Kata Tjuta: winds and fire

When we first saw Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) they were on fire. It had been a windy day, and fires had flared up a bit. The traditional Anangu owners manage a programme of controlled burns using traditional patchwork techniques to protect habitat, prevent wildfires, and keep the country healthy.

It did mean however, that when we went for a closer visit the next day, the main walk, the Valley of the Winds track, was closed to the public as a precaution.

We did get to do the shorter walk into Walpa Gorge. Dramatic scenery, brilliant colours, towering domes. 

Some say Kata Tjuta is even more spectacular than Uluru. Some of the domes are higher than The Rock in fact. What I can reveal is that the two were in fact made by the same alien spaceship people 500 million years ago. They were supposed to be identical monoliths 32 km apart, but the contract for Kata Tjuta was given to Gina Rinehart, who cut costs by importing thousands of cheap 457 visa workers from Aldeberan B. This enabled her to build it bigger than her unionised competitor, but the quality wasn't up to it, and over time it has eroded away to the lumpy mess that it now is.

I was more interested in tracking down my Sturts Desert Peas though. When I was here 38 years ago (crucially, in August rather than July), they were in full flower. Here's a photo from back then to prove it. I asked the man in the visitor centre, who told me to come back next month, plus pray for one more big rain event, to guarantee a flowering. Typically it only rains properly about once every ten years here. 1974 had been a very big wet year, but 2011 and 2012 were pretty wet too - and hence all the vegetation again.

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The road to Uluru

After Kings Canyon, we headed on down the road towards our final destination, and the climax to our Red Centre expedition: the Uluru/Kata Tjuta National Park (Formerly Ayers Rock & The Olgas). It was a beautiful morning's drive, a few hundred kilometres, perfect blue sky weather again, and lots of interesting sights along the way.

There were lots of 'skinny women' trees, there was Mt Connor, which sometimes gets mistaken for Uluru until you get a closer look. And there's lots and lots of bright red sand. There was a lot of rain in the last year or so, and therefore much more vegetation than usual, but still a lot of very red sand.

When we were 50km or so from our destination, there was a little rest area on the left, with a little sandy hill beside it. Up we went, sensing this was where we'd get our first glimpse. And so it was: Uluru and Kata Tjuta, in all their (distant) glory.

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Stonkered by a right royal canyon

Kings Canyon is spectacular. Very spectacular. One group of visitors was discussing what word you could use when you've run out of superlatives, like 'amazing', 'awesome', 'superb', 'incredible'. I suggested 'stonkering', having heard another group earlier, talking about having being stonkered - maybe in a different context, but never mind.

So 'stonkering' it is when it's as spectacular as this. I can honestly say it was the most scenic bushwalk I've ever done anywhere. It's 6km around the rim, and takes anything from 2 hours to all day, depending on just how stonkered you are and how much time you want to enjoy it for. 

Even Fenella enjoyed every minute of the walk. There are amazing sheer drops, incredible dome-shaped rock formations, all kinds of fabulous colours and shapes. And half way around, there's a Lost City and a Garden of Eden. In the latter we lunched and watched birds like these spinifex pigeons drinking from the flowing creek.

We stayed two nights at the Kings Canyon Resort, which is well appointed and well run, though expensive. In the evenings we were entertained by a folksy, family friendly barnyard performance by a duo called The Roadies. They organised children's games and music bands, and they had everyone singing along to songs from the 60s and 70s, and of course 'Give me a home among the gum trees' and 'Waltzing Matilda'. Perfect stuff for the holiday crowds from all over the world.

Earlier in the evening we'd join the throng to watch and photograph the sunset on the escarpment of the George Gill Range.

Kings Canyon is within the Watarrka National Park, about 400km south west of Alice Springs. We were on our way to Uluru/Katajuta, a few hours drive further out.

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