Tuesday, April 20, 2010

DAY 17 : ALICE SPRINGS - DEVILS MARBLES

14 APRIL 2010.   Left here early today heading north towards the Devils Marbles where we will free camp overnight.  Here's a lovely palm near the entrance to the caravan park in Alice;  its grey colour was a lovely contrast to the green foliage around it.

Many of  the "towns" along the way are named after wells....  Connors Well, Ryan's Well, etc.  These wells were dug as permanent water sources for stock being driven across the outback.   Often times the water had to be brought to the surface by hand and if the mob of sheep or cattle was large, then it could take days to ensure that each animal received enough water.

Our first stop was Aileron (133 kms north of Alice).  There was no LPG available because the pump was out of order (and the next town had run out of supplies!)  This place is home to the giant Anmatjere man, woman and child...

It's amazing how big the lizards are here (the females even wear bras!!)

a wild Dingo at one of the Rest stops...............






Central Mount Stuart (214 km north of Alice Springs).  Just past the town of Ti Tree is the mathematical heart of Australia.  Surprisingly green country now that we have left the dune country behind us....
Wycliffe Well (380 kms north of Alice Springs),  This place is famous for its documented sightings of UFOs.  The pub here boasts the largest selection of beer in the Northern Territory (which could explain so many sightings of little green men!!)

A sign to the "Ladies"......
Me as a Femalien!!   (If I had been smarter I would have picked the sexier body on the right!!)
Devils Marbles (402 kms north of Alice Springs).  Known to the aboriginal people as Karlu Karlu, these boulders are precariously balanced on top of one another in a seemingly impossible arrangement.  This valley was once a dome of granite and over millions of years water and erosion caused deep fissures to break the rock apart and leave tall spires.  Further wind and rain broke down the soft outer rock and left these rounded shapes.

Aboriginal legend has it that the Devil Man, Arranji, dropped clusters of his hair on the ground and these turned into Karlu Karlu.



A Dingo came to visit




 



Wolfgang's van in the overnight camp site taken from the top of the Marbles.....

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