kings canyon
Watarrka, also known as Kings Canyon, comes from the Luritja word for the umbrella bush which grows in the area. This place was spectacular, even in the hot summer.
The time had come to leave Alice Springs after almost a fortnight of exploring the beautiful region. Our next destination was Kings Canyon but via a dirt track along the Red Centre Way called The Mereenie Loop. Before we hit the dirt, we swung into Hermannsburg to visit the home of Aboriginal artist, Albert Namatjira, and to see the small mission built in the 1880s for the Arrernte people, which was returned to Community in 1982. You can purchase the permit for the Mereenie Loop at the general store in town (as well as other places between Alice Springs, Kings Canyon and Yulara) for $6.50 and is valid for three days. This town is also the last destination for fuel as the next place is at Kings Canyon Resort, 200km away.
Just past Hermannsburg is when the seal road turns into dirt. You will most definitely need to air down the tyres and there is a bay just as the sealed road finishes. The Mereenie Loop is a 197km of unsealed roads and it has quite the reputation for being notorious for it’s corrugations and carnage to caravans. It was quite bumpy and rocky in sections, but we just took our time with the only van issue being a fallen screw from the oven. In saying that, it didn’t sound like we saw it at its worse as the ranger told us that it had been graded two weeks ago after the heavy rain that hit the month before. We passed many wild brumbies, with a few deciding to gallop right next the driver’s side window at 70km a hour! The adrenaline was pumping to maneuver ourselves out of the hectic situation, but once we did so, the car filled with loud chuckles and massive sighs of relief! These brumbies were so close that we could see the strands of hair from their manes blowing in the wind and their nostrils flaring to keep up the pace! This track is most definitely for 4WDs and off-road vans only, but was most definitely worth it! the scenery was spectacular.
After 4hrs of driving from Hermannsburg, we arrived into Kings Canyon Resort early afternoon. It was time to wash away the hours of dust with a long dip in the pool. As we were visiting in the summer, the caravan park was very quiet and we could pick our own site. We opted for site 580 which was shady, had power and overlooked the ranges. There was also two ammenities blocks close by and a great BBQ shelter with gas BBQs. There is a sunset viewing platform with a bar, bar tables and the most stunning views. One of the perks of visiting in the off-peak season, is that everything is discounted! We scored our bookings with the Discovery Parks Boxing Day sales and then breakfast was 30% off. It cost us $42 for a full buffet breakfast for the four of us children were free. You could also see the Light Tower display for half the price! But the main attraction is to see Kings Canyon which was a 10min drive from the caravan park.
kings canyon rim walk
We woke before morning light to drive out to Kings Canyon. The Kings Canyon Rim Walk begins with a steep climb to the top via a staircase made with rocks. Once at the top, we watched the sunrise slowly peep it’s way over the canyon walls, creating a sense of awakening amongst the flora and fauna. The 6km Grade 4 walk took us 3hrs to complete, and that included us walking out to the Cotterill’s Lookout (which got the knees trembling with its towering heights), followed by grounding ourselves at the Garden of Eden for 20mins and then had a yarn with the ranger who told us some local insights about the area. As part of the heat management strategy, the rim walk gate closes at 9am when temperatures of 36 degrees or above is forecasted. We were beyond proud of our warriors for smashing out another bush walk in the territory summer without any complaints!
We stayed at Kings Canyon Resort for 3 nights and enjoyed every bit of it. There is also a restaurant on site with a tantalising lunch and dinner menu as well as an air-conditioned bar called Thirsty Dingo. Our days were sitting around the 40 degrees mark each day but again, manageable as it was a dry heat, plus we had a powered site so ran the air-conditioner all day. If visiting during the summer months, your routine looks like this - you wake up before sunrise to tackle any bushwalks so that you are completed by 11am. Your afternoon is then spent floating around in the pool. It wasn't long before it was time for us to continue along the Red Centre Way and head to Uluru.
Peace + love,
Peace + love,