Kings Canyon - Kings Creek Walk

Today we left Yulara to drive to Kings Canyon 314km away. 

Watarrka National Park is home to Kings Canyon, with it's sheer walls carved from the sandstone by water and time. The canyon was opened to tourist in 1961, and in that year, only 600 people visited the site as it was a 3 day return trip from Alice Springs. 

On the way we passed Mt Conner. Also known as Attila located in the south west corner of the northern territory. It reaches 2,818 feet above sea level.

We travel along the Red Centre Way which navagites through Uluru, Kata Tjuta Nationa Park, Kings Canyon, The West McDonnell ranges and Alice Springs.

On the way we called into Kathleen Springs. We walked through mulga flats and riverine woodland to shrublands on the slopes and sparsely vegetated  ranges. The permanent waterhole was crucial to the nomadic Luritja people. The Luritja women would use grindstones like this one to make flour from seed of some of the grasses and shrubs.

Kathleen Springs was one of three natural watering points for the cattle industry, these cattle yards were built in 1962 using local timbers. Cattle were introduced in 1896. 

The permanent water supplied pumped from Kathleen Springs by windmill and stored in the tank here ensured that the cattle returned each day. During the cool of the night they could graze up to 16km before returning for water.

Kathleen Springs

After the springs we then drove onto Kings Creek a very special place to the Luritja people they know it as Watarrka Karru a ceremonial place on the cat (quoll) dreaming track. In the dreaming native cat man Kuningka traveled from the southwest along the creek and had important ceremonies at the foot of the waterfall. 

Kevin has fallen in love with the white gum trees.

We then checked in to Kings Canyon Resort and went to the Outback BBQ for dinner and a show by The Roadies and Kevin became part of the show.

Uluru Rest Day

Today we slept in and caught up on the blog. We then walked to the Ayres Rock Resort Imalung Lookout with views of Uluru and Kata Tjuta also of the other motels in the complex.

Sails in the Dessert Resort.

Having our lunch in town square at the deli.

The walk home to our Outback Pioneer Hotel.

We then went for our last drive in the National Park to see Uluru once more. The cultural centre was our main target for the afternoon where you learn about Tjukurpa the traditional law guiding Anangu and the foundation of their culture. It resembles two ancestal snakes, Kuniya and Liru, whose stories are based at the east, south and west side of Uluru. The two snakes embrace a central courtyard where Anangu artists and craftspeople can gather and work.

From the cultural centre we did the last of the walks we have not done to the base of the rock, 4km return. The track winds through strands of wanari (mulga).

Once at the base of the rock we then did the Mala Walk to Kantju Gorge again a 2km walk where I waited and sat near the gorge (the below photo) while Kevin walked back and collected the car. I sat and listened to the wind, bird song and mysteries of the rock.

Kata Tjuta - The Olgas

Today we were up at 5.30am again to see the sunrise over the Kata Tjuta (The Olgas). Again it was 0 degrees so another very chilly start.

The colour changes on the rocks is really amazing, and everything that you hear about it is right.

Wild camels roam the desert,they were first introduced from the Canary Islands in 1840 and subsequently an estimated 12,000 camels were imported and later released into the wild when road and rail transport took over the camels role as a means of carrying freight. Today due to the large numbers we now export them to Saudi Arabia and Brunei and Malaysia where disease free wild camels are prized.  

After sunrise we started on the Valley of the Winds circuit through the Kata Tjuta inself. Kata Tjuta is Pitjantjatara meaning 'many heads'. This spectacular landform lies about 50 kilometres drive from Uluru and the resort town of Yulara.

The area is an Anangu men's site and is sacred under Tjukurpa (traditional law). The circuit is 7.4km with breathtaking views.

Here we are at Lookout 1 Karu.

Lookout 2 Karingana Lookout from here the circuit takes you down into the valley and creek beds. 

In the afternoon we did the Walpa Gorge walk. The gorge has always been an important source of water to the Anangu people, Rare plants and native birds seek refuge in the moisture rich gully. Kata Tjuta is sacred to Anangu men, they would camp a short distance away and walk in quietly. They did not swim in the waters as they were considered sacred. The women would go into this area to collect food and water but would always behave appropriately. Hold in your heart the knowledge that this place is special.

We then had a rest for a couple of hours before Sunset.

Again the colour changes are amazing.