name is familiar to all of us.  He and his group were the first Europeans to travel through the centre of Australia.  The route he took became the general route of the telegraph line and eventually the highway, thus the name. RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? The statue is called ‘John McDuall Stuart – the man’ which made us giggle a little.  He’s the man, and he’s huge! RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? There were pretty flowers on the tree nearby.  🙂 RFDS Visitor Centre in Alice Springs | How Many More Minutes? We intend to eventually visit the RFDS in Broken Hill, NSW where you can get a tour of a working base, the only one open to the public.  I’ve read on their website that only about 5% of Aussie kids have heard of the RFDS since so many live in urban areas and don’t rely on their services.  I find that interesting since it seems like such an iconic part of Australia, I’d definitely heard of it before moving here.

The Camel Farm at Yulara

posted in: Northern Territory

When you visit Uluru there are all sorts of tours you can do, one of them is by camel.  It was way too expensive for us to be able to do as a family, but we dropped into the camel farm to have a look at the camels the morning we left for Alice Springs.  I’ve heard there are feral camels in some places of Australia, we may have seen some on our way to Longreach as there was a huge group of them near the highway.  We were thankful for the fence that kept them off the road!  Pity it doesn’t do the same for the roos.  The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? Um, no, this one is not a real camel.  It’s just outside the door to the shop. The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? Also inside is a small museum about camels and their history in Australia.   The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? Nope, those camel humps are not full of water as old cartoons would have you believe.  It’s all fat!  All their fat is stored in the hump rather than all over the their bodies.  Can you imagine if we had humps?  Oh wait…beer bellies.  I guess we do.  😉 The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? Camels chew their cud, which is endlessly fascinating to kids.  Some kids, anyway.  Okay, just my kids.  Well, some of my kids.  You mean they throw up in their mouths????? The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? This is the one that fascinated me.  Their eyes are arrhythmic so they can see both night and day.  Also, their eyelids are translucent enough that they can close their eyes during a sandstorm and still see enough to be able to move through the storm!! The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? One more…their nostrils can almost completely close so that they don’t breathe in sand during a sandstorm.  Their noses also moisten the air as they breathe in.  Useful in a desert, no? The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? These camels were waiting for the arrival of a tour group which was starting as we were leaving.  I do not envy those tourist being out there in midday. The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? The farm features a fully working saddlery, but we weren’t lucky enough to see anyone at work that day.  We did wander around and look at the names of the camels.  I’ve never thought about it before, but it makes sense that each camel would need a saddle made just for them. The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? Um, pardon, but I think you might have something on your nose.  Or just under it, anyway. The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? Here, darling, this is my better side. The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? Hello.  Are you going to feed me? The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? Ah, kids.  They will feed me.  Wait, that tastes just like the stuff I was already eating.  Did you just pull that out of the trough and think you can fool me? The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? No, no wait.  This is my better side. The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? Okay, now you’re just showing off. The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? Most of the camels ignored us but there were a few that were happy to have a pat on the nose. The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? No, I’m not laughing at you.  Just showing you my teeth.  Really. The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? We had a wander through the back and saw the water buffalo. The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? There was also a lonely looking emu.  ‘Meemu’ as TurboBug (2) calls them. The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? But really, camels.  They’re gorgeous. The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? See that grin?  Yep, I’m gorgeous. The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? One last feed!  For TurboBug it’s less feeding and more come as close as you dare and then just throw it at the camel. The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes? You can opt for a quick camel ride around the yard and it doesn’t cost all that much, but it would be a very short ride.  Since we’d gotten up close to the other camels we felt like we’d done enough, especially since we are planning to ride the camels at Cable Beach.  Because that’s what you do when you visit Cable Beach!  We are looking forward to it. The Camel Farm at Yulara | How Many More Minutes?

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