West McDonnell Ranges

Ochre Pits and Ellery Creek Big Hole

We embark on the Larapinta Drive, which leads to the WEST MACDONNELL RANGES. We stop a few kilometers after Alice Springs to visit Flynn’s Grave, where the tomb of the founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service is located. The reverend, ordained in 1912, was responsible for the RFDS until 1951. It's interesting to note that there was a stone from Devil's Marbe Park on this tomb, as it offended the religious sensitivities of the local Aboriginal people, it was later removed and replaced, after a long series of negotiations, with another stone from the Eastern MacDonnells, where Aboriginal mythology says that the caterpillars created those mountains. Regardless of the different sacredness attributed to the stones by the locals, the fact remains that Flynn made an essential contribution to the development of the outback by creating a healthcare service that started with the use of two relatively new inventions: the airplane and the radio. To be precise, it is worth remembering that currently, 80% of the RFDS's services are provided to the Aboriginal population, and most of them venerate it, regardless of the problems that have arisen as a result of the placement of the tombstone. We head towards the Namatjira Drive, where the landscape is very barren and the soil is very red, although the first part takes on an antique pink color. The Glen Helen area is very wooded, with medium-sized trees and intensely red soil. The road faithfully follows the undulations of the terrain, creating a series of ups and downs. We continue until it becomes unpaved and begins the Mereenie Loop Road which leads to King’s Canyon, but is only accessible for off-road vehicles. We then reached the furthest point to begin a series of stops that will take us to see the most interesting spots in the ranges. First, the beautiful viewpoint overlooking Mt. Sonder, and then the Glen Helen waterhole with a variety of water birds and the beautiful scenery offered by this lake at the bottom of the canyon. Moving backwards, we visit the Ormistone Gorge, which is somewhat shaded and features eucalyptus trees with their white bark. It's interesting to note how these trees sometimes fall, emptying out inside, but the sap continues to flow externally, sprouting new branches, but it would be better to call them actual trunks that form a new tree grafted onto the fallen one. A few kilometers later we see the Ochre Pits... a cliff face where various types of rock alternate, collecting a whole range of colors, from yellow to purple. The indigenous people used to come here to collect the colors they used for painting and to decorate their faces. Ellery Creek Big Hole It is always on the left-hand side of the ridge. It's a large pool of water that reflects the rocks above, and the colors are stunning. Some people even take advantage of it to swim in its cool waters. We have planned this tour of the Western MacDonnell Ranges so that we can be at Standley Chasm Around noon, right when the sun shines perpendicularly into the narrow canyon, directly illuminating the passage and reflecting off the walls with bright orange tones. The canyon descends perpendicularly, and from certain viewpoints it seems that the walls are touching each other. The narrowest part is no more than 2 meters wide. This is the only paid site in the Ranges; the fee is reasonable, but a zealous manager leaves a note on the car windshield reminding tourists to fulfill their obligation upon returning. We were diligent and thanked her immediately. The Simpson Gap may be less distinctive, but it is still very interesting. It is famous for hosting about twenty grey wallabies with black feet, who remain quiet due to the late afternoon hour and intense sun. They prefer to stay hidden in the shade of the rocks that surround the gap.

We return to Alice Springs to take a look at the old Ghan railway station with its accompanying historic locomotive. This is the old railway service that connected Adelaide with Alice Springs. The railway line was built in the 1890s but had to be moved relatively quickly, requiring further significant sacrifices as the initial route crossed entire regions prone to flooding and could therefore not guarantee service for long periods, except when regularly washed away by currents. The new railway dates back to the beginning of the last century and has been moved further west, causing the villages that grew up around the stations on the old route to fall into ruin. These are currently part of an interesting route of ghost towns accessible only with off-road vehicles. We then return to town for a shower and subsequently dedicate ourselves to shopping. We see a variety of didgeridoos, some of which seem interesting, but we settle for buying a couple of boomerangs. The colors and dot patterns are typical of Aboriginal culture and probably fit well with modern or ethnic furnishings.

The people of the outback have a rather reserved character; they don't inspire much friendliness. They are not very inclined to jokes or banter, a legacy of harsh environments that have shaped their personalities over time. Aside from Anne in Coober Pedy, a cultured person with whom we certainly had conversations, we observe courtesy and correctness in the other residents we meet and interact with, even for just a few words, but they lack the cheerful and friendly character that is typical of the average Australian. In Alice Springs, we have further confirmation that, despite all the rhetoric about racial integration, white people and Aboriginals remain two separate worlds. On one side are those who manage businesses and generally any activity involving public interaction; on the other is the world of the Aboriginal people, who live on the outskirts of the city. We don't see them working even in jobs that are typical of low-skilled indigenous labor in other countries. Regardless of their dark skin with hair that reaches blonde and a shorter, stockier build than black people, they also stand out immediately; they usually travel by old, smoking American cars packed together.

Politics and society

Without wanting to delve into the causes here, it is undeniable that this group lives on the fringes of society. However, it remains unthinkable how Western and Aboriginal cultures can integrate without one having to compromise or dominate the other. They are too different and distant, and can only seek a distant coexistence, especially by preventing the urbanization of indigenous people, which would lead them to assimilate as much as our civilization can offer.

Before dinner, let's go to admire the sunset on the hill overlooking the city from the north: Anzac Hill. The view of the Western MacDonnell Ranges is stunning, having just visited them. The sun disappeared. with a glowing intensely, while the city falls into evening and to the south you can see the precise carving where the road leads from Adelaide, marking the boundary between the western and eastern ranges. On a quiet evening, we have dinner at the Red Ochre restaurant's outdoor area, with a single dish based on kangaroo, crocodile, emu and camel.

The latter has a slightly sweet but pleasant meat. The "best" award definitely goes to the emu, presented in thin slices and smoked. The crocodile with its white flesh like fish and the kangaroo are also two pleasant confirmations. As for the beers, we prefer Victoria Bitter, but we don't mind trying the others that are offered to us from time to time. We take advantage of a very common formula in this country: by booking a table at the restaurant before 6 pm and arriving for dinner before 6:45 pm, you get a 20% discount on meals. With the darkness approaching around 6:30 pm and our appetite growing earlier, we have no problem taking advantage of this advantageous offer and immediately reinvesting the discount in dessert.