An early morning saunter across Alice Springs to collect my new rental car for the next part of my trip. Bernard and I become acquainted on the short drive out of Alice Springs to Simpsons Gap, located in the West MacDonnell National Park. Simpsons Gap is a stunning gorge carved out of the West MacDonnell Ranges by Roe Creek.
Next stop along Namatjira Drive is Ellery Creek Big Hole, a large permanent picturesque waterhole. The Ochre Pits line a dry creek bed further west and were the source of pigment for Aboriginal people. The various coloured ochres - mainly yellow, white and red-brown - are weathered limestone, with iron-oxide creating the colours.
The majestic Ormiston Gorge is 25 km beyond the Ochre Pits. It is the most impressive chasm in the West MacDonnells. I spend time lazing by the waterhole, shaded with ghost gums, waiting to see the abundance of wildlife promised in the guidebooks.
I guess the mid-afternoon sun was too much for the locals critters, so I abandon my stakeout and begin the 135 km return journey eastwards along the Namatjira Drive to Alice Springs.
Distance: 302.4km
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