Week 5 - Alice Springs to Daly Waters


Alice Springs – MacDonnell Ranges – Ross River – Devils Marbles

We stayed in Alice Springs for 4 nights at the Big 4 park.  The kids would have loved the park as it had all the usual things but a water slide as well. We explored the MacDonnell Ranges over two days as the West and East ranges are so extensive.

The West range was first on the itinerary and it took all day. The mountains are unique as a series of parallel ridges run for hundreds of kilometres. There are spectacular gorges and passes, some with swimming holes in them.
Simpsons Gap

Standley Chasm








Ellery Creek Big Hole


Serpentine Gorge



It was a big day with lots of walking into the various sights and driving over 200km. The Pathy loved it without the van!


The next day we headed east and explored some more gorges and gaps.
Emily Gap


Jessie Gap



Corroboree Rock


Trephina Gorge



Way down the end of the East range is the Ross River Homestead. This old original homestead has been turned into a country resort with cabins surrounding the main house. We had a private tour of the homestead by the owner as we arrived. The main homestead had been expanded to include a bar and restaurant but the original homestead was inside the main complex. It was a typical country resort with the extensions being made out of corrugated iron and old railway lines and sleepers from the old Ghan railway. It was a classic.


The owner then showed us some photos of their brumbies and other wildlife. He told us that the brumbies would probably be at a certain creek (dry) so we headed there for lunch. Sure enough there they were.
We found some other wildlife crossing the road – a King Brown or mulga snake. Needless to say we stayed in the car.

We drove back to Alice then had a rest day to do washing etc  the next day. Pa took the car for a wash as well. We did visit the old telegraph station where once all overseas phone calls came through here. We also had visitors for happy hour. Steve Dwyer and his partner Sue were on a tour of the NT on their Harley Davidson with 20 other bikes. We called them and they came over for HH. It was great to see them.
The next day we left Alice and headed north along the Stuart Highway towards Darwin. We crossed the Tropic of Capricorn and are now officially in the tropics. It was -2 last night, doesn’t yet feel tropical. 

We stopped at the Aileron roadhouse to get fuel. They have some giant Aborigines on display.


We also stopped at the Barrow Hotel. Here everyone writes their names on the wall. We free camped the next night at an old staging camp in the bush for World War 2 soldiers who were heading for Adelaide to join up.


Today we travelled the short distance to the Devil’s Marbles. Along the road we stopped at Wycliffe Well, the UFO capital of Australia. They claim to have had more UFO sightings here than anywhere else in Australia. I think they maybe have been drinking too much. Pa met some mates.



The Devil’s Marbles are an awesome sight. Huge granite boulders, stacked and balancing on top of each other dot the landscape. We went on many walking trails around the marbles. Nanna took some nice sunset photos. There are over 38 caravans in this tiny campground which costs $3.30 a night.


Pa tried to move a few to block the wind.

The next day we moved on to Banka Banka Station. This was a nice place as they had grass. It was good to get away from the dust for a while.  Nanna found some animals of course and we went for a walk to the lookout.



The next day we headed for the Daly Waters Pub where we hope to get to see the State of Origin match. We have had no tv or mobile coverage for the past four days so hopefully the tv in the pub will have it on.  It is very dusty here.



Tomorrow we move on for Bitter Springs.












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