As the sun sets the reddish hues of the mountains in Alice Springs turn to crimson. From where we stand atop Anzac Hill we have a superb vantage point both of town and Heavitree Gap, an Aboriginal sacred site and the meeting point of the East and West MacDonnell Ranges.
It has to be one of the best views in Central Australia. This mountain range, fondly known as the Macs, ripples for 600km across central Australia and is dotted with chasms, gorges, Aboriginal sacred sites and the historic monuments of pioneering Australia.
But it's here in Alice that marks the gap in the ranges, one of the most isolated towns in Central Australia but also the gateway to exploring the surrounding landscape.
While you can admire the ranges all you want from Anzac Hill, the best way to explore the various gorges, the Aboriginal rock art, to pan for gold, fossick for gemstones, hike past ghost gums or swim in ancient rock holes is to drive yourself out into them and camp under the starry skies.
Most tourists go to the West Macs but really either side has as much cultural and natural value as the other. If you do have time to do both, it is recommended to head east first as the Arrernte Aboriginal people consider this the dreamtime birthplace of the ancestor caterpillars that carved the riverbeds and gorges of the Macs.
And once you've seen the rock paintings at Emily (2WD, 10km) and Jessie Gaps (2WD, 21km) on the Ross Highway that depict the story of the caterpillars, it's not hard to imagine the rolling, bulging nature of the Macs as the full and contented stomach of a caterpillar.
Another important Aboriginal site in the East Macs is Corroboree Rock Conservation Reserve (2WD, 42km) where initiation ceremonies once took place. What makes this place more dramatic is how Corroboree Rock stands alone, like a brooding sentinel, in a landscape of grassy hills.
One of the best places to camp your first night in this area is at Trephina Gorge Campground (2WD, 85km) just after the Ross Highway turns to dirt. It's a beautiful spot and one of the most spectacular gorges in the Eastern section.
There are a number of walks from which to enjoy the gorge, but the best is the ridge top walk high above the sandy creek bed. From here you can wander past the white gums clinging dramatically to the rich red rock and look down on the semi-permanent waterhole. The track drops down to the creek bed at the far end and winds back through it.
Another good place to camp or visit is N’Dhala Gorge (4WD, 90km), a veritable open air gallery filled with some 5900 Aboriginal rock carvings. The track in takes you between two gorge walls of red rock, while the carvings and fossils are littered throughout the site. It's like embarking on a treasure hunt and a lot of fun coming upon each art site, fossil or sheltering area. Some date back 2000 to 10,000 years.
N’Dhala is 11km from the main road along a sandy track from Ross River Resort and does require a 4WD. There are a number of stony river crossings on this track and after heavy rain these can become impassable. There are only three campsites at N'Dhala so you can be lucky to find one free late in the day during tourist season.
The next stop in the Eastern Macs is the Arltunga Historical Reserve (2WD, 110km). Gold was discovered here in 1887 which brought up to 300 people here sometimes and many walked in on foot from the Oodnadatta rail head some 600km away. The settlement has been long since deserted but there are plenty of remnants from the period and it's worth spending a couple of hours going over the old police barracks, the government battery and various mines.
During the week between May and September, the Northern Territory Park Rangers organize a series of guided tours here including a panning session with a real gold miner and various tours of the mine sites. It's worth trying to get here for some of these. On Sunday there is a morning and afternoon guided talk, otherwise Monday, Wednesday and Friday the sessions are at 11am.
From Arltunga it's possible to extend your foray into the Eastern Macs if you have a 4WD on the rough, 40km track to beautiful Ruby Gap Nature Park (4WD, 140km). Otherwise keep heading north to Gemtree, a rough 55km (4WD recommended) over the Cattlewater Pass.
There’s not a lot to see on this route but it is a fun 4WD track, albeit rather slow going at times, so allow a few hours of light to complete the journey or camp anywhere along the way.
Gemtree is the place to come to fossick for stones such as zircon, garnet, beryl, apatite or tourmaline. And you don't have to complete the journey above to get there, as it is also accessible via the North Stuart Highway (140km from Alice Springs).
There are a number of free fossicking areas in Gemtree so if you know what you're doing you can avail of these, otherwise you need to book in for a half day tour at the Caravan Park ($70). They will take you to less picked over areas and show you what to look for. When you're done you can bring back your finds to the Caravan Park and they will cut and shape your stones for an additional fee.
From Gemtree it's a quick 60-70mins to Alice on the Territory's 130km/hr roads where you may wish to stay the night before continuing into the Western Macs.
The roads through the Western Macs are largely paved and in better condition, they are also more well used as many people head out through this way to get to Kings Canyon and on to Uluru.
If you're planning to do the same you can enjoy the sights along Namatjira Drive before heading along the Mereenie Loop further south. Otherwise if you're planning a loop back to Alice you can start out on Namatjira Drive and head back via Hermannsburg as detailed below.
The first stop along Namatjira Drive is Simpson Gap (2WD, 20km), home to giant goanna ancestors and one of the best places in the Macs to see black-footed rock wallabies. Find a vantage point and scour the rocks looking for movement at dawn or dusk when you're more likely to spot them. On Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays rangers provide a guided walk through the Gap at 10am.
Standley Chasm (2WD, 50km) on the other hand is best visited at midday when the sun streams down the walls to light the chasm floor. However it's still of interest at all times of day and you're less likely to share it with hordes of others outside the noon hours.
Namatjira Drive is also dotted with sites important to the Western Arrernte Aboriginal people such as the Ochre Pits (2WD, 110km) where they came to paint weapons or themselves and collect medicinal ointments, Serpentine Gorge (2WD, 100km) which is the site of the Carpet Snake Dreaming and Ellery Creek (2WD, 88km) which is special on the fish and honey ant dreaming trails.
If you have plenty of time you can stop off at each place. Most of the locations are just off the main road but may also require a brief walk up to 30 minutes, sometimes longer, to reach from the car park. However if you are short on time then make sure you leave plenty of time to enjoy Ormiston Gorge (2WD, 135km), famous for its ghost gums and fantastic views. It is possible to stay the night here and Rangers host a campfire talk on Friday evenings between May and October or you can join them for a nature talk on Monday afternoons.
The other fantastic gorges in the West Macs include Glen Helen Gorge (2WD, 139km) where rocks have formed what looks like giant organ pipes and Redbank Gorge (4WD, 157km) which is appropriately named for the hues in the rock and also for its rock wallabies.
The rough road south from Redbank Gorge takes you past Gosse Bluff (4WD, 175km), a 5km wide crater formed by a meteor that you can actually drive into. It's now considered an Aboriginal Sacred site and certainly has an old, out of world feel.
At the next intersection turn towards the Hermannsburg Lutheran Mission (2WD, 130km) to return to Alice Springs. If you have any interest in famed Aboriginal watercolourist Albert Namatjira you will be pleased to know this is where he was born in 1902 and you can visit his old two-bedroom cottage on your left as you come into town.
Hermannsburg was established for the Arrernte Aboriginal people in the 1880s and the buildings contain a tearoom and shop, and the preserved remains of the dormitories, church, saddlery and smithy. There's also an on-site gallery with some of Namatjira's paintings or you can purchase other local artist's works in the shop including dot paintings, clapping sticks and pottery.
From here it's a short drive back to Alice (130km) along the final twists and turns of the fantastic escarpments. Of course if you're not quite ready to say goodbye when you get back to Alice, you can always head back where you started, atop Anzac Hill for one of the best views of the Macs.
HOW TO GET THERE
You can fly to Alice Springs with Qantas or Tiger Airways and rent a vehicle locally. Some of the outfits include locally owned Central Car Rentals (48 Gap Rd, tel. 08 89520098, www.centralcarrentals.com.au) who rent 4WD utes, wagons and camping equipment. Other options are Hertz (www.hertz.com.au), Thrifty (www.thrifty.com.au), Budget (www.budget.com.au) or Wicked Campers (www.wickedcampers.com.au). You must rent a 4WD for unsealed roads. If you are driving in the outback you should take care at dawn and dusk when animals are more active and can cross the road without warning. You will also need to be self sufficient for food and water as it is not available along the way.
WHERE TO STAY
See www.centralaustraliantourism.com for a wide range of accommodation in Alice Springs including caravan parks, backpackers, motels, hotels, B&Bs and resorts. It's possible to bush camp in the Eastern Macs at Trephina Gorge, N’Dhala Gorge and Ruby Gorge (all $3.30pp) or you can camp or stay in rooms at Ross River Resort (www.rossriverresort.com.au), Ambalindum Homestead (www.oldambalindumhomestead.com.au) and Gemtree Caravan Park (www.gemtree.com.au). In the Western Macs you can camp at Standley Chasm, Hermannsburg, Palm Valley, Redbank Gorge and Ormiston Gorge. Glen Helen Resort (www.glenhelenresort.com.au) has both camping and motel rooms. See www.nt.gov.au for a schedule of Northern Territory Ranger's talks.
by Joanne Lane
