Thread: Cairns to Uluru in Aug. What other recommendations to see and do?

Mataranka Springs (near Katherine) is always good for an overnight stop..

mataranka springs - Google Search

as is Katherine Gorge!

katherine gorge - Google Search

If you have time a quick trip to Litchfield Nat park is nice.. Wangi Falls there are worth seeing..

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There is so much to see and do up that way I am sure you will be swamped with great suggestions!

I purchased a magazine from the local newsagent, called " Go Camping", never read it before, it had a supplement with it in the plastic cover, " the essential NORTHERN TERRITORY drive map @ travel guide. Excellent little fold out booklet, we lived in the Territory for almost 4 years, and this has out of the way places I didn't know existed.

However, from personal experience, apart from the places already mentioned, here are a few more to consider. Kings Canyon ; a must , not far from Uluru, if you are coming from Alice Springs travel along what they now call the Red Centre way, drive west from Alice, thru the West Macdonnel National Park, down the mereenie loop to Watarrka National Park [ Kings Canyon] I don't know if the roads the same as back in the 80's, but coming to Kings Canyon from the north we dropped off the escarpment on a narrow, very steep track to the Canyon floor, the whole of the Canyon in view from the heights. To get the best value, you have to camp in the canyon near the high Canyon walls, @ watch the colours change at sunset. Better than Uluru, I reckon, but be aware, it can be freezing there at night. Driving from Alice to Glen Helen you have Standley Chasm, Simpsons Gap, Ormiston Gorge, @ the Ochre pits. probably need permission to do this but easy to get.

Lassiters cave is only a short drive from Uluru [ about 200 km ], spooky place, read up on Lassiter to get the most out of that. What amazed me was there was a plague of rabbits out there, a thousand miles from anywhere, no wonder the Chinese built the great wall, those rabbits get everywhere. Mate, you could spend a month @ not see it all, I shouldn't have started this, getting itchy feet, have to get a long range tank for the Disco.............. the Territory, you'll never never know if you never never go Bob [ Go to travelnt.com]

Agree re Kings Canyon, but you cant camp at the canyon anymore, not since the new resort was built.

Rainbow Valley sth of Alice also worth a night and a wander, as is Chambers Pillar.

Hi having lived and worked up in the centre as a tour guide a few years ago
i can recommend a few good places to camp or see. How i would do it is restock at Alice Springs but dont stay there. Head out along the west macs to a place called stanley chasm worth a look. then go onto Hemmansberg for a "interesring" visit vist the old mission. Head out to Palm Valley definately camp over nite there. They have Hot showers at the camp ground. (FREE CAMPING THERE).

Back track and head up towards Glen Helen Homestead. Stop and visit the Oche Pits and Ellery creek big hole look at mout sonda a little further up the road. Go onto the loop road do a bush camp up near the crater. Into Kings Canyon and refuel do the rim walk. That should take you about 3 hrs to walk. then go onto Curtain Springs and camp there. Peter Severn will look after you. Your 80 k's from the The Rock there. Camping there is way cheaper than at Uluru.

Do the olga (kata Juta) and the rock can be done easierly in a day.

Head back towards Alice and camp at Rainbow Valley. Definately a must stop at. Go north and do the East Mac's and cut across back towards Qld.

Hope theses ideas will help .

But definately avoid a overnite in Alice. its a big dangerous up there currently.

And remember what N.T. stands for. Not Today Not Tomorrow Not a Tuesday and N.ot a Thursday. So if you have vehicle issues up there expect to stay a few days.

Others have said plenty about around Alice...

In terms of getting there, Id avoid the Plenty and Sandover highways (they are a bit full of nothingness). Id be inclined to head to Mount Isa, cross country, then from Mt Isa head south down the Dev. road through Boulia and Bedourie and onto to Birdsville.

at Birdsville, head west across the Simpson, to Mt Dare, Finke and then into Alice along the old Gahn.

Not the quickest or shortest, but probably the best.

I agree with all thats been said about when you get there. I actually like Alice and have never had a problem staying there, agree though that there are nicer places outside of the town.

Suggest you have a look at the East McDonalds too. Trephina Gorge is lovely.


There are a few people on here from the Alice, sure they'll be around soon.

hth
J

Originally Posted by Mudnut

Taking the Defender ............... Cairns, to Uluru and back, via Darwin............. Have 2 - 3 weeks............. My wife is a limited camper.......... ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Ken

Crikey Ken you're going to have your skates on to cover this much ground and do it any justice.
Anyway, heres a plan.

Cairns-Winton (via Hughenden)
Check out Lark Quarry and the dinasour/bird footprints and on to Boulia via 'Old Cork Station'.

Lark Quarry to Boulia to Alice Springs via Donohue/Plenty Hwys
Stopping/staying at Jervois or Gemtree. Good fossiking around Gemtree if this is your thing. They have organised tours prospecting for Zircons and Garnets.

You can spend as little or as long in 'The Alice' as time allows. The Big4 Macdonnell Ranges Caravan Park is probably one of the best laid out and run parks in the country. Plenty of shady sites, kids activitys and good ammenities. Top class camp kitchens. Don't rely on just 'rocking up' here as it is a very popular park and can be booked out, especially in school holidays.
Free tea and pancakes on Sunday mornings is one of various in park activites here.
A couple of good places to visit are the Outback Desert Park which has good displays of animals/birds/plants etc and well known for their birds of prey feeding display. The Telegraph Station has a good display of Alice springs history and is a good spot for a picnic lunch. The National Road Transport Hall of Fame/Old Ghan Train Railway Museum is well worth a look if you're into restored trucks and associated history. These are just a couple of things to do and see in Alice Springs.
Alice Springs has a very good Chinese restaurant (Oriental Gourmet) if you want to give yourself and the missus a treat.
A tip, if you want to go out and have a few beers book a Hire Car (not a taxi) from Alice Springs Hire Cars to get you there, costs pretty much the same as a taxi but a MUCH cleaner form of transport.


Alice Springs to Ayers Rock (via the Stuart Highway)
If you haven't been here before its a must see, good campground but prepare to be absolutely fleeced to go and look at the rock. Politically incorrect to climb the rock these days. There'll be windy / cultural / danderous / excuses to discourage you but 'tell em to get stuffed', if the climb's open do it. It's your rock as much as anyone elses. Last I heard National Parks were going to permanently close the rock walk claiming the cost of providing a rescue service was too much and they had no choice to do so as a duty of care thing. Wonder if they'll drop the entry fee then ? Bloody disgrace really. Anyway that's it for political commentary.
The Olgas are only a few K's down the road and you wouldn't go to the rock without visiting them as well. Some reckon the Olgas are more stunning than the rock.

Ayers Rock to Kings Canyon Resort
The beauty here is that you don't have to leave the rock at the crack of dawn. Kings Canyon is just up the bitumen road and you want to time your arrival at the start of the canyon walk for say 10-11 AM. This gives you an hour or so to dawdle up to the top of the gorge to see it at its best with the sun overhead and shining on both sides of the canyon.
Take at least a litre of water each on this walk, you'll need it.
No camping allowed at Kings Canyon these days. Camping is at Kings Creek Station or Kings Canyon Resort. Staying at the Resort means you don't have to backtrack though it's probably more expensive than the Station.

Kings Canyon Resort to Palm Valley (via Hermansburg)
Travell via the (in)famous Mereenie Loop via the Aboriginal Settlement of Hermansburg to Palm Valley. Water, Palm trees and a swamp (probably dry in August) in central Australia. Listen to the eerie sounds of the curlews at night in a good campground with excellent ammeneties. Well worth the visit.

Palm Valley to Alice Springs (via various Gorges, Chasms etc)
West Macdonnells are really scenic. Redbank Gorge, Glen Helen Gorge, Ormison Gorge, Stanley Chasm etc. Back in Alice heaps to do depending on time.

Alice Springs to Wycliffe Well
Gotto stop somewhere on the way north and Wycliffe Well is as good as any. Is also a Big4 Caravan park so facilities are very good. Had good Chinese food here when I last visited. Learn all abut Flying saucers, spacemen and someones vision for an outback 'resort'.

From here you need to make a few decisions about the time you have left and the amount of K's you want to travel. As I said at the start you're packing a lot into a short time.

Plan 'A' is on to Darwin.

Wycliffe Well to Mataranka via Daly Waters
Daly Waters is a popular stopover, especially if your idea of good entertainment is being 'entertained' by an old fart with a chook on his head singing badly and cracking old tasteless jokes. Being half ****ed helps the pain though the food is very good and one of the best organised large volume cook ups I've seen.
Mataranka hot springs is good camping and well worth a stop over with a soak in the springs bliss after a long hot days travel. Good meal at the pub close by but can be a bit rowdy if the rodeo's in town or it's Saturday night.

Mataranka to Katherine
Just 100 Km up the road, good size town with Katherine gorge another must see. Boat cruise, croc feeding etc.

Katherine-Pine Creek-Litchfield NP-Darwin-Kakadu-Katherine
I really reckon you're not going to have enough time to do all this and enjoy yourself. If I had to chose one of these I'd go for Litchfield NP though Kakadu is popular but pretty well dried out by the time you'll get there.

Katherine to Tennant Creek (back down the South road)

Plan 'B'

Tennant Creek to Lawn Hill National Park (via Camooweal)
Turn of down the Bakly Highway at Tenant Creek and head via Camooweal to Lawn Hill NP. Stay at Adels Grove (about 15 K's out of the park) and excellent camping under the canopy in the Grove (as opposed to the 'bush camp' area). Get up with the birds the next day and hire a canoe for a trip up the top two gorges (bottom gorge was closed last time I was there). It is well worth it.

Lawn Hill National Park to Burketown
Excellent campground and a lot of history. Learn about the Yellow Fever plague that practically wiped the area out in the late 19th century. Drive out to see the remains of the old rendering plant used to render thousands of beef cattle to tallow in the 1890's depression as there was no longer a market for them. Go for a fishing trip down the Albert River to the Gulf. Good place Burketown.

Burketown to Normanton and home (via Croydon)
This is your own back yard so you don't need me to tell you what's here. Taking a ride on the old Croydon 'rattler' is a good lazy days outing. Lava tubes at Undara is fascinating but these are all practically day trips from Cairns.

You've set yourself a lot to do in a short time, I'd reccomend cutting the Darwin loop out, if possible, and go with plan 'B' to give yourself more time in the centre.

Deano

Arse, just read your on limited time... My thoughts above will not be doable in that time, plus its probably too far away from civilisation for too long for the mrs

Blacktop all the way to Alice and back (maybe the Plenty and an option)... Enjoy the centre for what it is and has to offer.

[QUOTE=DeanoH;1639444]Crikey Ken you're going to have your skates on to cover this much ground and do it any justice.
Anyway, heres a plan.

Thanks for that, I was planning on spending most of the time getting to and from and around Uluru. Darwin and surrounds will be the next big trip across the top end. I just was thinking cutting over towards Darwin, across the Queensland peninsula but turning south when the best opportunity is reached. Just the parks around the top end require at least 2 months to explore in my opinion. Michelle has always wanted to see Uluru, and it was cheaper to fly overseas for our honeymoon 15 years ago then it was to fly to Alice Springs from Melbourne and travel / stay at Uluru. She has always wanted to see it, so this is the year!
Again Thanks again for the information!

Cheers,
Ken