Palm Valley, Gosse Bluff, Glen Helen, Orminston Gorge

Hello all,
I have been out in the Western MacDonnell Ranges for the last week or so basking in 30-32C days and cloudless skies.........jealous yet?

First port of call was Palm Valley, I have been here before a few times in the 1980's but I had forgotten how beautiful this place is.

The Finke River

 The trek in is 18km down the bed of the usually dry Finke River, one of the oldest rivers in the world, the drive is listed 4WD ONLY but apart from a couple of soft patches and crazy suicidal Tour Bus drivers was uneventful.

stopped for a photo Finke River

15 steps from camp

The campsite there was ideal, and with hot showers and flushing toilets only $6.60 per night was a real gem, so I stayed a couple of nights to enjoy it.

camp at Palm Valley

Palm Creek beside camp

I could definitely have spend much longer here in paradise but time is slipping away on me, I had planned to be in Katherine by now, but I am still in Alice and not quite finished here yet.

view from camp Palm valley

 I must admit though I am enjoying being able to be in the right place at the right time. By that I mean, on past trips on annual leave, so often you tend to be in a place that would look great at sunset, but you are there in the middle of the day and time doesn't allow you to wait for sunset. This time I am planning to be at the sights for sunset and so on.

on the way into Cycad Gorge

on the way into Palm Valley

heading into Palm Valley

Cabbage Palms

The last 4 kilometres into Palm Valley was classed as High clearance 4WD only but I was able to get as far as Cycad Gorge with the camper on before a couple of large rock ledges halted progress.

Cycad Gorge

the road

in Cycad Gorge

Cycad Gorge

Palm Creek

heading back out the Finke Gorge track

Taken slowly the rig had no problems at all accessing the area, and as I go on I am more confident of the ability of the ute and camper, but I suppose taken slowly most things can get most places.
After leaving Palm Valley, I headed to Hermanberg, as it has Telstra reception to check my messages and send a few emails. Next stop was the house which Albert Namatjira (the famous Aboriginal Painter) built and lived a little way out of Hermansberg.

Albert Namatjira's House

 From there it was 40k of dusty corrugated road to Gosse Bluff. Gosse Bluff is an old Metiorite crater thought to be originally over 30km wide, but due to time and erosion over millions of years is now only 3km across, but impressive none the less.

Gosse Bluff

Gosse Bluff

I was last here in the 1980's and from memory the inside of the crater was a lot clearer, now it is quite dense bush.

inside Gosse Bluff

 It was onwards to Mt Sonder Lookout, for those of you that don't know, Central Australia is quite high. Alice Springs sits at a tad over 500 metres above sea level, Mt Sonder is over 1300 metres. Mt Zeil nearby is 1586 metres, by comparison most of the Victorian High Country sits at about 1400-1600 metres. There IS some impressive mountain scenery to be seen in Central Australia.

Mt Sonder

 

looking towards Mt Giles, the Finke River in the foreground

It was getting on so I headed for Ornimston Gorge campground for the night, a move I would later regret.

Ornimston Gorge

 About 2AM I was woken by what sounded like two large groups of Dingo's, each side of the campground calling one another. But back to my regret..........mosquitoes don't worry me too much, scratch for an hour or so then forgotten.............but whatever insects there was at
Ornimston were horrendous.
Probably midgies or sandflies but 3 days on I am still scratching like I am possessed and my legs and arms are covered with red bites, needless to say I only stayed one night there.

Orminston Gorge

 

Ornimston Gorge

Next day was a quick exit to Glen Helen Resort where I enjoyed my first bought meal for quite some time. I splashed out at the bar and had a counter meal on the deck whilst taking in the views........gee life is tough.

Port  Lincoln Parrot

 Bird life is amazing, with the Port Lincoln Parrot being a very common sight.

my Counter lunch view at Glen Helen Resort

view from camp Glen Helen Resort

Continuing on from Glen Helen i passed the Ochre Pits where ancient and also current Aboriginals mine the Ochre for their body paint.

Ochre Pits

Ochre Pits

 I was heading back towards Alice as I could no longer stand the itches.............I needed ointment.........fast.

the Western MacDonnell Ranges

I am now back in Alice for a few days while I do some laundry, clean the camper and ute and restock the freezer. After that I am undecided..........I may head out to Old Andado Homestead or Chambers Pillar or both, but I may also start heading North............ahhh decisions decisions.
Bye for now