Day 193- Watarrka (Kings Canyon) to Uluru

Up super early this morning for me. I wanted to do the Rim Walk but we also had a long drive ahead of us to get to Uluru. The walk was listed as taking 3hours so it was going to be a sunrise walk! I was speaking to the people camped next to us and they said they did the walk from 8 til 11 and there were still some parts of the canyon wall that were dark so they wondered if it would be any good for sunrise... but the Kings Tour bus did a tour from 5:30 so i thought there had to be something to see.

It was COLD and dark when i left at just after 6am, and i actually dawdled a bit getting out there cos i thought i would be far too early. But Kings had it right! It was absolutely glorious first thing. The climb up the hill to start was a hard slog but the rest of the walk (7.5km in total) was a nice climb with only some steep parts. And as the sun rose you could watch as the light slowly lit up the side of the canyon wall. I took a gazillion photos but they really don't do it justice. The colour was incredible and the shape of the rocks was totally unique. There were areas of sandstone domes that had weathered away to form lots of ball shapes all in a grid together, and ripple marks all over the floor at the top where it used to be a massive inland sea, and sections that looked like a huge ampitheatre with steps all in a semi-circle that looked just like seating. And then down in a gully there was a waterhole all surrounded by ancient cycad palms.
I was really disappointed that Tim and Mum and Dad missed it because i think that without doing the Rim Walk there is not all that much to Kings Canyon. The Riverbed walk is not really worth the massive drive out there to get to it but seeing the canyon from the top, and seeing it at sunrise, was absolutely magic.

I made good time (and certainly did not feel like i was rushing) and i finished the walk in 2+half hours so i was back at camp nice and early to get things packed up and get us on the way.

We called into Kings Creek Station on the way out cos Tim was keen to try a camel burger after a bloke we met on the road raved about them.... but they were sold out!! Bastards! So we looked at the camels (which Darcy kept insisting were 'dogs') and wandered for a bit and then back in the car for the rest of the three+half hour drive to Uluru.
Kids travelled like champions and we arrived about 1:30. Set up our camp and off to The Rock. We could see it for quite some distance out so we were keen to get a good look to see if it was "just a rock" or if it did look like something special. We were not disappointed. It really is incredble to see. The surface looks like all one big smooth piece of rock, but not SMOOTH smooth! It's all patina'ed but it's all one piece of sandstone and it looks almost like a shell. Then there are lots of pock marks and holes and caved in bits and actual caves and overhangs and gullies. So not the least bit disappointing to see!

I had decided not to climb it (all the tourist info asks that we not climb it to respect the wishes of the Traditional Owners because it is a sacred place) but Tim, Dad, and Mum all wanted to cos it really is a once in a lifetime sort of thing. So we loaded the kids in the bike caboose so i could ride around the base while they climbed. Tim is in the yellow shirt, Dad is in the white shirt standing sideways having a chat (when is he not having a chat!?!?).
But it was fun to watch the head up the rail so we waited for a bit. And then two minutes into the climb Mum stopped! She'd had enough! It felt like it was straight up and she was not sure she would make it, and coming down looked scary so she did not even make it to the chain railing.

So, instead, Mum and i and the boys watched Tim and Dad disappear over the top of the rock and then we went for a bit of a walk around part of the base. Lots to see and walking around even a small section made you realise how huge Uluru is.
We did not go all the way around as we wanted to be back to watch them climb down again. While we waited Darcy decided to have a play in the dirt (as Darcy does!)


Took them just shy of 2hours and it was apparently terrific. This is our first peak of them coming back over the crest.
Tim said it was a totally alien experience. The top of the rock was all undulatating and pocked and was like a martian-red landscape with the occasional scragely tree growing out of a crevice. The view was awesome. He could see Mt Connor which is something like 100km away. Uluru felt HUGE but everything else around him seemed to stretch on forever.

He can't describe why it felt so amazing but even apart from the fact that it was a tough climb and so really rewarding to get to the top, it was also amazing because Uluru is such an icon of Australia and seems almost like a rite of passage.

I can totally see the dilemna with people that want to climb Uluru (cos i actually really did want to climb too!) because i know that we really respect the site and respect that it holds such power for the Anangu people and we don't want to compromise that or disrespect their wishes or seem to take for granted the fact that we are allowed access.... but by the same token it is part of our land and our country too. And we heard the stories of their ancestors and hear their law and we know there is soooo much more to Uluru than the climb and did not come JUST to climb but i think that choosing whether or not to climb is such a personal thing. I am glad that i saw the base and saw the sacred women's site along the walk and saw the rock art and the waterhole etc i am also glad that Tim and Dad got to see the top. ???

They were both pretty buggered after their efforts but it was really close to sunset. So we headed back to the viewing area and joined the hundreds of others lined along the fence to watch the rock change colour as the sunlight faded. Another great experience!

Not surprisingly the kids both fell asleep on the way back to the campground so we had a bit of a messy bedtime trying to sponge them down (they were FILTHY!) and get them back to sleep before a lazy dinner and we both crashed ourselves.

Plans for a sunrise viewing were cancelled due to lack of energy!

Day 46- Tennant Creek to The Devil's Marbles

Another leisurely packup. We are getting the hang of it all now and can be up and on the way by 10 with no stress or rush at all. Headed straight out to the Devil’s Marbles which is only 100km south of Tennant Creek. We had debated about whether we would see it this time around (seeing as we really should be heading north) or see it when we leave the Territory. But we are just as likely to do a loop out to Kununarra and the Tanami Desert and link up back at the Alice when we leave as go straight back down and if we do that then the only thing between Tennant Creek and Alice Springs that we really wanted to see was the Devil’s Marbles so we decided to go the quick drive down now.

We were not sure what the camping area would be like and we knew it would be hot so we were really hoping there might be some shade. We lucked out and there were a few shady trees. And even better we were the first campers there so we got to pick two nice sites with a gazebo shelter in the middle. And there was a good breeze blowing that went right through the van so it was quite pleasant. Or it would have been quite pleasant if it were not for the flies that swarmed all around you and got in your mouth and nose and eyes and stuck on your skin and you could swat and blow and wave your arms at them and cover yourself in Bushman and swear and blink and spit and they still keep on coming!!! Aaaaaarrrrrggggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!
Anyway, we did a quick set up and then sat around in the shade for a bit. Jordy, when we managed to convince him to get out of the sun, did some drawing. Darcy climbed around on the picnic table under the gazebo or sat and ate in his portacot.
We were going to wait until later when it was cooler before we went for a walk but the boulders surrounding us were too hard to ignore so we decided to just go for a quick wander. Jordy was straight up the rocks and peering into the caves. When he climbed to the top of the first big rock he said “Phew, I‘m puffed! We‘ve climbed hundreds of metres! We‘re high up here!“ hehehe. Tim helped him to climb right to the top of the next pile so he could see out over everything and he thought that was pretty exciting. From up high you could actually see a rim of boulders almost circling the Marbles but way way out on the horizon near the surrounding ridges. The variety of boulders was amazing from the round ones to some really angular pointy bits and some that are almost rounded slabs piled on top of each other. You can see where some boulders have split and slid into a new position and then weathered away. We ended up wandering from nearly an hour before heading back to camp. We chatted to a few other campers (pretty much everyone out here is traveling long term) did some wildlife spotting (including an inquisitive dingo) and Darcy napped while we waited for the sun to drop. Around 4:30 we drove the few hundred metres from the camping side over to the day parking side of the marbles where there are information signs and stuff around a little walkway. Still too hot for Darcy so Tim stayed near the truck with him while the rest of us wandered and climbed. Apart from the main walking trail around the boulders there are also a million little trails worn by previous visitors that meander in and around the rocks and you could spend days just seeing it all. As it was Tim took the kids back to camp and Mum, Dad, and I meandered our way up, down, and around all the way back to camp. The rocks turned a wonderful deep red as the sun set. I was up amongst a big pile of rocks taking photos of the changing colours and could only see in one direction. When I finally climbed down and looked over at the sun it was just peeking over the horizon!!! And I wanted a sunset photo!! I was not near anything half decent for a photo so I ran ran ran back to the mass of boulders near the camping area and climbed super fast just in time to catch the sun disappearing over the horizon. Bugger! LOL!
Tim had the kids bathed when I got back and we were having last nights leftovers for dinner so we had a quick dinner and then sat around outside in the cooling air. The flies thankfully disappeared with the sun and the breeze picked up. We lit a fire and lazed about under a million stars in the crystal clear sky. A lone dingo made an appearance and Dad left out a bucket of water for it. It was not shy at all and came really close to us (actually, it was hanging around too close while I was having a shower outside and Tim had to stand guard for me).

I went in to the van when the kids went to bed but the others sat up for a while and enjoyed the sky show. The dingo started howling at 10:30 and woke Darcy (bastard) so that was the end of it for me. An early night so I can be up for sunrise tomorrow.

Even though the massive boulders are visible right from the highway and, if you did not want to stay overnight, you could drive past and do a quick walk around them and still get an idea of what they are like, I think staying overnight and having the chance to stroll all around the different sections and climb up on top of the massive piles of rocks makes it just magical. I am both amazed and grateful that the traditional owners still let us have unlimited access to such a sacred site. The Marbles are certainly one of the more amazing natural wonders I have ever seen.

Day 28- Lake Tinaroo

The guys were straight out to check the traps this morning; about a half dozen or so more red-claws. We don’t have the whole place to ourselves anymore with quite a few more campers and boats turning up for the weekend.

Headed out again today. Went for a drive through Atherton to grab some groceries, and fruit and vege, and then off to Mareeba and Coffee Works. We had debated about going as it was $19 each for admission but we got a $5 off voucher from the tourist information centre and it sounded like you got to taste a lot of different things so we thought we’d give it a go. Good move!!! Great set up. We did not arrive until around midday and you would have thought that gave us plenty of time but you could seriously spend all day there. Apart from the 21 coffees to sample and 12 chocolates and 4 teas and 3 liqueurs, there is also a huge museum with great historical info and those individual audio tour sets where you can go around and get info on any piece that you find interesting. We only saw half the museum and even the non-coffee drinkers enjoyed it. Despite trying really hard I think I only managed to sample half the coffees on offer and only one tea and we did not leave until just before 4pm. You know you have had enough coffee and chocolate when the heavenly scent of fresh roasted beans makes you feel nauseous!



But we bought some for later from the gift shop (and filled a little sample cup of the free ones to take home too!). Incredibly enough you can ask for a free return pass that gives you free entry for a whole month! So, big tip, if you are holidaying in the area go there first and then you can go again and again and again whenever you feel the need for a coffee or chocolate fix.

We stopped to have a look at the dam wall at the entrance to Lake Tinaroo. The dam is at capacity at the moment so there is a lot of water over the spillway. Back at camp there are even more campers and ski boats here. Looks like we chose a good time to leave cos they are hooning and screaming all over the lake and have their music blaring.

A totally unorganized dinner tonight but a big feed of red-claw and sausages and vegies. Now that we have figured out how to catch them we are looking forward to the next river/lake that we can try our luck at. But Tim will have to wait a while longer before he catches a fish (let alone a barra.)

I think Tinaroo has been a definite highlight for us all. No one specific thing but just a combination of all the great things to do in the tablelands area combined with the relaxing and beautiful campground here. Freedom for the kids and sitting around a campfire and fishing and sightseeing…. Does not get much better than this!

Day 20- Crystal Creek

It was soooo dark here last night that i had to leave the bathroom light on all night for Darcy. We'll have to get some kind of night light for him i think. Jordy was up super early and ready to go. He chased the scrub turkey for a while. Darcy tried too but was too slow! But he pointed at them and called "dook!" and toddled and crawled towards them. We gave the boys some bread to feed them with which they enjoyed. Then Jordy spent half and hour with a caterpillar crawling up and back and up and back on a stick and then on his hands and up his leg and over his belly. I was surpised that it survived but he was really gentle with it.

Then before it got too hot we packed a picnic and jumped in the truck to go for a drive.

The road to Paluma is quite narrow and windy. It's certainly not tourist season yet- we only passed two cars during the full 20km trip up the mountain and one of them was a decent sized truck that nearly cleaned us up. He was obviously a local bloke and not used to seeing much traffic on the road let alone another truck cos he was hooting down the road.

Beautiful drive. It was amazing to watch the vegetation change in the space of 5min from bush to tropical rainforest. It looked so much like Dorrigo (or they way Dorrigo looked when the rivers were full flowing) with the strangler vines and other trees that i recognise but can't name, and the waterfalls that flow right beside the road.

Not much at Paluma itself. Just a tiny village but there are some great walks and lookouts that would be worth doing. I did a really short walk that was really relaxing and i would have loved to have done the 2km walk, just not by myself so much and it's not Tim's cup of tea.

Called in to Little Crystal Creek on the way back down the mountain. Had our picnic at the BBQ area which is amazing well set up. And then went for a walk to the creek. Absolutely stunning! There was a series of swimming holes with beautiful waterfalls and a roman arch bridge that was built during the depression. The kids loved it. Darcy kept clawing at Tim to be put down and then made like spider-boy climbing all over the rocks, and Jordy just scambled over the place and wanted to swim in the pools. To be honest i did too but it was a little cool up there. Would have been worth it though cos it was just glorious. I think the rainforest and waterfalls must be a real sensory memory thing for me from my childhood because i could just sit there chill out for hours.


Had a hard time convincing Jordy to get back in the truck but we came back to camp, ate some more! and then went back down to the creek for a swim. Splashed around for ages. The waterhole is really deep so you can dive and bomb of the rocks which was fun cos i have not done that for ages. I drove out to the main road for a bit to check on the weather up the coast and phone for prices on a couple of camps for the next few days. Then back to get a roast chicken on for dinner. Bathed the kids, and early meal and time for bed.

I think for me the creeks and walks were a definate highlight of our trip so far, it's the kind of thing that i just love and find really rejuvenating, so it is going down in the 'highlight' section :) although i know Tim would not agree (not enough "things" to do cos walking and looking apparently don't count as "things"!) LOL!