We ambled up the highway from Cadney Park and crossed into the Northern Territory just south of Kulgera. After a further 75 Km we stopped for the night at Erldunda.
The Erldunda Desert Oaks Roadhouse is the turnoff for Uluru / Ayers Rock, the rock being a further 250 Km to the west, but we didn't feel the urge to revisit, having explored that area in 2008. I guess not much would have changed except the prices would have gone up! National Parks used to charge $25 a head for a 3 day pass, the caravan sites were also fairly pricey....it all adds up.
I guess Uluru and the spectacular Olgas / Kata Tjuta are places that everyone should try and see at least once, we've done it.
Alice Springs is only a couple of hundred Kms up the road, a mere hop, step and jump, so we continued northwards
We decided to stay in Alice for a few days to give us time for a good look through the West Macdonnell Ranges, time to check out the Namatjira exhibition at the Cultural centre and spend the best part of a day at the Desert Park.
The West Macdonnell Ranges were the first trip.
We decided to stay in Alice for a few days to give us time for a good look through the West Macdonnell Ranges, time to check out the Namatjira exhibition at the Cultural centre and spend the best part of a day at the Desert Park.
The West Macdonnell Ranges were the first trip.
There's certainly plenty to see in the West Macdonnells
I don't know anything about butterflies, but this one caught my eye at the Ellery Creek Big Hole
The Ellery Creek Big Hole, a real oasis on a very hot day, and the water is freezing! (strange name, strange but to the point, definitely named by a man!)
We were not able to discover the name of this feature. The colours were spectacular.
We decided to visit Glen Helen Gorge and also to stop and have a drink at the Glen Helen Gorge Resort. Well, the Gorge itself is spectacular, another very enticing place on a very hot day, but the "resort" has certainly seen better days and does not really live up to the pictures and description in its brochures, but what the hell, the beer was icy cold and the view spectacular.
As we were returning to the resort from the gorge we were passed by a number of young tourists, well OK probably best described as backpackers, heading down for a swim. They were in such high spirits I didn't have the heart to tell them that there was a dead kangaroo floating off to one side - all part of the rich tapestry of travel in the outback!!
These Gouldian finches were an absolute delight, some 30 in all, all living quite happily in a very basic aviary at the Glen Helen Gorge Resort. Gouldians are notoriously fussy in captivity and quite difficult to raise. Clearly this does not necessarily apply.
About 5 minutes from town, the Alice Springs Cultural Centre is a must see when visiting Alice. As well as the Namatjira gallery the precinct houses an excellent museum, the Strehlow collection and an aviation museum.,
The main building has a spectacular and very colourful stained glass window with Aboriginal motifs. The building also has a number of large works by Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri. Unfortunately cameras were not permitted at the gallery, so I can't show anything from there, but the works are on line.
Maybe it's an age thing (my age that is), but I get the strong impression that Albert Namatjira's work is not that well known these days, which is a great pity.
Here is one of his works that I lifted from the web. It is copyright of course and no doubt worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Albert Namatjira probably received just a few pounds for it, or maybe he swapped it for something.
Underneath is one of a number of works by Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri displayed at the Cultural Centre.This also has been taken from the web.
This section shows ground and body paint designs associated with the rock hole and water soakage site of Nyinyalingi. The ‘U’ shapes represent the men and women who took part in the ceremony in mythological times and then travelled south. The bead necklaces worn during the ceremonies are also depicted. The ceremonies are associated with the secret-sacred Maliyarra cycle, which could not be revealed.
About 5 minutes from town, the Alice Springs Cultural Centre is a must see when visiting Alice. As well as the Namatjira gallery the precinct houses an excellent museum, the Strehlow collection and an aviation museum.,
The main building has a spectacular and very colourful stained glass window with Aboriginal motifs. The building also has a number of large works by Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri. Unfortunately cameras were not permitted at the gallery, so I can't show anything from there, but the works are on line.
Maybe it's an age thing (my age that is), but I get the strong impression that Albert Namatjira's work is not that well known these days, which is a great pity.
Here is one of his works that I lifted from the web. It is copyright of course and no doubt worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Albert Namatjira probably received just a few pounds for it, or maybe he swapped it for something.
Albert Namatjira, Ghost Gums Mount Sonder, West Macdonnell Ranges
Underneath is one of a number of works by Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri displayed at the Cultural Centre.This also has been taken from the web.
This section shows ground and body paint designs associated with the rock hole and water soakage site of Nyinyalingi. The ‘U’ shapes represent the men and women who took part in the ceremony in mythological times and then travelled south. The bead necklaces worn during the ceremonies are also depicted. The ceremonies are associated with the secret-sacred Maliyarra cycle, which could not be revealed.
That's all for now.
Next time, Chasing Birds in Alice.
Regards
TJ
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