The Alice Springs Desert Park, then Tennant Creek
The Desert Park is another must see for visitors to Alice Springs.
Located about 10 minutes drive from the centre of town, the Park displays hundreds of species of plants and animals and, more interestingly displays them within their normal habitat. there is also a nocturnal house and excellent reptile display.
The Park presents three main habitats - Desert Rivers, Sand Country and Woodlands and the birds, reptiles and animals that inhabit them.
Here is a small selection of some of the birds I was able to shoot, some inside the Desert Park and some just around Alice
A large flock of these corellas flew into the Alice caravan park a couple of times a day, they were there every evening making a terrible racket before settling down for the night.
Dusky Grasswren, Alice Springs Desert Park
Painted Finch gathering nesting material Alice Springs Desert Park
Masked Woodswallow, Alice Springs Desert Park
Southern Boobook Owl in spinifex country, Alice Springs Desert Park
Orange Chat (looks more yellow to me!) Alice Springs Desert Park
White-winged Fairy Wren, Alice Springs Desert Park
Big 4 Caravan Parks are generally a cut above the others, but Wycliffe Well is the exception. It's old, it's scruffy, the amentities were dirty and its quite noisy, being located right on the highway.
I was even moved to drop Big 4 an email of complaint. I could probably write the park's reply as well, ................oh sorry Mr Jones it was just that our cleaner was taken ill on that particular day LOL.
I was impressed to have an acknowledgement and then a reply from Big 4 before lunch the next day, I'm sure mine is just one of many complaints re this place.
I guess each Big 4 park pays to belong to the chain and maybe Big 4 needs the money and thus takes it from sub-standard (in my estimation) places like Wycliffe Well, oh well, no harm done and no UFOs sighted.
Next stop the Devil's Marbles, only 20 or so Km up the road, thought we may stay overnight. We drove in and found the normal type of National Parks camp ground, ie fences everywhere and over-regulated and decided we wouldn't stay. then drove straight out again and continued up the highway to Tennant Creek for another couple of overnight stays.
Tennant Creek is worth a stop if only to visit the Nyinkka Nyunya Interpretive Centre, an excellent presentation. The town itself has little else to offer, but the caravan park on the east side of town is fine.
We hear from many other caravanners that they won't stay in Tennant Creek "because of the aboriginal problems" to which we always say "what problems".
Yes, there are large numbers of Aboriginal people in Tennant Creek but in the three visits we have made in the last few years we have never seen, let alone had, any difficulties or problems.
We spent a hot afternoon at lake Mary Ann three or four Km north of town, a very pleasant break.
Also, the fuel is cheaper in Tennant Creek, we were amazed at the number of caravanners and others refuelling at the Three Ways, 20 odd Km north of Tennant Creek.
We decided to stop at the Three Ways (we invariably do) to drink in the culture of this iconic truckstop, it has a great vibe with large triple roadtrains of every description and an interesting mix of truckies, 4WD adventurers and grey nomads. The breakfast was good, too.
The iconic Three Ways Roadhouse, at the junction of the Barkly Highway (from Camooweal Queensland) and the Stuart Highway.
Always give way to the triple roadtrain on the right, on the left, coming towards you on the dirt or overtaking on the highway !!! Their drivers are generally well skilled and give caravanners a fair go when overtaking.
Next stop Daly Waters and then Katherine
Regards
TJ
The Park presents three main habitats - Desert Rivers, Sand Country and Woodlands and the birds, reptiles and animals that inhabit them.
Here is a small selection of some of the birds I was able to shoot, some inside the Desert Park and some just around Alice
 |
A large flock of these corellas flew into the Alice caravan park a couple of times a day, they were there every evening making a terrible racket before settling down for the night.
Dusky Grasswren, Alice Springs Desert Park
Painted Finch gathering nesting material Alice Springs Desert Park
Grey-Crowned Babbler searching for insects under the bark. Taken in the street, Alice Springs
Masked Woodswallow, Alice Springs Desert Park
Southern Boobook Owl in spinifex country, Alice Springs Desert Park
Orange Chat (looks more yellow to me!) Alice Springs Desert Park
White-winged Fairy Wren, Alice Springs Desert Park
MOVING RIGHT ALONG
Time to hit the road once again, northwards in the general direction of Darwin. Not a great deal to see on this leg, so it mainly drive, drive, drive. At Aerilon there is a giant statue of an aboriginal warrior......... at Ti Tree a stop for lunch (glad we brought our own), then we decided to stop overnight at Wycliffe Well, reputedly the UFO capital of Australia.Big 4 Caravan Parks are generally a cut above the others, but Wycliffe Well is the exception. It's old, it's scruffy, the amentities were dirty and its quite noisy, being located right on the highway.
I was even moved to drop Big 4 an email of complaint. I could probably write the park's reply as well, ................oh sorry Mr Jones it was just that our cleaner was taken ill on that particular day LOL.
I was impressed to have an acknowledgement and then a reply from Big 4 before lunch the next day, I'm sure mine is just one of many complaints re this place.
I guess each Big 4 park pays to belong to the chain and maybe Big 4 needs the money and thus takes it from sub-standard (in my estimation) places like Wycliffe Well, oh well, no harm done and no UFOs sighted.
Next stop the Devil's Marbles, only 20 or so Km up the road, thought we may stay overnight. We drove in and found the normal type of National Parks camp ground, ie fences everywhere and over-regulated and decided we wouldn't stay. then drove straight out again and continued up the highway to Tennant Creek for another couple of overnight stays.
Tennant Creek is worth a stop if only to visit the Nyinkka Nyunya Interpretive Centre, an excellent presentation. The town itself has little else to offer, but the caravan park on the east side of town is fine.
We hear from many other caravanners that they won't stay in Tennant Creek "because of the aboriginal problems" to which we always say "what problems".
Yes, there are large numbers of Aboriginal people in Tennant Creek but in the three visits we have made in the last few years we have never seen, let alone had, any difficulties or problems.
We spent a hot afternoon at lake Mary Ann three or four Km north of town, a very pleasant break.
Also, the fuel is cheaper in Tennant Creek, we were amazed at the number of caravanners and others refuelling at the Three Ways, 20 odd Km north of Tennant Creek.
We decided to stop at the Three Ways (we invariably do) to drink in the culture of this iconic truckstop, it has a great vibe with large triple roadtrains of every description and an interesting mix of truckies, 4WD adventurers and grey nomads. The breakfast was good, too.
The iconic Three Ways Roadhouse, at the junction of the Barkly Highway (from Camooweal Queensland) and the Stuart Highway.
Always give way to the triple roadtrain on the right, on the left, coming towards you on the dirt or overtaking on the highway !!! Their drivers are generally well skilled and give caravanners a fair go when overtaking.
Next stop Daly Waters and then Katherine
Regards
TJ
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