Face the Outback Day 8
Day 8. Kings Canyon to Alice Springs, via Dinky the Singing Dingo. Watarrka National Park, featuring Kings Canyon, takes its Aboriginal name from the Luritja work for Umbrella Bush (Acacia Ligulata). The biological richness of Watarrka is the a reflection of the wide variety of habitats represented within the National Park. While everyone else did the harder Rim Walk around the top of the canyon I headed off down the easy route through the canyon. More of a casual stroll through some greener areas, Aboriginal art while the others were rimming in the heat.
Spectacular sandstone formations tower over moist gullies where ferns and relict plants provide living evidence of the region’s tropical past. When Watarrka was established as a National Park in 1989 park planners had the forsight to protect the creeklines, floodouts and sandplains which lie below the upland catchments. More than 600 plant species, including a high number of rare relict forms, occur in this park.
The Luritja people seasonally visited the spring-fed waterholes along the base of the range and camped nearby in times of drought. The waterholes have been a major focus for at least 22,000 years.
In 1872 explorer Ernest Giles almost touched on Watarrka’s hidden promise as a tourist destination of the 21st Century when he wrote, “could it be transported to any civilised land, its springs, glens, gorges, ferns, zamias and flowers would charm the eyes and hearts of toil-worn men who are condemned to live and die in crowded towns…”
Dinky, the singing and piano playing dingo, is owned by Jim Cotterill. Dinky’s rise to fame came when Trivial Pursuits were looking for the quintessential Aussie trivia question. Dinky performs for tourists by climbing on the piano while it’s being played and subsequently howling like a good dingo does. Dinky has been brought up as a domestic pet since his mother was poisoned during the dingo baiting season. Although friendly his dingo instincts will kick in if provoked. As a rule no one is allowed to touch Dinky while visiting him. Dinky lives at the Stuart’s Well Roadhouse in Stuart’s Well, about 90km (56 miles) south of Alice Springs.
After eight days of travel my shoes had lost their original blackness and had remnants of the red sand from Australia’s red centre all over them. The shoes have never been cleaned since. Some more photos early in the evening when everyone was still (mostly) sober. (Yeah, I know – nice Niamh side boob). It was off to Bojangles for the night, more fun and frivolity and too much beer (and photos of the gorgeous Niamh O’Reagan). The end of tour blowout was in Bojangles, Alice Springs. The bar acts as Alice’s local radio station. Viewers from around the world can watch events and goings-on through the Bojangles live webcam.
Face The Outback is a our provided by Wayward Bus, running over 8 days from Adelaide to Alice Springs. Taking in the Flinders Ranges, the Oodnadatta Track, William Creek, Coober Pedy, Ulura and Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon. 19 of us head off with our guide and driver, Adam, for over a week of travel, education, fun and frivolity.
