Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park

Posted on September 15, 2017 by kenwehner

12 September 2017

Pic 2017-0912 01 Kings Canyon (149) Edit

Before coming to Australia I had not heard of Kings Canyon, however after a little research of the “Red Center” Watarrka National Park was quickly added to our must-do list. Several articles said some visitors enjoyed Kings Canyon more than Uluru (Ayers Rock). We might agree.

We preferred to stay at the Ayers Rock Resort for several nights instead of splitting our time between the Kings Canyon Resort. As a result we had a 3 hour drive each way from Ayers Rock to Kings Canyon. If you haven’t figured it out yet, we don’t mind a good road trip so we didn’t mind, but it might not be the best plan for some visitors.

We timed our visit well with the weather. In September, we experienced high and low temperatures around 33C (92F) and 9C (48F). They close some of the trails when temperatures get too high so luckily our late arrival did not risk the extreme summer heat.

The Canyon Rim Walk was fantastic. It starts with a steep 100 meter climb from canyon base to rim. It is not for everyone but we’ve done worse. Beyond the fantastic views, the trail itself was more fun than most. It required some climbing over, around, and under rock formations. There are shorter and easier hikes so anyone can enjoy the park but the Rim Walk should not be missed if you are able. They also have multiday hikes for folks with more time and dedication than us.

 

Pic 2017-0912 01 Kings Canyon (106) Edit

Pic 2017-0912 01 Kings Canyon (98) Edit

Pic 2017-0912 01 Kings Canyon (58) Edit

 

Posted in Australia, Northern Territory, Outback | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Mount Conner, NT

Posted on September 14, 2017 by kenwehner

11 September 2017

Pic 2017-0911 02 Mt Conner Lookout (6) Edit

Driving west on the Lasseter Highway (Route 4) from the Stuart Highway on our way to Ayers Rock Resort, we came upon a pleasant surprise, Mount Conner. We stopped at the lookout along the highway. At first I thought it could be Uluru (aka Ayers Rock) but we realized it had a flat top. (Later I read some locals refer to it as “Fool-uru” since so many tourists mistake it.) Less obvious was the large salt lake on the opposite side of the highway, just a short walk over the hill.Pic 2017-0911 02 Mt Conner Lookout (4) Edit

You cannot easily get to Mount Conner. It is on private land and can only be accessed by a private tour. Mulga Park Road, an unpaved “short-cut” from Lasseter to Stuart appears to provide a closer viewpoint but we were not prepared for that detour.

Pic 2017-0914 01 Mt Conner Edit

 

Posted in Australia, Northern Territory, Outback | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Alice Springs, NT

Posted on September 10, 2017 by kenwehner

9 – 10 September 2017

Pic 2017-0909 06 Alice Springs (4) Edit

We arrived in Alice Springs early enough to walk about downtown and enjoy perfect evening temperatures with dinner at a local café. Alice Springs is massive compared to any town we saw since Adelaide but it is smaller than I realized. With a population around 28,000, it is almost the size of New Bern, North Carolina – the birthplace of Pepsi.  Alice Springs is often referred to as the Capital of the Outback or the Red Center but it is actually not the capital of the Northern Territory, that title goes to Darwin.

When we checked in, I quickly realized I made a rookie mistake. The hotel is along the Todd River, which runs through town. I thought it would be nice to walk along the river in the evenings. One problem… there is no water in the river! I had read about the Henley-on-Todd Regatta race, where contestants race down the dry river bed, but somehow did not realize the Todd is dry most of the year.

Pic 2017-0910 03 Todd River Walk (10) Edit

Todd River

The next day we spent more time in and around town, opting to skip a more adventurous day in the mountains, so we could relax before the next big push. We enjoyed walking along the Todd and views from ANZAC Hill.

Alice Springs is an oasis in the desert. It is a long way from everywhere. It is the only place in the Red Center you will find restaurants and stores common to most of Australia’s more populated areas. To put this in perspective, the closest McDonalds outside of town is a 13 hour drive.

Alice Springs has its positive aspects, but we will be happy to move along tomorrow morning. It is the first place in Australia where we did not feel completely comfortable and where the people were not particularly friendly. If you need a place to rest, recuperate, and restock on your great Outback adventure, Alice Springs checks all the boxes. If you are looking for more than that, I’m not sure you’ll find it here.

ANZAC Hill Lookout

Posted in Australia, Northern Territory, Outback | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Outback: Coober Pedy to Alice Springs

Posted on September 9, 2017 by kenwehner

9 September 2017

Pic 2017-0909 01 CPedy to Marla (4) Edit

 

The drive from Coober Pedy to Alice Springs was long but not too strenuous. We made rest and fuel stops at Marla population 72) and Erldunda. Changes in the landscape the entire way continued to surprise and entertain us. Some stretches have amazingly vibrant yellows, greens, oranges, and reds.

Coober Pedy to Erldunda

Erldunda to Alice Springs

 

Posted in Australia, Northern Territory, Outback, South Australia | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Coober Pedy, SA

Posted on September 8, 2017 by kenwehner

8 September 2017

Pic 2017-0908 04 Coober Pedy (4) Edit

Coober Pedy, what an odd little dusty town. The self proclaimed “Opal Capital of the World” has the largest opal mining area and is a popular stop for travelers along the Stuart Highway. At less than 1,700 people, it is the largest town between Port Augusta and Alice Springs. Coober Pedy has all the basic services you might need including several restaurants, gas stations, a grocery store, hospital, car repair, etc.

The underground dwellings are their other claim to fame. To manage the extreme temperatures many of the buildings are built underground – dug into the side of a hill. We are staying in an underground motel room just for the unique experience.

Coober Pedy is not a particularly attractive place but tonight all we need is a clean place to sleep, a decent dinner and a full tank of petrol. Done.

Coober Pedy is full of surprises, danger, man eating sand flies, and underground buildings… just another day in the Outback.

Posted in Australia, Outback, South Australia | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Outback: Port Augusta to Coober Pedy

Posted on September 8, 2017 by kenwehner

8 September 2017

Pic 2017-0908 01 P Agusta to Lake Hart (41) Edit

We ventured into the Outback today driving the Stuart Highway. The highway is the main artery through the heart of Australia from Darwin in the north to Port Augusta in the south. We originally had hoped to drive the entire length but one-way car hires where insanely priced. The road is in good condition. As long as you plan your fuel and bathroom breaks, there are adequate facilities along the way.

The scenery has been better than expected so far. The landscape changes subtly along the way to make it interesting and the southern portion of the trip was much greener than we had imagined. The section from Glendambo to Coober Pedy became a bit tiresome. We also found some surprises along the way.

Lake Hart was unexpected awesomeness. It appears to be a frozen lake in the middle of the desert but it’s actually a pure white salt flat. The kids loved it.  There are several other salt lakes in the area that are visible from the road.

Posted in Australia, Outback, South Australia | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Outback: Adelaide to Port Augusta

Posted on September 7, 2017 by kenwehner

7 September 2017

Pic 2017-0907 02 Port Augusta (23) Edit

Port Augusta’s Great Western Bridge from the Water Tower Lookout

Today we took a small first step from Adelaide toward the Outback by driving north to Port Augusta. We spent late afternoon shopping for supplies and walking along the waterway in West Port Augusta to the Water Tower viewing platform. The town is small but should be the largest community between here and Alice Springs.

Augusta Highway between Adelaide and Port Augusta

Harbor of Port Augusta near the Great Western Bridge

Posted in Adelaide, Australia, Outback, South Australia | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Adelaide, SA – Part 3

Posted on September 6, 2017 by kenwehner

6 September 2017

On our last full day we had planned to visit some of the surrounding communities and parks but the weather kept us from wandering too far. We did make quick stops in Port Adelaide, West Lakes and Henley Beach. After drying off, we took the tram back to Central Market and walked back through the city one more time.

We definitely plan to return when the weather is nicer to spend more time in the area. We are excited to see Kangaroo Island and to further investigate the city’s surroundings.

Port Adelaide

Posted in Adelaide, Australia, South Australia | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Glenelg, SA

Posted on September 6, 2017 by kenwehner

5 September 2017

Pic 2017-0905 05 Glenelg (43) Edit

As part of our tour of Adelaide we decided to take the tram from South Terrace to the southern end, Moseley Square in Glenelg, a small beach suburb. It was far too cold and the ocean too rough to spend time at the beach but we did enjoy walking about, grabbing lunch, and shopping in town. Even the tram ride there and back was quite enjoyable – not to mention it was a welcomed break from walking and the weather. Glenelg is a nice place to spend time and made easy to get to and from downtown.

Pic 2017-0905 05 Glenelg (19) Edit

Pic 2017-0905 05 Glenelg (21) Edit

Posted in Adelaide, Australia, South Australia | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Adelaide, SA – Part 2

Posted on September 6, 2017 by kenwehner

3 – 6 September 2017

Pic 2017-0904 11 Adelaide (38) Edit

The new Royal Adelaide Hospital is visible from our hotel window. It has been interesting because the hospital opened while we were here and been a big story on the local news. We landed Sunday and they started transferring patients from the old hospital to new on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. The area has been busy with related action. I had trouble sleeping from the helicopter activity on the helipad one night. The old facility will reportedly be demolished and the land granted to the adjacent Botanical Gardens.

Pic 2017-0905 01 Adelaide (1) Edit

Royal Adelaide Hospital

Next to the hospital and directly across from our hotel are the uniquely shaped South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute and University of Adelaide Health and Medical Science buildings, both also recently built.

Pic 2017-0904 11 Adelaide (18) Edit

SA Health and Medical Research Institute

Pic 2017-0904 11 Adelaide (29) EditUA Health and Medical Building

Posted in Adelaide, Australia, South Australia | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment