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Australia is well known for its "outback", the semi-arid scrubland that occupies most of the continent. At the heart of the outback is the so-called Red Centre, with the famous landmark of Uluru (Ayers Rock). Although Uluru is an impressive chunk of rock it is far from the beginning and the end of all the Red Centre has to offer, as a few days more exploring other attractions with Wayoutback proved to us.

Day 1

From Alice we commenced the 450km drive to Uluru, stopping to collect firewood and at Stewarts Well (with its tame-ish dingo) and Mt Ebenezer Roadhouse, taking in the semi-arid (cf. true desert) landscape punctuated by semicircular clumps of spinifex grass (looking a bit like a fungal skin infection!) and spindly juvenile desert oaks (the mature trees look quite different). We had views of Mt Conner, a.k.a. "Fooluru" according to our guide Carolyn, before arriving at our campsite within Ayers Rock Resort to make sandwiches for lunch and top up with water to keep us hydrated for the hot walk around the base of Uluru.

Before the walk we visited the Cultural Centre. Displays described the importance of Tjukurpa, the law and basis of Anangu life and belief. A number of the photographs of Aboriginal people were blacked out, being "covered to conceal the image and identity of a recently deceased person as prescribed by Anangu Law". Anangu is the collective name for the local Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara people.

Uluru (Ayers Rock) is 348m high, made of sandstone that has resisted weathering unlike the surrounding landscape. It is an offense to film or photograph areas of spiritual significance, and to climb the rock—although doing so is still possible in the interest of minimizing harm to determined visitors. Typically the most photogenic areas are those you are not allowed to photograph. A few rock paintings were visible, the only truly recognizable icon being concentric circles (like ripples) to indicate the presence of a water source. The surface of Uluru was for the most part scaly, almost serpentine, and in places worn by the elements into silk-like folds. Other areas resembled melting ice cream, or looked as if they had been gashed open with some supernatural flint knife. Stains indicated the path of waterfalls during heavy but infrequent rainfall. During our base walk we happened across a thorny devil, a lizard that does indeed seem part rock and part rose bush. Flies were a constant plaque.

The scaly surface of wind and water-worn Uluru

We didn't have time to do a full base walk (9.4km, 3-4 hours) since the plan was to drive to the official sunset viewing area. Carolyn broke out the champagne and crackers with cheese as photographs were taken of the changing colours in the fading light. Back at camp we unrolled our swags, the canvas bags into which our sleeping bags were stuffed, and settled down around the fire to sleep after a meal of pasta and vegetable sauce.

Day 2

Sleep was elusive, partly because the star-gazing was captivating (lots of shooting stars). During the night there was some loud howling, and shortly after a disturbance close to my head. I sat up in time to see two dingos moving off and I hissed at them. By the light of my head torch I retrieved one of my socks, apparently plucked out of my boot by dingo jaws and dropped 1.5m away when I startled the thief.

The pillow was flimsy and the swag constrictive, and after my episode of vomiting on the train I felt some overnight angst at the thought of being ill in the outback. It had been a cold night (down to 6 degrees), so the 5am plunger coffee went some way to making amends. Watching the rising sun light Uluru and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) soon dispelled such trivialities.

After breaking camp we drove about 50km to Kata Tjuta. The Valley of the Winds Track (7.4km, 3 hours) was very enjoyable, and the view from the Karingana Lookout was especially dramatic. As at Uluru bore water was available at intermittent points for refilling water bottles; they soon emptied with the heat and exertion despite the sometimes odd flavour.

View from Karingana Lookout at Kata Tjuta

On the way to lunch at Curtain Springs Station we stopped to view Atila (Mt Conner) and Lake Amadeus (a salty obstacle to early explorers), and continued on to our camp at Kings Creek Station. This remote campsite featured a doorless but flushing toilet, and a open shower warmed by an attached boiler. A flame-coloured sunset was followed by another celestial display but without the chill of the first night.

Day 3

It was a short drive to Watarrka (Kings Canyon) for a 7km walk which proved to be the highlight of our outback sightseeing. Soon after setting out we luckily came across a Stimpson's python (and later, a couple of ring-tail lizards). A steep initial climb was rewarded by panoramic views over the mouth of the canyon. We noted the petrified ridges of ancient seabed, and the characteristic wrinkles that occur at the bifurcation of eucalyptus branches. Wooden steps and platforms provided a safe descent into the floor of the canyon, where the "Garden of Eden" (cycads and other plants) grew thanks to the permanent water-source. A few of our group braved the cool waters of the natural swimming hole. Climbing up the other wall of the canyon afforded good views of the alien multilayered domes making up the surrounding landscape.

Panoramic view from the mouth of Kings Canyon

From Kings Canyon we took a shortcut via Ernest Giles Road, a red earth track with more than enough corrugations to justify using 4WD. Red-tailed cuckatoo were roosting in the roadside trees, and we left the road at one point to get a closer look at a group of camels (the wild descendants of those used to haul supplies in earlier times). Rejoining the Stewart Highway we encountered evidence of a driver who had failed to stop at the T-junction; he had skidded across the bitumen into the road sign. There were emu to photograph at Stewarts Well and Camel Farm, before backtracking a short way and taking another outback dirt road towards Oak Valley along the Hugh River Stock Route. This road crossed The Ghan tracks and Finke River bed and we arrived at Craig's place in time for a cool shower before hearing our host's stories about aboriginal life around the fire as we waited for our steaks to cook. Craig commented that "We don't worry about tomorrow because we might die tonight; the past is more important as that's where we came from".

Day 4

In the morning Craig guided us through several Oak Valley sights, including rock paintings, petroglyphs, a boomerang and tools demonstration, a fossil field, and the use of stone pigments. After leaving Craig we returned along the Hugh River Stock Route, stopping to hunt for Witchetty grubs in the swollen roots of the Witchetty bush. It was hot dusty work that resulted in the collection of four grubs, two of which burst and had to be consumed raw on the spot (good on ya Steve!).

A nut-flavoured protein-rich Witchetty snack

North of Stewarts Well we turned onto the Owen Springs Track, a very scenic route lined in parts by "ghost gums" whose odorous sun protection rubs off to whiten the hands. We passed by the remnants of Sydney Kidman's old homestead, a man who owned the greatest ever amount of private land, before making a bush camp (i.e. no facilities) in Finke River Gorge. After collecting firewood damper was prepared, which we then cooked over the fire on green gum sticks while the potato bake cooked.

Incidentally, most folk were sporting bloody noses with crusting, likely due to both the dryness and the frequent blowing out of red dust. The flies, however, proved to be more bothersome (at least they didn't bite).

Day 5

The day started with bacon and toad-in-the-hole (egg fried in a holed bread), which was well mixed by the time we ended the very bouncy drive into Palm Valley within the Finke Gorge National Park. The said palms, a reddish colour in their juvenile form, are unique to this part of Australia. The enjoyable walk through the valley was followed by more driving, into the West MacDonald National Park where we viewed Gosse Bluff (a comet crater) from Tylers Pass, then stopped at the very scenic Ormiston Gorge for lunch, wallaby spotting, and a swim in the permanent water-hole (billabong), finally stopping to view the Ochre Pits (an Aboriginal quarry) before returning to Alice at sunset.

Ormiston Gorge in West MacDonald National Park

Continued from here. Continues here.

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