Tjoritja/MacDonnell Ranges; our rugged heart

I write this in quarantine in chilly Canberra; like thousands of others we are isolated at home for two weeks as a result of having been in the same general area and time as someone who later tested positive. No complaints, we've all got to do our bit, but we'd much rather be travelling, so I'm going to indulge instead in putting together a two-part blog on one of our very favourite parts of Australia, the ancient and sublime Tjoritja. They were renamed the MacDonnell Ranges by the doughtiest of early European explorers here, the Scot John McDouall Stuart in 1860. (MacDonnell was the South Australian governor at the time.) There is a gradual move towards reinstating the old Arrernte name, at least as an alternative, though I don't anticipate a general take-up among 'whitefella' Australians in the near future. However it is intended that the European name be eventually phased out. The ranges are divided for convenience into the East and West MacDonnells, the pivot being the fascinating and troubled town of Alice Springs.

As mentioned, this is a two-part blog, with some of the plants and animals of the range featuring next time. Nonetheless I'm finding that this is a longer post than usual, possibly because I have more time than usual on my hands at present, but also because of the scope of the topic.

Two views of the Western section of Tjoritja, from the Larapinta Road which runs west from
Alice Springs along the range. One of the most scenic sealed drives in the entire continent.

A more distant view of western Tjoritja across the plains from Ewaninga, south of Alice Springs.

A somewhat unusual perspective, from the north, from the Gary Junction Road.
Note that a permit is required for this road through Indigenous land.

Tjoritja marked in red; map courtesy Wikipedia.
Alice Springs (just 'Alice' to her many friends) lies in the narrow section
in the middle of the range.

The range runs west-east, as seen in this shot from Google Earth. Only the western section is
substantially protected as a reserve, and that is where most visitors go. The range extends
further to the the east than I've shown here, but access is relatively limited beyond that.
The numbers represent the places discussed and illustrated below.
1, Redbank Gorge/Yarretyeke; 2, Mount Sonder/Rwetyepme; 3, Glen Helen Gorge/Yapalpe;
4, Ormiston Gorge/Kwartatuma and Pound; 6, Ochre Pits; 5, Serpentine Gorge/Ulpma ;
7, Ellery Creek Big Hole/Udepata; 8 Standley Chasm/Angkerle Atwatye;
9, Simpsons Gap/Rungutjirpa; 10, Emily Gap/Yeperenye; 11, Corroboree Rock;
12, Trephina Gorge/Alherrkentye and John Hayes Rockhole/Atneperrke.

The drive west from Alice is initially along the Larapinta Drive (Larapinta is the name of the river we know as the Finke). The Larapinta Trail on the other hand is a magnificent 220k walking track along the full length of the ridgeline of the western range. On the first part of the drive there are ranges on both sides of the road. The hard cap overlaying other materials is obvious along here, preventing this ridges from eroding away.

The geology of Tjoritja is complex and very diverse, though the predominant rock in
most places is iron rust-stained red quartzite, which features in many of the photos that follow.

The first gorge to visit is Simpsons Gap/Rungutjirpa, less than 20k from Alice - and very many people do visit, so you'd do well to get out there early if you can! It's a very short easy walk along the creek to the lovely little gorge; you can often see Black-footed Rock-Wallabies and Dusky Grasswrens along here before the hordes descend. However, as already explained, I'm leaving the animals and plants of Tjoritja to their own post, next time.

Red quartzite in the walls of Rungutjirpa gorge,
and in nearby outcrops (below in the early morning).

There are short sign-posted walks at the entrance station (Ghost Gum walk) and on the drive in (Cassia Hill) which are both scenic and provide a good introduction to the plants.

The magnificent view from Cassia Hill and (below) a closer shot
of the two lovely Ghost Gums Corymbia (or Eucalyptus) aparrerinja;
more on them in the next post, but if you can't wait, follow this link
to a full post on them.

The next stop west on our itinerary is the equally well-known Standley Chasm/Angkerle Atwatye, a remarkably narrow slot-like gorge, accessed by a pleasant walk along the creek.

Standley Chasm/Angkerle Atwatye; I find it very hard to get the light right here!
Unlike all the other gorges this one is privately owned (by the local Western Arrernte community).
There is a small entrance fee, but well worth it.

Shortly afterwards Larapinta Drive swings off to the south-west to Hermannsburg and ultimately to Watarrka/Kings Canyon. We continue on Namatjira Drive (for the great Arrernte artist Albert Namatjira from Hermannsburg) along the fringe of the range to Ellery Creek Big Hole/Udepata. This is another lovely site which is prone to being crowded and noisy at times, as it's one of the few places here where we can swim, though it's startlingly cold. There's also a camp ground. Worth a try though, there are also quiet periods!

Udepata in a more peaceful moment.
When it's like this the bird life is  usually busy here.

Serpentine Gorge/Ulpma is about 100k from Alice. The access road is usually OK for a two-wheel drive, but not if it's been raining. However it's likely to be a lot quieter than the gorges near to Alice, which for us is a real plus. The gorge provides the only permanent water in the vicinity. The walk from the carpark is easy, but can be a bit exposed if it's hot. To my surprise I don't have a photo of the actual gorge - sorry! - but next time I can offer you a couple of plant and bird shots from here.

The Ochre Pits, a little further west, are much easier to access and while no gorge is involved, the walk follows a dry creek bed featuring low colourful cliffs on one side. The ochre has been extracted by the Arrernte people for thousands of years for artistic and ceremonial purposes.

The spectacular rocks alone make this walk worthwhile.

Away from the creek the track passes through superb mature spinifex;
it was here that I saw my first Rufous-crowned Emuwrens, Australia's smallest bird,
many years ago. And I've never seen them in Tjoritja since.

By now Mount Sonder/Rwetyepme is a dominant part of the view ahead. It's within the range but looks very much like an isolated ridge mountain. It one of my favourite anticipations when visiting the centre. Just looking at it gives me a frisson of excitement that I can't really explain. A framed print of an Albert Namatjira print of it has pride of place in our dining room. Here are a couple of views from different angles and in different moods. 

An early view of Rwetyepme from Namatjira Drive.

A closer, sharper view.

A less familiar view of Rwetyepme!
Rain and cloud on a dry landscape.

 After 135k we come to perhaps the highlight of the western ranges, Ormiston Gorge/Kwartatuma and Ormiston Pound. Access is easy and the carpark is usually busy. You can easily enjoy a lovely pool just five minutes away by a wheelchair-accessible path, or the beginning of the gorge 500 metres further along the creek bed. However if you can do so, you should really plan to do the 8.5k loop walk that climbs gradually up to a splendid lookout over the Pound, then descends to the plains of the Pound and returns via the Gorge. It is one of my favourite day walks in Australia and I've done it several times.

Near the start of the walk, looking back to Ormiston Creek
where it starts. The spinifex-covered hills are typical of the route.

Looking back to Mt Sonder as we climb and it appears over the ridge behind us.

Looking down into the pound from the lookout.

The Pound from within. This was a particularly dry year.

Inside the gorge we are walking along the sandy creek bed initially,
sometimes climbing over spectacularly coloured tumbled stones.
River Red Gum saplings generate in the bed and White Cypress Pines and
Ghost Gums grow on the cliffs.

Once we get to the long, very deep pool it's a bit of a lottery. Sometimes - perhaps mostly -
you can just walk past it, but I've also seen it so full that a lot of rock scrambling was required.
Last time I was there though it was so high that the walk through the gorge was closed,
but I don't imagine that happens very often.

Nearby, but south of the road, is Glen Helen Gorge/Yapalpe, where the Finke/Larapinta River flows south through the range. It's a lovely little gorge, which always seems to have a lot of bird life, with a low key (but high cost) lodge comprising motel, campground and restaurant/bar alongside. It has recently changed hands, so I can't comment further on what it's like now.

Magnificent cliffs with fascinating folds and sediment layers across the
river from the lodge.

Dramatically eroding cliffs above the gorge.

The Finke/Larapinta River within the gorge is impressive indeed;
above turbid after rains, below clear, as it is most of the time.

A short walk back along the entrance road leads to a superb lookout across the plains and the River Red Gum-lined Finke/Larapinta River to Rwetyepme. It's especially fine in the evening.

Evening looking across the Finke/Larapinta to Mount Sonder/Rwetyepme
from the entrance road to Glen Helen/Yapalpe.

Finally, 156km from Alice Springs, we turn onto the access road to Redbank Gorge/Yarretyeke, a real delight and worth the drive. There is a lovely campground in open woodland of Gum-barked Coolibah (Eucalyptus intertexta) and an attractive walk along the creek for a kilometre to a permanent pool in a narrow gorge. 

Gum-barked Coolibah woodland (in the rain), Yarretyeke campground.

 

Ghost Gums on the lip of Redbank Gorge.

 

Walking into the gorge.

Permanent pool in the gorge.

Idyllic really. Except...

We had a very unfortunate encounter with a Dingo which, while we were walking to the gorge, tore a hole in our tent and ransacked food boxes, escaping through another hole on the other side (I suspect we disturbed her). In order to (hopefully) avoid the sort of breath-takingly acrid abuse we were subjected to on the Alice Springs ABC web site when the story we'd got out that we'd talked to the parks service and suggested signs advising people to not leave their camp unattended, let me clarify. All our fresh food was in a fridge and was untouched. All other food was in sealed containers in lidded boxes; she was simply ransacking speculatively. Obviously people had been feeding her; we, needless to say, were not. I've been camping for decades and the only other animals I've known break into a tent are mice (through the floor) and a goanna (once, through a mosquito net). Ah well.

With that we'll now head back to Alice Springs and drive east to have a look at the equally superb, but less-visited, eastern part of the range. Just out of town on the Ross Highway are the adjacent Emily and Jesse Gaps, known collectively as Yeperenye for the important caterpillar designs on the cliff shelters. There is no restriction on seeing or photographing these. The gaps are right by the road and are popular picnic areas, and lovely spots.

Yeperenye paintings on the lower walls of 'Emily' Gap.

Corroboree Rock Conservation Reserve, 42k east of Alice and right by the highway, is a tiny 7 hectare reserve surrounding an impressive grey dolomite outcrop, which is of great cultural significance to men of the Easten Arrernte people. The nature of this significance cannot be shared with outsiders, and visitors are asked to keep to the track which circles it, and definitely not to climb the rock. I find it interesting that I can't find an Arrernte name for the site, and assume that even this is not for sharing with outsiders. It's well worth a stop, for the rock itself, and for the rich spinifex grassland around it.

Corroboree Rock.

Ghost Gums and spinifex on the hills near Corroboree Rock; a grand land.

For me however, the highlight of a visit to the East is Trephina Gorge/Alherrkentye, featuring a beautiful wide sandy creek bed lined with River Red Gums and starkly beautiful rocky landscapes above it. A lovely picnic area and camp ground are in delightful woodland. The walk up onto the low plateau, and eventually down into the creek and back along it to the picnic area, is one I never tire of.

Climbing up to the plateau from Trephina Creek, at the start of the walk.
What a backdrop!

Red quartzite outcrops high above the creek.

Looking down on the broad bend in the creek. The track
descends to the creek behind the tall outcrop in shadow in the back left.

A beautifully lit River Red Gum in the creek, and Mulga (Acacia aneura)
on the harsh rocky slopes above.

The walk back along the creek provides some welcome shade on a warm day,
though the sand can drag on the feet!

Finally, on the way out, before the highway it's good to divert to the John Hayes Rockhole/Atneperrke, though only if you have a 4WD with reasonable clearance. The pretty rockhole is near-permanent, though when we were there last the land was dry and the water levels were low. Still worth visiting though!

The rockhole is usually more impressive and inviting than it was then,
though it was doubtless of great value to local wildlife in those dry conditions.

The shady red rock-strewn gorge.

So, the magnificent Tjoritja, a national treasure. Most of us aren't going anywhere for a while yet, so armchair travelling might be a comfort - I find it so. When you do move again in Australia, I'm sure that sooner or later central Australia will be on the list. Don't miss the more famous Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Watarrka of course, but also don't rush past Tjoritja. It's worth at least a couple of days of your time.

Moonrise in western Tjoritja.

NEXT POSTING THURSDAY 9 September,
for some plants and animals of the range

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