Alice Springs and the MacDonnell Ranges

We spent over a week in Alice Springs as part of our road trip from Darwin to Adelaide. Although it was during the COVID Pandemic, some restrictions were lifted and many public places re-opened. However, not everything had re-opened. Unfortunately, we were not able to visit Uluru or The Olgas. Many smaller attractions were still closed, such as the Alice Spring Telegraph Station and The Women’s Museum of Australia & Old Gaol Alice Springs, to name but a few. Nonetheless, there was ample to see and do in, and around, Alice Springs.

We were camping in our camper trailer and chose to stay at the Temple Bar Caravan Park. The best thing about this park was that it was quiet and we saw some beautiful birdlife including red-tailed black cockatoos, ringneck parrot and butcherbirds. No noise from the streets! Unfortunately, it didn’t have a camp kitchen or allow a campfire, so it did not quite suit our needs.

To jump to more information about accommodation and activity opening hours, cost etc, Click here

The first morning in Alice Springs we woke to a butt-freezing 2 degrees Celsius. Even though the nights had been cold on our trip south, this was a new type of cold! Our last stop had been in Tennant Creek (500 km North) where the days had been warm. So dressed in shorts and a t-shirt we ventured out to explore Alice Springs. We soon realised that everyone else dressed in long pants and jackets did so for a reason! Lesson learned we attempted to acclimatise to the new temperature. However, that said, the sky was Azure blue the entire time we were in Central Australia, which made our time in Alice Springs a real pleasure.

Street Art

The first thing I noticed, as we drove through town, was street art. If you like seeing large murals, you’ll love wandering around Alice, checking out their creativity.

Megafauna Central

The megafauna of Australia has always interested me, so I was thrilled to find that Megafauna Central had already re-opened. Megafauna Central is a museum that presents the remarkable megafauna that lived in Central Australia 8 million years ago. The fossils displayed are from Alcoota and include the worlds largest bird, massive crocodiles and marsupial lions. The fossils were found in a relatively small 200-metre area and included around 3000 individual animals. How these animals all came to die in the same place is still a mystery. With a viewing window to watch palaeontologists at work and hands-on activity for children, this small museum has something for everyone.

Anzac Hill Lookout

Officially named Anzac Hill in 1934 in memory of Australian and New Zealand soldiers (ANZAC) killed during World War I. The memorial is dedicated to all who have served their country during conflicts in which Australia has participated. The monument includes lesser-known conflicts such as the Boer War and the Malaysian Emergency.

This hill is also of significance to the local indigenous peoples and is the perfect place to enjoy panoramic views of Alice Springs and the MacDonnell Ranges; especially at sunrise and sunset when the vista lights up with red and gold.

Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve

The telegraph station was established in 1871 to relay messages between Darwin and Adelaide along Australia’s Overland Telegraph Line. In 1963 it was declared a protected historical reserve and since has become the best-restored telegraph station in Australia.

Although the Telegraph Station was not open for us to visit, we were free to use the picnic facilities and amenities at the reserve. Since we had no cooking facilities at the caravan park we were staying at (apart from a small single gas burner) we decided to cook dinner at the park. It proved to be an excellent choice as the area is beautiful and has first-rate facilities. We prepared a delicious dinner of lamb and grilled vegetables with a garlic yoghurt dressing. We were sipping our wine as the sun moved leisurely towards the horizon when a dog ambled by. I said to Dwayne I had just seen a dingo! Later in the week when we cooked lunch in the park, we noticed a sign warning that dingos are in the area. So I ticked ‘see dingo in Central Australia’ off the checklist.

West MacDonnell Ranges

Not all of the West MacDonnell Ranges were open to visitors at the time we visited; however, we were able to visit Standley Chasm and Simpson Gap.

Standley Chasm

Standley Chasm is known traditionally as Angkerle Atwatye. It is a place of cultural significance to indigenous Australians and sacred to women’s dreaming of the Arrernte people. Standley Chasm is now 100% owned and operated by the local Arrernte community.

During a short walk to the gorge, you may catch glimpses of wildlife, especially birds as the spring-fed pools attract them. There is also interpretive signage depicting the flora, fauna, geology and indigenous importance of the area.

I think the chasm would be gorgeous to visit at any time, however, between about 11:00 – 13:00 the sun is overhead, and the sunlight lights up the rock walls of the gorge with reds, orange and gold. We were lucky to visit at this time and, due to COVID restrictions, had the place to ourselves.

Simpson Gap

Firstly, what is meant by ‘gap’, a gap is a landform that is a low point or opening between hills or mountains or in a ridge or mountain range [wiki]. Simpsons Gap is one of the most well-known gaps in the West MacDonnell Ranges which boasts a permanent waterhole and a colony of black-footed rock wallabies. The available short walks take you amongst large stands of mulga, ancient ghost gums and rare native plants.

East MacDonnell Ranges

Eventually, about halfway through our time in Alice Springs, most national parks and reserves opened (places such as Uluru were still closed). So we headed out to the East MacDonnell Ranges intending to see ancient rock art and an old ghost town.

Emily Gap

We first stopped at Emily Gap. We walked to the gap to see rock art, which is part of the Caterpillar Dreaming Story. The gap is gorgeous, and art very impressive. Unfortunately, I can’t show you a picture as the traditional owners ask that you do not take photos.

Jessie Gap

About 7kms from Emily Gap, Jessie Gap, is also associated with the Caterpillar Dreaming Story and that of the Emu. Although both Emily and Jessie Gaps do not permit camping, there are fire pits at Jessie Gap if you would like to cook your lunch.

Ross River

We set up camp at the Ross River Camping Ground which is across the river from the Ross River Resort. We discovered this was the perfect place to explore the surrounding area of the MacDonnell Ranges. The resort itself, restored from the historic Loves Creek Homestead constructed in 1898, includes a bistro, accommodation and swimming pool.

N’Dhalla Gorge

N’Dhala Gorge, not far from Ross River Homestead, is an 11km drive along a 4WD track. The track is not severe and is passable by even the smallest of 4WDs. The only minor obstacle would be the sandy bottom of the river beds you need to cross (this info refers only to dry weather).

There is a 1.5km return walk through the gorge where interpretive signs indicate and explain the rock art as well as some rare plants such as the Hayes wattle (Acacia undoolyana).

The site is home to nearly 6000 petroglyphs (rock carvings) found at 678 locations in the area. It is believed that the engravings occurred over two time periods – the first being about 10,000 years ago and the second around 3,000 years ago. The petroglyphs were created using two methods; that of the fine pecking and pounding techniques.

*Pecking is when a rock is used to hit another object onto the rock, (like using a hammer and chisel), whereas pounding is hitting the rock directly with a large stone.

Arltunga Historical Reserve

Arltunga has a fascinating and colourful history. It was Central Australia’s first settlement born out of an 1887 gold rush. It is now a ghost town and a must-visit place in the East MacDonnell Ranges.

When visited, during the pandemic, the place was very reminiscent of a ghost town as we were the only souls around. Well, maybe not the only souls, but we were clearly the only people that were visiting the village at the time. Even the visitor centre was unattended; however, it was open, allowing us a look at the small museum. Here we were introduced to the colourful history and wild characters of the gold mining town. Such anecdotes included a local policeman reported at Arltunga races… “drunk in the sand with his trousers down around his knees”. After which we went out to explore the old building of the town, some restored, others still in ruins, including the Assayer’s Residence, Post Office and the Gold Rooms. To read more about our visit, click here.

Trephina Gorge National Park

We visited Trepina Gorge NP briefly once we were on our way out to the MacDonnell Ranges. In hindsight, we do wish we had spent more time exploring this area. It is stunning, with much to see and do.

Oldest Ghost Gum in Australia

Firstly we stopped to see Australia’s largest ghost gumtree (Corymbia aparrerinja). It stands at 33 meters tall and is estimated to be over 300 years old. When we first drove into the car park, I thought to myself “hmm, doesn’t look that tall”. However, as Dwayne strolled towards the tree, he became smaller and smaller, finally giving me a feel for how magnificent this tree really is.

Trephina Gorge

Several walks begin in the area near the gorge. The shortest is the stroll to Trephina Gorge (500m return). This walk takes you to a semi-permanent waterhole located in a stunningly picturesque gorge. The longest trail that you can do from Trephina Gorge is the Ridgetop Walk. The Ridgetop Walk is 18km return and can take up to 10 hours. On this walk, you can see spectacular views of the jagged East MacDonnell Ranges and even get a glimpse of Alice Springs from Turner’s Lookout.

John Haye’s Rock Hole

John Haye’s Rockhole can be reached by the Ridgetop Walk or, as we did via a 4WD track. It is well worth making the trip if you have a high-clearance 4WD, as the rockpool and surrounding terrain is magnificent. But do not underestimate the 4WD track; it is very rocky. The most arduous section is just before you finally reach the rock pool.

Once at the parking area, it is a short walk to the rock pool. However, getting to the deep rock pool involves climbing along the edge of cliffs and climbing down steep rock faces. The water in the pool is icy cold and swimmers need to be aware of the risk of Hypothermia. Although we didn’t venture in for a swim, we were delighted with our visit to this area.

Back in Alice

We had met some lovely people at the Ross River Camp Ground, who had invited us for dinner, therefore, once back in Alice Springs, we booked into the Heritage Caravan Park for one night. Tia cooked us some of our favourite Indonesian delights, and it was nice to share dinner with engaging conversationalists. The next morning we packed up, did a little shopping, topped up the ice in our esky and left Alice, heading for the South Australian border.

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