En Route East to the Sunshine State

After a night with Jem and Oscar vomiting, rather than pressing on with our journey, we had a rest day in Alice.  We washed everything down in the caravan, Glen 20 spray all over and a lot of boiled rice, everyone was finally on the improve. 

Next drama for the Raths was a nasty post viral rash that managed to cover poor Jem from head to toe every part of poor Jem's body. As we drove out of the caravan park the next morning on our way to Tennant Creek the rash was clearing slowly.  As the day got hotter though, the rash became more angry and inflamed and incredibly itchy despite oral anti-histamine, topical cream and also oral steroids. It was disappearing and reappearing quite rapidly, but he seemed perfectly well otherwise. Trace was getting pretty worried about its cause, Josh, as usual, was accused of being blase and disinterested - he had reasonably confidently diagnosed this as a post viral rash.

A quick stop at Wycliff Well, the UFO capital of Australia and we were back on the road towards our night stop. 

As we pulled into Tennant Creek, Trace thought that given our remoteness over the ensuing days of travel, it would be wise to take Jem to Tennant Creek emergency department. The next nearest hospital was Mt Isa, nearly 1000 km to the east. Jem was keen on a trip to hospital, it seemed a novelty. After a phone call to the hospital to confirm they indeed had a 24-hour emergency department, we fronted up at a very new facility.  The triage nurse looked familiar to Josh, but a prior meeting as highly unlikely. In the cool air conditioning of the hospital the rash seemed to be settling and after some questioning from the nurse, it was far less red and inflamed. Enquiry was made as to whether the rumours we had heard about a gastroenteritis outbreak at the place we were staying in Uluru could be confirmed and the nurse admitted she wasn’t sure as she had just returned from NSW.  A bit more chatting and as it turns out the nurse was someone had met before, a nurse who had worked for quite some time at both Royal North Shore as well as Hornsby Hospital.  What are the chances of that. 



Anyhow, Jem’s rash. Well after all this banter, the rash had really settled down and, although still present, we agreed that the current regime of treatment should continue and left without seeing a doctor. Jem had his temperature taken and we were on our way home, thankfully without waiting for long. 


Traveling eastward was hot and dry and as we approached the border we noted the endless fencing on either side of the road. This was cattle country in a big way, even though the landscape seemed far from suited to sustaining cattle.  The almost continuous fencing line was to be a feature throughout western Queensland and the Gulf savannah - very different to anywhere else we had been in the outback. Jem was for some reason very excited about our crossing into Queensland. It was good that he had something to be excited about, because in the heat his rash had returned just about all over him and the itch was starting to bother him. About 150km out of Tennant Creek Trace was once again worried about the rash, cursing me for not having had an emergency doctor look at him in Tennant Creek, doubting the dermatological/infectious disease diagnostic capability of her anaesthetist husband, and seriously considering whether we should turn back given that the next hospital was probably Mt Isa, some 800 km east.  Eventually, Jem fell asleep and unfortunately fell asleep before the crossing into Queensland arrived. It was September 30. 

Our first overnight in the Sunshine State was spent in sleepy Camooweal.  The kids had been promised a pool at the caravan park in Camooweal, so were a little disappointed when we pulled up with no pool in sight. Thankfully we had fronted up at the wrong caravan park. The one with the pool, we were informed with regret by the proprietor, was down the road and across the street. Hallelujah, we found the only pool between Tennant Creek and Mt Isa. A little dusty, but a hugely welcome relief from our hot drive. Once again the kids couldn't wait to get their gear off and jump in. Jem’s rash enjoyed a cool off in the pool and after a few beers, we headed of the the pub out the front which did dinner and, apparently, had a reasonable cook. Thankfully they had a TV that worked so the kids could watch X Factor.  Although a mother with a young baby looked at us worryingly as we sat down for dinner with a child that looked as if he had an infectious dose of measles, it was a pleasant night with the locals. 

Not much to Camooweal - a hotel with post office attached, two caravan parks, fuel station, a general store and cattle stations as far as the eye could see. 

Intrepid walkers in Watarrka National Park (Kings Canyon)

After a slightly hair-raising drive with Trace overtaking a driver doing 60 in a 100 km zone, someone pulling out next to her at the same time and the caravan swaying back and forth behind us, we finally arrived safely at Kings Canyon. Closer inspection of the van, the inside to be precise, revealed a kitchen and dining area covered in flour, coffee, sugar, salt, cous cous, bread crumbs and more - the result of our highway altercation. 

The resort was in a beautiful location with the canyon walls in the backdrop over 100 metres high. Again, the colours in the afternoon of the rock were magnificent. In fact the backdrop was used in the movie Priscilla and some of the cast were flown in by helicopter to land on the very top of the canyon.

In the afternoon we went into the canyon and did a short walk called the Kings Creek Walk which was only a 2km walk but traced the bottom of the gorge through the dry creek bed and finishing at a viewing platform. Part of the Gorge is a sacred Aboriginal site so visitors are discouraged to walk any further or stray from the path.

After a good night sleep we were ready for our early morning start of 7am to begin the Kings Canyon Rim Walk This is by far the most impressive walk in Kings Canyon. It takes you around the rim of the canyons sandstone walls, which formed when small cracks over time eroded to create the spectacular Canyons we have today.

To begin the walk we climbed what locals call Heartbreak Hill or Heart-attack Hill. Hoping neither of these things would occur we managed to get up in fairly good time. The kids as usual showing their parents how it is done. Even little Jem was a star!

Throughout the walk there were some amazing vantage points to look out and over the white and red sandstone cliffs of the canyon, also allowing you to look down the cliffs edges. The sheer height of these cliffs is 270metres, to put this in perspective; it is almost the same height as Australia’s tallest high-rise in Melbourne city, Eureka Towers.

Sandstone domes can be found throughout the Canyon and look like bee-hives in appearance as well as the impressive weathered formations that resemble the remains of an Aztec city, earning them the name the Lost City.

The Kings Canyon Walk takes you 270 metres down into the chasm, between the sandstone cliffs into a true oasis. Here, a natural spring waterhole surrounded by local and exotic plants and trees such as gums, bonsai looking trees and enormous prehistoric ferns create a truly unique landscape.

Once on the top of the Canyon, the walking was not hard and the kids just loved the sense of satisfaction they had after almost walking 7.5km in the day. Jem christened the top with a bush bog and Rubes unfortunately was starting to exhibit the signs of some bug coming on. A faster descent through sandstone domes reminiscent of the Bungles brought us back to the beginning of the track and a great feeling of accomplishment by all. What a great walk and day.

Ice-creams were definitely called for on the way home before Rubes started an afternoon of severe vomiting and stomach pain. She was even brave enough to get an injection from Daddy! This was going to be the start of another gastro bug for the Rath family. And, although it wasn’t funny at the time we have made up numerous songs to go along with the numerous vomiting episodes we have had on our travels. We were advised that afternoon that apparently a toilet block at Uluru had been closed due to an outbreak of some gastro virus. No wonder, those disgusting teenagers and their hygiene!

Things settled down for Rubes after a few hours and eventually she felt a whole lot better. Thankfully our drive the next day was good for everyone as it was going to be a long and hot one back to Alice for an overnight stay before heading north again.

Pulling into the Big 4 at Alice was welcome relief as we knew it was going to be a nice place to rest for the night. We were mistaken. 

Another Spew at Uluru

Uluru was about 460km from Alice so we were in for a long day of driving and the days were certainly getting hotter. We both expected as we have many times that the landscape would be showing more signs of desert and isolation but again we were mistaken. There were still plenty of trees and apparently over 40,000 camels in the hills but so far we were yet to see any.

We passed some remote cattle stations and a few petrol stations but otherwise there was not much else around. The soil was certainly becoming redder and Trace was keen to bag some of the sand for her collection of “special artefacts” that she has collected throughout our trip. Although they’ve taken up a lot of our space in the caravan, she assured us that we’d look back at them in our house and remember the very special places that we’ve been.

As we drove and the kids watched another movie in the back, we could see in the distance what looked like a very large rock. Neither of us knew exactly whether it was Uluru but it sure looked like it. As we came closer it was obvious that it wasn’t Uluru but Mt Connor, another very large rock but possibly without as much cultural significance as Uluru.

Most people, I think, are unaware that the Yulara village and accommodation you stay in at Uluru is actually about 10km from the rock itself. It has been very well set up for tourists to visit and although the camping area was not the cleanest of places, as we were to find out, the hotels, apartments and restaurants all looked quite nice.

Uluru is considered a sacred site by native Aborigines called the Anangu tribe and they are the traditional land owners. Uluru is estimated to be around 600 million years old and when you walk around the base of this massive sandstone monolith you can certainly feel the spirits of ancestors past.

It stands approximately 348 metres above sea level at the tallest point and in-fact the majority of its mass is actually underground. Although it is not illegal to climb Uluru, out of respect for the traditional owners we chose not to as do a lot of people these days.

The actual base walk around Uluru is about 10km, one which Ruby and Jem weren’t too keen to do, so we settled for some shorter walks which past some waterholes, rock art and sacred sites. Josh and Oscar deciding they would come back at a later date to ride around the base.

Following our walk, we settled in for the afternoon, cranked up the air-conditioning and went for a swim. Unfortunately the camping area was full of school groups and the facilities were crowded with young self-conscious teenagers, including the very small pool. 

This massive rock is truly an amazing sight and as we watched the sunset with our children, drinking a beer and eating some nibbles we once again had to pinch ourselves as to how lucky we have been this year to experience all that we have. And, besides the German tourists who were smoking and standing directly in front of our chairs that we had strategically placed at the front of the viewing platform, the night was magical.

After a dinner of Indian food, Jem was sick for some reason and we were up most of the night caring for him. Only later did we discover that Yulara campground had a gastro outbreak. As usual, being the trooper he is, the next day he was ready to go again for the walk around the the Olgas.

Our next day took us out to Kata Tjuta - the Olgas, 25km east of Uluru. The 36 large dome-like formations are composed of conglomerate, a sedimentary rock consisting of cobbles and boulders and cemented by sandstone. As you walk through the gorge forming rocks you can see how they have been glued together with the sandstone to form these imposing structures.

The day was very hot and after a late start in the morning the kids only felt like attempting the Walpa Gorge walk. Although it was beautiful, it was fairly short so it would have been nice to explore a bit more but with Jem recovering from his night of illness and the heat building we gave the Valley of the Winds a miss. A stop at the Kata Tjuta dune viewing area on the way home provided a beautiful landscape of the Olgas in all their glory and Uluru in the distance.

That afternoon, Josh and Oscar took their bikes back to Uluru and rode the 10km base walk. They both thoroughly enjoyed it, the changing colours, the serenity and the lack of people. Our next day would bring another 305km drive to Kings Canyon.

Art Appreciation in Alice

Once again we had heard mixed reviews from friends about Alice Springs and we were beginning to realise more and more that how much you get out of a place is a lot about how much you put into it. We have been to many places where we have been told how dirty it is, how nasty the owners are and how there’s nothing to do there. And many times these comments could not have been further from the truth. In fact some of these places will always be major highlights of our trip. For example Duke of Orleans Bay in South Australia, Kakadu National Park and also Alice Springs.

We were really keen to purchase a piece of Aboriginal artwork and although we had acquired a few amazing pieces in Arnhem Land, we were looking for that one piece that both grabbed us and was in our price range.

Alice Springs is an interesting and eclectic community, filled with a real mix of races, cultures and funky cool people. There was quite a vibe about the place, one which we were interested to get more into. Again we struck it lucky as we were in Alice for the Desert Festival and there was a lot on that the community came out to celebrate.

On our drive to Alice we were incredibly surprised at the landscape, not at all barren or treeless. And Alice itself is surrounded by magnificent ranges called the MacDonnell Ranges on both the east and west sides. After a quick stroll into town and a stop at Woolies to get some supplies we were keen to explore the Ranges the following day.

We have not been disappointed with any of the Big 4 caravan parks and Alice Springs was no exception. A large grassed site, 2 great pools, jumping pillows, playground, go karts and free pancake brekky on Sundays. What more could you want! Considering Josh was to leave us again from Alice, it's always nice to know we are in a safe place. We were also surrounded by some really nice grey nomads who were very impressed with our children’s behaviour. It’s funny, some of the grey nomads must cringe when a family pull up next to them. We so often get people coming up to us after a week when they are pulling out to tell us how great our kids are. Not sure what they were expecting?

Before Josh left we had a few days to look around and explore the ranges. We spent a day looking at some galleries in town, checking out some of the unbelievably brilliant artwork and sculptures at the Araluen Art Precinct. As part of the Desert Festival the art gallery was showcasing some 150 artworks from various Central Australian artists. Some beautiful pieces which were able to be purchased, just a bit more than we wanted to spend. The gallery also held a small collection of Albert Namatjira paintings which were beautiful. And, after our trip out to the MacDonnell Ranges you can certainly see where he got his inspiration from. Included in the price of the exhibition was entrance to the Central Australian Natural Museum. We were hesitant to go as the kids were getting a bit restless but it was a very interesting visit with some wonderful exhibits of both living and extinct animals from around Australia, in particular Central Australia.

We decided to start our exploration with the West MacDonnell Ranges. Our first stop was Simpson Gap where we got a glimpse of some shy rock footed black wallabies.

Next stop was the Standley Chasm. It was a short but beautiful walk through a dry creek bed and ended at the Chasm itself. The colours of the rock were magnificent and apparently even better at midday when the sun enters the chasm and reflects on the rock. We didn’t stay around for that as we wanted to head to our next spot for lunch and a cool swim.

Ellery Creek Big Hole was a great spot for lunch. In the heat of the day it was welcome relief to know that amongst the dryness and heat of the day was a large freshwater swimming hole, very cold but very refreshing. The kids once again found some kids to play with and soon made friends with them. Oscar was keen to jump off the rocks where an older group of school boys were jumping and Jem and Rubes were happy to just have a very quick dip in the water.

We were in no rush to leave so the afternoon got away from us and we decided not to go further onto Ormiston Gorge and head back home. The Ranges in the afternoon were spectacular and Josh was keen to stop regularly to take photos. The colours of the Ghost Gums in the creek beds against the backdrop of the Ranges is just magical and obviously an inspiration for many local artists.

That evening as part of the Desert Festival, the Alice Mall was the central place for the street parade, stalls and street performances. We followed the floats down the mall to the big top tent where a group of young kids called the Ninja Circus from Mutijulu in remote Central Australia performed. They were led by quite an eccentric Frenchman who was their Ninja leader. They were an acrobatic troupe which our kids thought were fantastic. It must have been an amazing experience for these kids to come to town and perform, eat ice-cream and get so much attention We had a fun night and enjoyed being part of the Alice community.

Unfortunately it was soon time for Josh to leave us again. The week actually went by quite quickly with a few trips into town, the markets, and a lot of swimming. We had a favourite café that made great coffee as well as really nice smoothies which once again Ruby enjoyed.

Oscar was keen to get a didgeridoo so we went to have a lesson with an expert in town. Even though he hasn’t quite got the circular breathing he has managed to master some animal sounds and the correct sound through his blowing. Jem also got a didg and insists his rap playing is just as good.

After a bit of school work we headed out for the Desert Park to see some Centralian animals. Trace had been bragging to the kids about a project she got an A+ for in Primary School on the Thorny Devil. And, although we had not seen one as yet in the wild, she was keen to see one at the animal park. After many bird shows throughout our trip, the Raptor show was not really a highlight but interesting nonetheless. We saw many other great reptiles and a fantastic nocturnal house which had some very interesting snakes and of course a very cute Bilby.

Trace also took the kids to the School of the Air. One of the largest schools of its kind in Australia covering a large area of students throughout remote Australia. The kids watched a couple of classes which was incredibly interesting and we sponsored 3 students with some books for their next term work. It was a fun morning.

Thankfully, Josh was on his way home and we were on our way the next day to Uluru.

On the Road to Alice Springs

Our next destination was Mataranka. Given the now limited time we had to get to Alice Springs due to Josh’s departure for work on September 14, we planned to get a few kilometres behind us.  We chose Mataranka as a stop, some 500km south and figured the hot springs would be worth a visit after a long drive. A pretty spot to rest our weary bones. 

Then a quick stopover in Tennant Creek for the night and a brief visit to the Devils’ Marbles  before completing a long 3-day drive to Alice. 

We had covered some 1400 km through the desert landscape which was surprisingly vegetated and quite different to what we were expecting. The red sands of the Centre were as vivid as we had imagined, but we had seen some indigenous landscape art from communities around Alice and Uluru which we really didn’t understand until we got there. Arriving in Alice was a relief for all after such a long, hot journey.