Kings Canyon, Watarrka National Park

The Rock Tour group

Gday!

We left Uluru in the rain with waterfalls cascading, and headed for Kings Canyon.  Kings Canyon is about 300 km/180 miles from Uluru and about 330 km/200 miles from Alice Springs.  On the way, we stopped at the Mount Conner Lookout and climbed up a small red sand dune to get a good look at Mt Conner on one side and Lake Amadeus, a large usually dry salt lake, on the other.

On the first day, after 4 (or 5 or 6) hours of driving, Rachelle told us that we could get our first glimpse of Uluru.  We could see it!  Yay!  Some of us took pictures as we drove along.  A few minutes later, Rachelle told us that what we had just seen was actually Mount Conner, AKA Fooluru.  What a dirty (grotty?) trick!

Mt Conner or Fooluru

We also stopped, in the rain, to collect firewood again.  Collecting firewood is brutal here.  The Australian government has adopted the Aboriginal practice of periodically burning the bush to minimize large wildfires.  So there are many dead and partially burnt multi-trunked and small trees around.

We only want wood that's 1.5" in diameter or larger.  So we pull limbs down or off and strip them of the little parts.  If they're longer than about 6', we break them by jumping on them.   Then we pile them on top of the trailer and tie them down.  It is a real group effort.

Are we happy campers in the rain and cold?

We reached the Kings Canyon Campground before the rain did.   We immediately made a huge fire because we needed the coals to make our dinner.  We all pitched in to make chili con carne, rice, and a vegie medley.  It started to rain as we were eating dinner around the fire.  No camp chairs with this tour; we sat on rolled swags.

Our campsite had a metal roofed, screened structure with a long table and benches in one end and a fridge and counters on the other end.  This became our sleeping quarters.  We mostly were dry; the rain came in through the screen and in a couple of leaky places.

My swag and arctic sleeping bag

But there were heaps more mice here.  This time, although I do believe the pitter patter on my head end was rain, I did feel little stirrings across my lower end that could not possibly have been rain.  Anyway, I'm just thankful I didn't have to share the INside of my swag with a mouse/mice.

Rise and shine at 5am.  Whyyyy?   I'd rather miss the sunrise!  (Actually, none of us whinged although I'm sure we all thought it!)  We had porridge, cereal, yogurt, toast, canned fruit cocktail, tea and coffee.  (Those French girls love Nutella!)  Then drove the 35 km to Watarrka National Park.

There are two bushwalking tracks available in Kings Canyon.  A 2 km/1.2 mile (1 hour) Kings Creek Walk that traces the bottom of the gorge and a 6 km/3.7 mile (3 hour) Kings Canyon Rim Walk along the top of the canyon.  Of course, despite the rain, we did the 6K track.  This is full on adventure!

Rabbit, turtle, camel, or turkey?

One French girl did not participate because she only had little canvas shoes and no rain coat.  Several of us were outfitted in matching black plastic raincoats (rubbish/trash/garbage bags). Tres chic.  Doesn't matter, we all got wet anyway.

It turned out that Rachelle wanted to beat the crowds.  Well, we were the first but we had two large busloads not too far behind.   First, Heart Attack Hill.  Ugh!  Well named!  Steep.  Large rocks.  Some steps.  Switchbacks.  Difficult in rain.  Can't imagine in heat!  No breath for talking.  Or writing.

We had to get over the start of a waterfall
hopefully without falling in.

But at the top, wow!  Gorgeous view of the gorge and surrounding countryside.  Even through the rain.  We walked along the top for a while looking at the rock and rock formations.  One rock looked like a rabbit, turtle, camel, squirrel, turkey (only to me)....

Then we descended to the Garden of Eden.  We crossed over the valley, lush with cycads, ferns and palms, on a bridge and walked to the end.   The large permanent waterhole makes a great swimming hole during most of the year but we enjoyed the high waterfall instead.  In this dry arid rocky environment, the Garden of Eden is an oasis.

The Garden of Eden

Normal rainfall in the area is about 30 cm/12" annually.   So most people would not have to rockhop through low spots, jump over gullies (one rather harrowing), or walk through waterfalls.  Which we did!  Unfortunately, my hiking boots had developed holes during my Kakadu adventure.  So, although I had waterproofed them again in Cairns, they didn't keep my feet dry.

The waterfall we had to go over and eventually, through.

Rachelle pointed out several unusual plants and explained how the Luritja people used them.  One of them is the Ghost gum;  the powdery coating on the bark is used as sun protection equivalent to SPF50.  The umbrella bush, the watarrka for which the park is named, flourishes here.   She also pointed out fossils of squid (unusual), and other sea creatures.

Permanent waterhole in the Garden of Eden

After climbing back up, sometimes on staircases, we came to the Lost City, domes of eroded sedimentary rock and eventually to the sheer 100 meter/330' red rock cliff face.  Kings Canyon is spectacular, even in the rain.

After a lunch stop in Curtin Springs, we went to the Camel Farm at Stuarts Well.   Believe it or not, I met someone I knew there.  Rachel, an Englishwoman, had also stayed at Dingo Moon Lodge in Darwin and traveled on The Ghan train to Alice Springs with me.  I knew she was going to work on a camel farm but didn't connect it until I saw her.

Kings Canyon cliff face

One of her jobs was to collect the ticket ($7) for the camel rides and handle the camels.  The camels are saddled for two riders.  Rachel had Sally kneel so the riders could get on.  The lurches to get to her feet are probably the most scary part of the ride.  Rachel walks the camel up the paddock.  Then she leads Sally at a run back down the paddock.  It was fun to hear the French girls squeal.  Then Sally lurches to kneel again.  I rode a camel in Cairo a few years back so I passed on this opportunity.

Ghost gum - spf50

We got back to Alice Springs around 4 pm and then met up at The Rock Bar for dinner at 7 pm.  We all washed up well.  After dinner, we took/shared cabs ($8) back to our respective hostels.  The cabs were lined up outside the restaurants and bars.  Maybe it's a scam to provide jobs to drivers.  Whatever.  Better safe than sorry.

I've been at Kondoolka Station which runs sheep for the past 3 weeks.  You'll get some details soon.

Cheers!!
Cyn