Watarrka National Park

Spinifex pigeons

Our first morning at Watarrka National Park began fairly slowly, as we were all pretty tired after all the walking and driving of the past week or so. However, we were keen to experience the King's Canyon Rim Walk, so we packed our backpacks with lots of water, bandaids and lunch and drove out to King's Canyon (after filling up with petrol at $2.09 per litre, our most expensive fill yet). There were spinifex pigeons all over the place with bronze plumage and long topknots, which Ella thought very cute, and Lachie failed in his attempts to catch.

A pause climbing Heart Attack Hill

We set off up Heart Attack Hill - over 100m straight up a long rock staircase. Puffing and blowing, we stopped for a rest and a look at the surrounding vista. We met a very game couple there - he must have been 80 and his wife not much younger - also walking the Canyon Rim. We kept meeting them all day as they kept pace with us. The walk flattened out to follow the rim of the canyon, affording amazing views and an attack of vertigo for me! The track went far too close to the edge for my liking, and the kids went even closer to the edge, of course.

Surprising this photo turned out - I was shaking!

Weathered rocky cliffs

 

The Lost Race - "We're the Hukawi"

Along the way were the weathered, buttressed domes of the Lost City - looking for all the world like an abandoned city of a lost race.

The track led to the edge of the canyon, where nice, solid steps took us down into a small valley filled with pools of water, cycads and river red gums. We took advantage of the lovely, shady gorge to eat out lunch and have a rest before attempting the second rim walk. There was a large pool surrounded by the "Garden of Eden" but I couldn't put off the scary rim walk forever, so we climbed the steps up to the other side of the gorge. It wasn't as bad as the first side, thank goodness, and we wandered along enjoying the views and the information boards.

The whole place seems ancient, with weathered, loose rock chunks stacked on top of each other. It seems as though whole cliffs could come tumbling down at any time, but the most "recent" falls were in the 1930s. Some of the rocks were rippled, proving that shallow lakes or seas used to be here. It seemed incredible to think of water above the dry canyon.

Ancient ripples turned into rock

Water was all that was on our minds as we returned though, as we had run out. After rehydrating, the kids went straight to the pool. The water was absolutely freezing but the kids had a ball there while Dave and I walked up to book another night to give us a rest day. We were all knackered and didn't want to go anywhere at all the next day.

We took the opportunity to sleep in, lying in bed reading until hunger got the better of the boys and they hopped up to make pancakes. Laurie, our neighbour in the next site, had a new ukulele and came over to join us while we played some music. His family came over to listen and before long there was quite a crowd. Laurie really enjoyed himself. At one stage, he was copying Marcus and his strumming patterns so intently that when Marcus adjusted his hat, Laurie did the same!

We spent the rest of the day swimming and reading. I needed a book, so I bought The Dig Tree, about the Burke and Wills expedition and became engrossed in it for the rest of the day.

That night, the full moon rising over the George Gill Range was spectacular, but we were only just awake to see it!

Stay tuned ...