AUSTRALIA 2017: NT Alice Springs, Standley Chasm, Simpsons Gap

Thursday 13 July Left Wauchope around 9 and soon saw water lying near road. However, most of the scenery looked dry.

This statue at Aileron was a surprise.

Stressed about lack of internet and knowledge that Big 4 caravan park in Alice Springs was full. Kept trying to phone places when signal available. Ended up at the Showground which only opens to tourists when the parks are full.
Had plenty of choice for a grassy spot and rejected ones too close to the Amenities (a mistake). Same price, $30, whether on power or not. Despite shortcomings of site (next to sewage pond, no washing machine), we stayed here for 4 peaceful nights. The sewage pond was a magnet for birds but it was hard to get close enough to see them all. We saw at least 6 swans, several coots, a few little black cormorants and some ducks I could not identify from afar.

Pipits, crows, crested pigeons, magpie-larks, willie wagtails, black-faced woodswallows made use of the grassy 'meadow'.

The showers and toilets are beyond the red bin in right background.

Friday 14 July
Peaceful night after dogs stopped barking. Wondered if the pound is nearby. Long noisy train around 7am - line is next door. Sunny morning. Much shopping in Alice which has all the usual stores from Coles, WW, Kmart, Target, Bunnings, Harvey Norman ... The photos were taken in or around Todd Street Mall.

Aborigines were not camped in the dry Todd River and there seemed to be many areas with new modest housing. A few looked rather unhealthy, too fat, short, faces misshapen, but there was little evidence of drunken behaviour. Liquor stores don't open until 2pm.

The big event this week was the annual Camel Races, held right next door to our camping ground on Saturday 15 July. It was an Apex fund raiser, $15 entry, no betting on races but 300 numbered "ducks" were tumbled in a cement mixer - $5 a ticket.
There were 'camel' races for kids and an Ironman Rickshaw, in between real camel races. The hardest part of the camel races seemed to be the start - all camels have to sit down.

We were surprised that the crowd was not bigger but it was a happy lot with many kids on holidays. Races started at 11:30 and ended at 4pm but we went 'home' around 2:30 and returned at 3:30.

The day ended with Henley on Todd Battleship Water Cannon Hose Off, the Pirates on Nauteus and the Vikings on (I forget).

On Sunday it was very windy at the Showground and we hoped the weather would be better at Standley Chasm, 50km west. It was. The scenery in West MacDonnell Ranges was never boring.

Standley Chasm is located in a private flora and fauna reserve owned by the Iwupataka Land Trust and is operated by Aboriginal family members that are direct descendants from Aboriginal people that have lived in this area for thousands of years. They operate the café as a profitable concern with no funding and as a training facility for their children.

We walked the easy flat path through the chasm.

'Underneath the arches ...'

Angkerle Spring

Entrance to Chasm - Macrozamia macdonnellii, Callitris glaucaphyllam, Corymbia aparrerinja

Quite a few pretty flowers around.

Indigofera basedowii

Mistletoe Lysiana exocarpi

Ghost Gums

Hopbushes, Dodonea viscosa, lined the walk

The Larapinta Trail passes through the Chasm, so we detoured briefly to sample its difficulty. I gave up very soon.

David continued for another 100m before deciding we couldn't cope (especially me).

Notice the cycads in many photos. They are special to this region, Macrozamia macdonnellii, and the biggest ones may be 400 years old.
The cafe was attractive and well patronised by assorted tourists including a bikie group. Some may have been locals and there was entertainment on a lawn outside by a female folk singer/guitarist. We enjoyed a coffee and I spied another walk to a lookout.