A Blast from the Past

Back in 2006 we did one of our first trips away in our caravan.  We travelled with friends and drove to the Northern Territory.  We had a wonderful trip to the middle of Australia and it was the first time we had been to this wonderful part of Australia.  My diary has been a great help in getting the information as my memory is not good on the details.

  

9th July 2006  We left home at 9.45 am, stopped for fuel at Port Wakefield and then lunch at a rest area just out of Port Pirie. Drove on till 4.30 pm when we stopped at roadside Rest Area and set up with friends D & M.  Weather cold but sunny.

10th July  Had breakfast around campfire, as it was a cold 10 degrees C in caravan, then packed up and on road to Pimba. Scenery is now better with small low scrub.  Had lunch at Rest Area near Glen Dambo and then fuel at Glen Dambo .and back on road to Coober Pedy and then onto roadside rest area south of Cadney Park. 

11 th July Saw wedge tailed eagles and a dingo on road to Cadney Park then continued on to Marla and then Kulgara for fuel and morning tea.

Fun photo at Kulgera

From Kulgera we headed to Erldunda and then Curtin Springs where we stopped for the night at the Caravan Park.

12 July 2006 Left Curtin Springs and headed for Uluru caravan park and arrived about 10 am, set up on our booked site as the park was almost full.  The caravan park and Resort is well set up with shops etc so we stocked up with a few essentials and had lunch.  We then drove out to the Rock and walked around the base.  It is much bigger than it appears in photos.  The weather is getting cooler and starting to rain. Had an early night.

Sunset on the Rock

Walking track up the Rock

The Rock
 

Although named in 1873 in honour of the Chief Secretary of South Australia, Sir Henry Ayers, it is also known by its Aboriginal name ‘Uluru’ Considered one of the great natural wonders of the world and one of Australia's most recognizable natural icons ‘The Rock’ is also a sacred part of Aboriginal creation mythology, or Dreamtime (reality being a dream).  

We were very lucky to be at Uluru when there was a rain storm and the transformation of the Rock was amazing with the change in colour and the waterfalls making it spectacular.

 13 July 2006  A day spent around the caravan park as we had problems with a hose connection and the rain overnight had caused a lot of mud in the park so we didn't venture too far.

Cave at base of the Rock

We didn't climb the Rock although a few people did but it is a dangerous climb and quite a few people have died or been injured while climbing. The Uluru climb was closed permanently in 2019 and in 1985 Uluru National Park was officially handed back to the traditional owners.

14 July 2006  After a few days at Uluru we travelled to Kings Canyon and arrived there without a booking so had an unpowered site but we were ok with that.

The Rim Walk

15 July 2006 Had a good night's sleep and organised ourselves for the Rim Walk in Kings Canyon, which I was concerned about as my knees had been hurting.

Kings Canyon

Views from the Rim Walk

Palms in the Canyon

Amazing view from Kings Canyon Rim Walk

The walk was well worth the pain and effort but it took us 4 hours so I didn't do much walking over the next few days.  I was so pleased to have made the walk and it just proved to me that you can push yourself beyond what you think you are capable of and I am so happy that I did it.

16 July 2006 We packed up and were on the road by 8.15am and back to Alice Springs and booked into a caravan park there so that we could get organised with power and water. Spent the day sorting things out.

View of Alice Springs from the lookout

17 July 2006 We left Alice Springs and headed to Glen Helen Gorge about an hour's drive.

We booked into the caravan park and went for a walk down to the waterhole along the Finke River.  It was very pretty and we enjoyed the views.  At the caravan park there was a musician playing in the Bar so we had a great evening.