Lonely Planet Australia

JOURNEYS TO AUTHENTIC

AUSTRALIA

travel beyond your expectations Away from the eastern seaboard lies a treasure trove of superb beaches, mind-blowing natural features, authentic outback experiences, world-class wines and gourmet fare, ancient Aboriginal cultures, rare and precious fauna, and, of course, the resilient and welcoming people who have made this part of Australia the intriguing and unforgettable place it is. Travelling to Australia? Travel beyond your expectations with this miniguide to South Australia, Northern Territory and Western Australia. Specially produced by Lonely Planet with the assistance of South Australian Tourism Commission, Northern Territory Tourist Commission and Tourism Western Australia.

JOURNEYS TO AUTHENTIC

AUSTRALIA

travel beyond your expectations www.southaustralia.com

www.australiasoutback.com

www.westernaustralia.com SPECIALLY PRODUCED BY:

SPECIALLY PRODUCED BY:

We seek to inspire the right kind of travel – The Lonely Planet style embraces the positive power of independent travel to transform both travellers and the communities to which they travel. The Lonely Planet way means taking risks, leaving behind the everyday, experiencing a culture at first hand and discovering the people, the land, the history. Our responsibility is to ensure millions travel with respect, sensitivity, curiosity and with a liberal sense of humour.

Journeys to Authentic Australia Travel beyond your expectations First published – June 2005 Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Business Solutions in conjunction with South Australian Tourism Commission, Tourism Western Australia, and Northern Territory Tourist Commission ABN 36 005 607 983 90 Maribyrnong Street, Footscray, VIC 3011, Australia www.lonelyplanet.com.au or AOL keyword: lp

Authored at Lonely Planet by: Peter Cruttenden, George Dunford and Susannah Farfor Project Management: Chris Love Design: Nic Lehman Layout: Laura Jane and Mark Germanchis Editing: Adrienne Costanzo and Yvonne Byron Cartography: Paul Piaia, Wayne Murphy, Corey Hutchison and David Connolly Business Development: Blake Hutchison Text Lonely Planet Publications 2005 Photographs from Lonely Planet Images, South Australian Tourism Commission, Tourism Western Australia and Northern Territory Tourist Commission Printed in Melbourne by Print Graphics

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Eyre Highway, Nullarbor Plain South Australia

JOURNEYS TO AUTHENTIC

AUSTRALIA

travel beyond your expectations

www.southaustralia.com

www.australiasoutback.com

www.westernaustralia.com

Kangaroo Island South Australia

EXPERIENCE AUTHENTIC AUSTRALIA Away from Australia’s eastern seaboard lies a treasure-trove of superb beaches, mind-blowing natural features, authentic outback experiences, world-class wines and gourmet fare, ancient Aboriginal cultures, rare and precious fauna, and, of course, the resilient and welcoming people who have made this part of Australia the intriguing and unforgettable place it is. Just imagine returning home from your Australian adventure and having to admit to your friends that that you never saw the sun come up over Uluru, or watched whales and their calves cavorting along the Nullarbor coast, or witnessed millions of waterbirds taking flight in the Kakadu wetlands, or swam with whale sharks on Ningaloo Reef, or plunged into a crystal-clear outback water hole, or explored the magnificent bush in Wilpena Pound. They’d wonder how you spent so much time and effort reaching this remote continent and still managed to miss out on seeing the best bits. This booklet will help you to avoid such awkward moments. Everything that’s special and unique about the beautiful southern, central, northern and western areas of this amazing continent can be found within these pages. Plan your itinerary accordingly, and before long you’ll be bidding farewell to the travellers stuck on the beaten track of the east-coast tourist route and embarking on an extraordinary series of experiences that will stay in your mind forever.

Uluru Northern Territory

ACCESSING AUSTRALIA’S HEART & SOUL Getting started is as easy as taking a flight or turning the ignition key. Qantas (www.qantas.com.au) and Virgin Blue (www.virginblue.com.au) fly into Adelaide, Perth, Darwin, Alice Springs and Broome, and can connect to numerous smaller centres and Jetstar (www.jetstar.com.au) flies into Adelaide. If you’re willing to play things by ear, cheap flights are available at short notice, which can be a great way to cut down on travelling times. However, the best way to get a real appreciation of the beauty and majesty of this part of Australia is on four wheels. Hiring or buying a car will give you the greatest flexibility, allowing you to travel on your own terms, going where and when you like, or staying put for a while when you find somewhere that captures your interest. Greyhound (www .greyhound.com.au) buses offer excellent ‘jump on–jump off’ tickets, while several companies offer extended tours between capital cities, taking in the best of the attractions on the way. Another great option is to embark on one of Australia’s two great train journeys: the Indian Pacific (Sydney to Perth) and The Ghan (Adelaide to Darwin). See Lonely Planet’s latest Australia guide for details of all transport options within Australia. Take a look at the following websites for more information www.southaustralia.com www.australiasoutback.com www.westernaustralia.com

Timor

Savu Ashmore Reef Cartier Is

(Australia)

INDIAN

Timor Sea

River NP

Darwin Joseph Bonaparte Litchfield NP Gulf

Cape Londonderry

Kununurra

Rd

ve

Fitzroy Crossing

Elliott

Purnululu NP

NT

Mt Isa

WA

LeonoraGwalia

Mt Magnet

Geraldton Moora

Southern Cross

Northam

Kata Tjuta

Uluru

Laverton

Great Victoria Desert

KalgoorlieBoulder Norseman

Esperance

lain rbor P

Head Eucla of Bight

Birdsville

Oodnadatta

Lake Eyre

SA

Coober Pedy

Nulla

QLD

Simpson Desert

Marla

Collie

Lake Eyre South Woomera

CedunaR Gaw

an le ge r s

Great Australian Bight

Whyalla

Coffin Bay NP

Eyre Pen.

Albany

Adelaide

115ºE

SOUTHERN OCEAN

Mt Gambier Portland

SA

130ºE

125ºE

120ºE

140ºE

400 km 240 miles

0 0

135ºE

110ºE

Victor Harbor Naracoorte

NT 40ºS WA

Broken Hill

Port Augusta Port Pirie

Port Lincoln Kangaroo Is

Manjimup

Cape Leeuwin

Alice Springs

Yulara

NSW

Lake Disappointment

Newman

Boulia

ell MacDonn Ranges

Mereenie Loop

Meekatharra

Margaret River

Burketown

Fl Rainnders ges

Shark Bay

Cape Naturaliste

Mornington Is

Tennant Creek

Lake Carnegie

Perth

Mataranka

Lake Mackay

Carnarvon

Fremantle Bunbury

Gulf of Carpentaria

Groote Eylandt

Borroloola

Gibson Desert

Paraburdoo Karijini NP

35ºS

Katherine

Great Sandy Desert

Tom ExmouthPrice

Cervantes

Cape Arnhem

Arnhem Land

Kakadu NP

Halls Creek

Eighty Mile Beach

Port Hedland Karratha

Kalbarri

Nhulunbuy

Jabiru

Lake Argyle

bb Gi

Broome

Wessel Is

ria Victo

Ri

Collier Bay Cape Leveque Dampier Derby Peninsula

OCEAN

r

Wyndham

Sea

VIC

Sumba

Cobourg Melville Is Peninsula Bathurst Island Mary

Hw y

Sumbawa

Savu Sea

Arafura

EAST TIMOR

AUTHENTIC AUSTRALIA

JOURNEYS TO AUTHENTIC

AUSTRALIA

travel beyond your expectations THE GREAT SOUTHEAST

9

ADELAIDE & AROUND

15

RED CENTRE

23

THE TRACK

31

THE TOP END

37

THE KIMBERLEY

43

WESTERN COAST

49

THE GREAT SOUTHWEST

55

THE NULLARBOR PLAIN & EYRE PENINSULA 61

www.southaustralia.com

www.australiasoutback.com

www.westernaustralia.com

THE GREAT SOUTHEAST To Port Augusta

Hamley Bridge

Ardrossan

Waikerie

Kapunda

R

Renmark Berri

Blanchetown

Nuriootpa Tanunda

Gawler

RIVE

MURR AY

Loxton

Wunkar

Swan Reach Williamstown

Gulf St Vincent

Paruna Wanbi

ADELAIDE

McLaren Vale

Normanville

Billiat CP

Murray Bridge

Mt Barker Fleurieu Peninsula

Berrook Karte

Strathalbyn

Tailem Bend

Yumali

Penneshaw

Meningie

KANGAROO ISLAND

Pinnaroo

Lameroo

Mallee Hwy

Port Middleton Elliot Goolwa Victor Granite Harbor Is

Cape Jervis

Murray-Sunset National Park

Halidon

Murrayville

SA

nd ba us la gh nsu un ni Yo Pe

Coonalpyn

Ngarkat CP

Culburra Tintinara

Coorong National Park

Salt Creek

Keith

Du

kes

Prin ces

Hwy

Kaniva

Mundulla

Padthaway

SOUTHERN OCEAN

VIC

Hw y

Bordertown

Little Desert National Park Frances

Keppoch

Kingston SE

Reedy Creek

Cape Jaffa

Naracoorte Naracoorte Caves Edenhope

Robe

Greenways Poolaijelo Clay Wells

Coonawarra Penola

Beachport Southend

Millicent

Canunda National Park

Nangwarry Casterton

Tantanoola

0 0

50 km 30 miles

To Melbourne (400km)

Mt Gambier Carpenter Rocks

Dartmoor Port MacDonnell

Discovery Bay

THE GREAT SOUTHEAST Sweeping surf beaches, breathtaking caves, blindingly white saltpans and good guzzling in a world-class wine region – could there be a better way to start your trip into South Australia?

NARACOORTE CAVES & COONAWARRA Just near the Victorian border, the World Heritage–listed Naracoorte Caves National Park is a great diversion. Plunge underground to tour the stunning limestone caves or take a self-guided tour of the eerie Wet

Cave, but whatever you do, don’t miss the amazing Bat Cave. Arrive at dusk to witness mass migrations of bats clouding the sky or peek into their home using infrared TV cameras. It’s thirsty work, so pull into the Coonawarra wine region to taste the famous peppery Shiraz from this compact wine-producing powerhouse. There are more than 23 cellar doors offering tastings and sales, so pick up a few examples of the world’s finest reds to sustain you on the journey ahead.

Coonawarra South Australia

COORONG NATIONAL PARK The vast coastal lagoon of the Coorong takes in shimmering saltpans, towering sand dunes and the largest breeding ground for pelicans in the state. Taking its name from the local Aboriginal word kranangk (meaning long neck), this impressive vista was a location for the classic Australian film Storm Boy. Take a gander at these remarkable birds, or the host of ducks, waders and swans throughout the park. Take the old and unsealed Coorong Rd south of Salt Creek to get an inside look at the dunes of the Coorong. For an insight into the traditional lifestyle of the Ngarrindjeri people, head to Camp Coorong (www .ngarrindjeri.com), where you can go on guided walks and cultural tours.

SURFING SAFARI From Adelaide all the way to Kalbarri on Western Australia’s central coast, some of the greatest surf breaks in the world are just waiting for you and your boardies. If you don’t know your goofyfooters from your hotdoggers, start learning the basics at the South Coast Surf Academy (www.danosurf .com.au).

VICTOR HARBOR & THE SURF COAST The gateway to the Fleurieu Peninsula, Victor Harbor’s sheltered beaches, great pubs and laid-back vibe make it the quintessential Aussie seaside town. Crowds of ‘schoolies’ (highschool graduates) flock here at the end of the year, keen to party after finishing their exams. Nearby, the excellent beaches of Goolwa, Middleton and Port Elliot are perfect for tanning or tackling the big waves. To work up a sweat, you can hire a bicycle to ride the 23km sealed Encounter Bikeway that follows the coast east from Victor Harbor’s Bluff to Goolwa, where you can indulge in the adrenaline-pumping buzz of skydiving – one experience you’re never likely to forget. And if you’re feeling peckish after all that action, head to the Port Elliot Bakery and line up with the locals for some of the best pies, pasties and cream buns in the state. While in Victor (as locals call it), drop into the South Australian Whale Centre (www.sawhalecentre.com) to find the best places to spot the southern right whales (seen JuneOctober), which are making a strong comeback after being hunted almost to extinction. From Victor it’s only a

Authentic Australia 11

five-minute stroll across the causeway or a short ride aboard the oldfashioned Clydesdale-drawn tram to the penguin parade at Granite Island. Rug up at sunset to watch the comical antics of the penguins as they return from a hard day’s foraging in the surrounding waters. FLEURIEU PENINSULA Head down the peninsula that has Adelaidians sneaking out of work early on Friday to hit top-class beaches like the surfie hang-out of Christies, or get back to basics at Maslin, Australia’s

HEYSEN TRAIL From Cape Jervis on the tip of Fleurieu Peninsula to Parachilna Gorge in the Flinders Ranges, the Heysen Trail meanders 1200km through South Australia’s most stunning landscapes. You can do small sections – such as through the Barossa or around Wilpena Pound – to get a taste for the trail. Friends of the Heysen Trail (www.heysentrail.asn.au) do regular excursions to different sections of the track.

Coorong National Park South Australia

first nudist beach. For a change of pace, head for the nearby wineries of McLaren Vale, which produce some of Australia’s most drinkable Sauvignon Blancs and Sémillons. A good way to experience the region’s cellar doors is by taking the McLaren Vale Cheese and Wine Trail ($10 per person). The self-drive trail starts at Blessed Cheese (www.blessedcheese.com.au), where owner Mark Potter (local foodie extraordinaire) will send you on your way with a picnic hamper to enjoy with your tastings at four wineries. Or for

something different, hop on a camel to do the rounds of the wineries. At the tip of the peninsula, the town of Cape Jervis is just a ferry ride from the natural wonders and relaxed ambience of Kangaroo Island, while the beaches, bushwalking and fishing of nearby Deep Creek Conservation Park will keep you happily occupied for an afternoon’s play. Finally, divers will be in seventh heaven at Yankalilla Bay, where HMAS Hobart has been scuttled amid superb reefs and dramatic drop-offs.

TOP 10 SOUTH AUSTRALIA Want to get straight to the best that South Australia has to offer? Here’s our top 10 picks: • Bushwalking around or taking a scenic flight over Wilpena Pound • Exploring Kangaroo Island’s pristine wilderness and wildlife • Slurping and sampling the Barossa • Tucking into feral food at the Prairie Hotel • Getting underground in Coober Pedy • Fabulous festivals of Adelaide • Discover the natural wonders of Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary • Surfing in the sun of the Fleurieu Peninsula • Swimming with sea lions at Baird Bay • Whale watching at Head of Bight

Wilpena Pound South Australia

Port Pirie

ADELAIDE & AROUND

Terowie

Jamestown

Whyte-Yarcowie

Crystal Brook Merriton

Hallett Spalding

Hw y

Port Broughton

Cowell

Brinkworth

Cleve

n ol

Snowtown

c

Wallaroo

Spencer Gulf

Clare

Kadina

Moonta

Balgowan

Kapunda

Maitland

Hamley Bridge

Ardrossan Port Victoria

Gawler

Yorke Peninsula

Williamstown

Hardwicke Bay

ADELAIDE

Yorketown Edithburgh

Warrawong Earth Sanctuary

Innes National Park

Normanville

Strait

Yankalilla Bay

Cape du Couedic

0 0

KANGAROO ISLAND

Vivonne Bay

Seal Bay

50 km 30 miles

Goolwa

Cape Jervis

Kingscote Cape Borda

Rocky River

Strathalbyn

Fleurieu Peninsula

Flinders Chase National Park

Mt Barker Murray Bridge

McLaren Vale

Cape Spencer

Investigator

Nuriootpa Tanunda

Gulf St Vincent

Minlaton

Warooka

Va lle y

Lin

Ba ro ssa

Arno Bay

Burra

Valley

Clare

American River

Penneshaw

Victor Harbor

Deep Creek Conservation Park

Yo un Pe ghu ni sb Meningie ns a ul nd a Coorong National Park

Cape Gantheaume Conservation Park

SOUTHERN OCEAN

ADELAIDE & AROUND Cultured Adelaide has a packed festival calendar and Australia’s best-value finedining culture, which happily can be accompanied by the Barossa’s best tipples. For wildlife fans, Kangaroo Island is only a short hop away, while further north the beautiful Flinders Ranges are an unmissable side trip.

ADELAIDE Ditch the City of Churches stereotypes, because Adelaide has a lot more to offer than stained glass and gargoyles, and over the past couple of decades has

become Australia’s pre-eminent arts destination. The River Torrens curves through this lush cosmopolitan city, but you can discover an older history at Tandanya (www.tandanya.com.au), the indigenous cultural institute, or at the South Australian Museum (www .samuseum.sa.gov.au), which houses the world’s largest exhibition of Australian Aboriginal culture. Rundle Mall and Rundle Street offer great dining and shopping, while the Art Gallery of SA (www.artgallery.sa.gov.au) hosts

Adelaide South Australia

BUDGET BITES You don’t need to blow your budget at fancy restaurants to savour Adelaide’s eating. Take a free factory tour of Haighs Chocolates (www .haighs.com.au) or pack a picnic from the Central Market (www .adelaidecitycouncil.com/central market). To get the good oil, trawl the markets with Adelaide’s bargainhunting Top Food & Wine Tours (www.topfoodandwinetours.com.au).

classic Aussie art. Glenelg has swimming beaches 20 minutes from the city, plus you can immerse yourself with Temptation Sailing (www.dolphin boat.com.au) dolphin swims or explore the replica of HMS Buffalo, which carried the city’s original free settlers. KANGAROO ISLAND, (SIDE TRIP) Adelaide’s scenic escape, Kangaroo Island is overflowing with towering coastlines, protected beaches and secluded scrub that offers an authentic Australian bush experience. Its isolation has provided a haven for Australian animals, particularly kangaroos, wallabies, bandicoots and possums, which are easily spotted at

dawn and dusk. A little more effort, or a guided tour, will let you see Tammar wallabies, koalas, platypus and echidnas, while more than 240 species of birds fill every environmental niche. Head to Flinders Chase National Park, which has a new visitors centre with the good word on flora and fauna. Organised tours range from simple ranger-guided walks to mutli-day packaged tours from the mainlaind; see www.tourkangarooisland.com.au for some ideas.

GETTING WILD Isolation from the mainland has protected Kangaroo Island from disease and feral predators, so prepare yourself to see some of Australia’s best wildlife. From Penneshaw Penguin Centre, rangers take nightly trips to spy on the cute penguins waddling along the shore near town. In Flinders Chase National Park there’s even more wildlife spotting, with koalas, echidnas, possums and heaps of kangaroos throughout the mallee bush. And at Seal Bay you’ll see sea lions lounging on the sand.

Authentic Australia 17

ADELAIDE FESTIVALS Adelaide is Australia’s festival capital, offering the best of food, wine, sport and culture throughout the year. The international cycling action of the Jacob’s Creek Tour Down Under (Jan) kicks the year off. Every two years in March there’s the high-brow Adelaide Festival of Arts and the quirky Adelaide Fringe Festival, as well as the world’s best musicians congregating every year for WOMADelaide. April’s Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival (in the Adelaide Hills) is big for picnicking and partying, while July’s Adelaide Festival of Ideas draws together thinkers from weapons inspectors to Franciscan friars. Feast (Nov) is one of Australia’s best-known lesbian and gay cultural festivals, while Tasting Australia (Oct), with its gathering of gourmets and chefs, has to be the country’s most delectable. December rounds off the year with the Bay Sports Festival, held seaside at Glenelg with beach volleyball, an aquathon and a surf carnival.

Kangaroo Barossa Valley Island South Australia

A TASTE OF OUTBACK LIFE Staying at an outback station is both a whole lot of fun and a great way to sample life on the land in this harsh and unforgiving environment. You can pitch a tent or stay in the lap of luxury, and most places offer tours of their properties – by plane, motorbike or horseback – plus self-drive routes, bushwalking and gourmet meals. See www.flindersoutback.com for a list of options.

BAROSSA Australia’s best-known wine district crushes around 65,000 tonnes of grapes annually, check out some

of the best known labels, Yalumba, Wolf Blass and Penfolds. Just 55km northeast of Adelaide, the Barossa is an easy drive; otherwise take a tour with Groovy Grape Getaways (www.groovygrape.com.au). FLINDERS RANGES (SIDE TRIP) Ochre hills become majestic peaks as you enter Flinders Ranges National Park, where a massive natural basin, Wilpena Pound, is a haven for native wildlife. There’s great bushwalking or you can check out quaint villages such as Melrose or Quorn, with its scenic Pichi Richi Railway. Stop in at the Prairie Hotel for some famous ‘feral food’ (including wallaby stir-fries, camel sausages and emu-egg frittata) or take

WINERY WONDERLAND With over 50 cellar doors in the Barossa there’s heaps of places to sample the valley’s finest. Jacob’s Creek Visitor Centre (www.jacobscreek.com) showcases Australia’s biggest wine exporter, while boutique operators Rockford Wines produce a flavoursome Shiraz. A perfect way to enjoy the wineries is with a leisurely picnic at wineries such as riverside Peter Lehmann Wines, or Bethany Wines with gentle hillside views. Still thirsty? You can hit the Clare Valley’s small family and boutique wineries, which are all within driving distance from Adelaide. The Clare Valley visitors centre (www .clarevalley.com.au) has pointers on the valley’s best bottles at spots like Annie’s Lane and Sevenhill Cellars.

Authentic Australia 19

a joy flight and marvel over Wilpena Pound. The whole area is a popular location for Australian bush films, such

as Rabbit Proof Fence, a poignant look at the travails of Aboriginal children forcibly separated from their families.

ADNYAMATHANHA CULTURE Land is integral to the culture of the local Adnyamathanha (Hill People) indigenous groups. Their stories seek to explain the freakish land formations of the area; Wilpena Pound, for example, is said to be two giant snakes who could not move after feasting on too many humans. The rich red colours of the landscape are believed to be the blood of dogs who once roamed the area. You can hear more traditional lore at the indigenous cultural centre of Iga Warta (www.igawarta.com), which also offers fascinating tours.

Flinders BarossaRanges Valley South Australia

FLINDERS RANGES 0 0 Parachilna

30 km 20 miles Parachilna Gorge

Lake Torrens

Flinders Ranges National Park

Wilpena

RA

NG ES

Wilpena Pound

To Coober Pedy

FL

IN

DE

RS

Hawker

Cradock

rt

ua

St

y Hw Belton

The Dutchmans Stern CP

Quorn Carrieton Johnburgh

Port Augusta Wilmington Willowie Orroroo Melrose

To Adelaide

Whyalla

To Adelaide

Authentic Australia 21

WORKING HOLIDAYS If you need to earn a few extra Aussie dollars to fund your trip, and you are under 30 years of age with a Working Holiday visa, there are plenty of opportunities to put down your rucksack and join the workforce for a while. Around harvest time (March to April) in South Australia there are jobs in the wine industry picking and crushing grapes – contact the wineries direct. For regional fruit-picking, head to Berri (SA), where workers are recruited for the South Australian orchards; up north for the mango season in Darwin (May to October); or the great fruit bowl of Kununurra, in Western Australia (April to November). For a taste of outback life, there are seasonal jobs on cattle stations and roadhouses (see www.australiasoutback.com), while pubs and restaurants across all states are always looking for casual staff. For those with professional qualifications, country areas are crying out for locums, nurses and casual teaching staff – agencies such as Employment Plus (www.employmentplus.com.au) can help you find a match for your skills. And if you just want to work for bed and board with some like-minded altruists, contact Willing Workers on Organic Farms (www.wwoof.com.au).

Barossa Riverland Valley South Australia

RED CENTRE Areyonga Kings Canyon

Finke Gorge National Park

Illpurla

Stuarts Well Mt Rodinga

Stua

rt

6

Kata Tjuta (The Olgas)

Yulara

ATNETYE ABORIGINAL LAND

Mt Isabel

Santa Teresa

Hw y

Watarrka National Park

Alice Springs

West MacDonnell National Park

Erldunda Uluru-

Chambers Pillar

NT

Mt Hakea

SIMPSON DESERT

Mt Kingston

Uluru (Ayers Kata Tjuta Rock) National

Park

Mt Connor (Artula)

Finke

Mt Etingimbra

Ra ng e

Ernabella (Pukatja)

Witjira National Park

Ba g

ot

Amata

Mt Peebles

Kulgera

Mt Reynolds

Fregon

Indulkana Mimili

Marla

Mintabie

Oodnadatta

art

Stu

PITJANTJATJARA ABORIGINAL LAND

Simpson Desert Regional Reserve

Mt Alberga

Mt Waddikee Hwy

Cadney Homestead Roadhouse

Lake Eyre North

Giles Memorial

Mt Euee Conservation Park

Tallaringa CP WOOMERA PROHIBITED AREA (Stuart Hwy unrestricted)

Coober Pedy

Lake Eyre National Park

Lake Eyre South

Do

MARALINGA TJARUTJA ABORIGINAL LAND

g Fe

nc

Oo

e

SA

lde

Maralinga (Restricted Area)

William Creek

a

Ra

ng e Andamooka

Olympic Dam

Roxby Downs

Tarcoola

Yellabinna RR Nullarbor Roadhouse & Hotel

Head of Bight Great Australian Bight 0 0

Mt Finke

Lake Torrens National Park Pimba

Lake Torrens

Lake

Lake Gairdner Gairdner National Park

Pureba CP

Mt Hiltaba

Ceduna Smoky Bay Haslam

100 km 60 miles

Woomera

Lake Everard

Yalata Roadhouse Nundroo Roadhouse & Hotel Penong Fowlers Bay

Glendambo

Kingoonya

Wirrula

Quorn

Port Augusta

RED CENTRE A journey to the outback takes on the aura of a pilgrimage as you travel into Australia’s spiritual and physical heart. Features erupt from the landscape and waterholes harbour in valleys. Stunning scenery prompts dramatic colour changes, from the subtle hues captured by artist Albert Namatjira to rich earth tones against an endless blue sky, punctuated with ghostly tree trunks and bursts of greenery.

COOBER PEDY With over a million mines studded around Coober Pedy all searching for

the ‘fire in the stone’, this township is definitely the Opal capital of the world. The lure of precious stones has attracted people to work excavations such as Tom’s Working Opal Mine, living in underground houses and worshipping in subterranean churches. You’ll be in awe of the nearby Breakaways Reserve, a stark yet colourful area of arid hills and scarps that includes the white-andyellow mesa called the Castle. Further out is the Dog Fence and the table-like Moon Plain on the road to Oodnadatta.

Coober Pedy South Australia

OUTBACK TRACKS To get a real taste of Australia’s outback heart, check out one of the remote tracks that criss-cross the central deserts. The 615km Oodnadatta Track is a great option, a decent conventional car should suffice or alternatively hitch a ride with the mailman on his route from Coober Pedy to some of the most remote towns in Australia (check the road conditions before you head off). It’s well travelled, has a few towns where you can get supplies and makes a good alternative route if you’re heading north from the Flinders Ranges towards Alice Springs. If you’re feeling more adventurous, there are heaps of other tracks to explore that will take you deep into the magnificent outback country, but this stuff is seriously remote and requires expensive vehicles, loads of food and water, and specialist gear to get through safely; a tour may be the best option.

ULURU & KATA TJUTA Towering above the surrounding pancake-flat plains, majestic Uluru (Ayers Rock) reveals a different aspect from every angle. To fully appreciate its size, pack your picnic supplies in Yulara and circumnavigate Uluru’s base, pausing at tranquil waterholes, peering into caves and soaking up the tranquillity along the way. Join Aboriginal-guided Anangu Tours (www.anangutours .com.au) for shorter walks enriched with stories of the Dreaming and some of the region’s bush tucker. Slip into the curved and inspiring Uluru–Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre for an insight into Uluru’s spiritual significance to its traditional owners, and check out artworks

MAKING MOVIES After spotting the wrecked spacecraft in Coober Pedy’s main street, you might believe that you’ll be sharing hostels with Martians. But the spectacular country surrounding Coober Pedy has served as the end of the world in films such as Mad Max III and Stark. Other location scouts reckoned it was another planet, using it in otherworldly movies such as Red Planet and Pitch Black (which left behind the main street’s spacecraft). More recently the town had an autobiographical role in Pobby & Dingan, a film about the unique characters of Coober Pedy.

Authentic Australia 25

from the Pitjantjatjara lands at the centre’s gallery. Take another day to walk the Valley of the Winds at the equally captivating Kata Tjuta (the Olgas). The track winds through gorges offering surreal views of its domes. Whatever you do, don’t miss a sunset (or a sunrise!). The enigmatic monolith turns from ochre-brown to burnished orange and intense red before blending with the night sky, while Kata Tjuta is a marvel at its blood-red best. Take along champagne for a toast to nature. Tours and accommodation suit all tastes, from camping under the stars

in a swag to secluded five-star cabins. You can fly around Uluru for bird’s-eye views, ride a camel over the dunes at sunrise or enjoy the lack of city lights at the day’s finale and explore the inky southern sky, enlivened with Anangu and Greek astrological legends at the Night Sky Show (www.ecotours.com .au). If you’re ripe for a splurge, the unique Sounds of Silence (www .voyages.com.au) sets an Uluru sunset to the soundtrack of the didgeridoo and sparkling wine. A sumptuous candlelit dinner in the desert and stargazing ensue.

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National BarossaPark Valley Northern South Australia Territory

THE MEREENIE LOOP (SIDE TRIP) Between Uluru and Alice Springs, you can detour to Watarrka (Kings Canyon) National Park, one of central Australia’s most spectacular sights. Amphitheatre views of the towering 100m-high canyon rim may make you want to sing an aria reminiscent of a scene from Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, while rewarding walks overlook sheer cliffs, passing prehistoric cycads in the tranquil Garden of Eden and a maze of bizarre, eroded sandstone domes.

From here, the Mereenie Loop cuts through semi-desert land to Hermannsburg, best known as the home of acclaimed Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira (1902–59). After touring the historic Hermannsburg Christian Mission, replenish yourself with an apple strudel and check out the distinctive works of the community’s talented artists and Hermannsburg Potters. Take a tour to check out remnants of ancient palms in Palm Valley and challenging walks in nearby Finke Gorge National Park.

THE MEREENIE LOOP Red Bank Gorge

West MacDonnell National Park

Ormiston Gorge Standley Ocre Pits Ellery Creek Chasm Big Hole

Ranges

Telegraph Station

Alice Springs

Kings Canyon

PETERMANN ABORIGINAL LAND TRUST

Santa Teresa art

Watarrka National Park

Hermannsburg

Finke Gorge National Park

Stu

Illpurla Areyonga

Hw

y

Permit required for access along Mereenie Loop Rd

Trephina Gorge

Rd

MacDon

nell

Mt Sonder

Glen Helen

Ta na m i

Stuarts Well

Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve

Henbury Meteorite Craters Historic Reserve

Mt Rodinga

Alice Well Lake Amadeus

Yulara

UluruKata Tjuta National Park

Uluru (Ayers Rock)

Erldunda

Mt Hakea 0 0

Mt Kingston

50 km 30 miles

Authentic Australia 27

MACDONNELL RANGES The rugged MacDonnell Ranges stretch like a spine for 400km to the east and west of Alice Springs, and harbour gorges carved by ancient rivers and rocky waterholes. Devote a couple of days to covering the major sites of the region, camp out in low-key areas to feel and experience the Red Centre, or stay at Glen Helen’s friendly homestead to enjoy the live music and hearty country meals. Watch the midday sunlight stream between near-vertical walls at Standley Chasm,

THE CENTRE & THE RAINBOW You can position yourself at the dead centre of Australia at the Lambert Centre. Traverse rugged sandy tracks and 4WD territory to reach it and the multi-hued Chambers Pillar, between the Stuart Hwy and the Simpson Desert. Rainbow Valley Conservation Centre, a spectacle of glowing cream and red sandstone cliffs at sunset, is also worth a detour off the Stuart Hwy.

West MacDonnell National BarossaPark Valley Northern South Australia Territory

Simpson Desert Northern Territory

Authentic Australia 29

take a refreshing swim in permanent waterholes at Ellery Creek Big Hole or narrow Redbank Gorge, and snap a photo of the coloured walls of the Ochre Pits – still used as a source of paints by local Aboriginal people. Don’t miss the black-footed rock wallabies bouncing across the rocks of rugged Ormiston Gorge in the late afternoon. In the east, Trephina Gorge Nature Park rewards visitors with wild and beautiful scenery, as does the garnet-studded dry riverbed of remote Ruby Gap.

LARAPINTA TRAIL Hikers looking for a challenge can soak up some wild scenery and isolation on a section of the Larapinta Trail (www.nt.gov .au/ipe/pwcnt). The 12-stage, 220km track spans the backbone of the West MacDonnell Ranges, traversing dry river beds and ridge-tops, and skirting beautiful waterholes from Alice Springs Telegraph Station to serene Mt Sonder.

Larapinta BarossaTrail Valley Northern South Australia Territory

THE TRACK Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park

Katherine Hw y

Mataranka

Vic tor

Elsey

HODGSON DOWNS ABORIGINAL LAND ALAWA ABORIGINAL LAND TRUST

MARRA ABORIGINAL LAND TRUST

Darw in

ve Ri

Dunmarra

r Railway

GARAWA ABORIGINAL LAND TRUST Hell’s Gate Roadhouse

Tablelands

NT

Lake Woods

WAANYI / Doomadgee GARAWA ABORIGINAL Mt Steiglitz LAND

y Hw

Renner Springs

Tarrabool Lake

Mt Morgan

KARLANTIJPA NORTH ABORIGINAL LAND TRUST

CENTRAL DESERT ABORIGINAL LAND TRUST

Ba

Tennant Creek

KARLANTIJPA SOUTH ABORIGINAL LAND TRUST

y

Hwy

Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve

Wauchope

WAKAYA ABORIGINAL LAND TRUST

y Hw

Mt Alone

i

y Hw

ua St

Urapuntja

Arlparra Store

Utopia Mt Sainthill

Aileron Rd

Plenty

Ikuntki (Haasts Bluff)

West MacDonnell National Park Areyonga Finke Gorge Kings National Park Illpurla

Alice Springs

Stuarts Well

Santa Teresa

Mt Guide Mt Wooldridge

Hwy

s Range onnell Tropic MacD Trephina Gorge

Papunya

Canyon

Mt Hogarth

Mt Dixon

Ti Tree

am

Tilmouth Well Roadhouse

Urandangi

Sandover

rt

Ta n

QLD Alpurrurulam

Barrow Creek

Yuendumu

Camooweal Caves National Park

Ali-Curung

WIRLYAJARRAYI ABORIGINAL Mt Theo LAND

Mt Leichhardt

Camooweal

Wunura Store

Davenport Range National Park

Wycliffe Well

Mt Rawlins

Mt Lamb

rkl

MUNGKARTA ABORIGINAL LAND TRUST

DESERT

Lawn Hill National Park

Lake Sylvester

Threeways

Mt Solitaire

Mt Putardi

Vanderlin Is

Cape Crawford

Mt Hawker

PETERMANN ABORIGINAL LAND TRUST Watarrka National Park

SIR EDWARD PELLEW GROUP

BARKLY TABLELAND

Mt Reid

Mt Liebig

GULF OF CARPENTARIA

Mt Brown

Mt Seale

TANAMI

100 km 60 mi

Borroloola

Newcastle Waters Elliott

Mirrinyungu

0 0

Port Roper

Maria Is

Daly Waters Top Springs

Ngukurr

Larrimah

y

Victoria

Alice Springs to

w rt H Stua

ia

Gregory National Park

Numbulwar GROOTE EYLANDT

Roper Bar

Beswick

Elsey National Park

Cutta Cutta Caves

Angurugu

Mt Furner

of Capricorn

Mt Gerald

ATNETYE

Mt Isabel ABORIGINAL LAND

Simpson Desert NP

THE TRACK The rich red landscape and open skies north of Alice hold the key to some of the region’s most celebrated Aboriginal art. You gain a different perspective on ‘the Explorer’s Way’, a trip up the sealed Stuart Hwy, accompanied by thundering road trains, the odd mad-keen (or just plain mad) cyclist, the sight of wedge-tailed eagles, and laconic outback wit in atmospheric roadhouses.

ALICE SPRINGS Central Australia’s major centre, Alice Springs, is a classic place, with modern facilities not quite concealing the out-

back larrikinism it was built on. Just check out the annual Henley-on-Todd Regatta (September/October), where ‘boat crews’ dash up the dry Todd River, or wander into one of the many pubs for a long night of propping up the bar. The Alice’s pioneer history is everywhere to be seen, partly told through the colourful murals that flavour the town. Sit in on a lesson at the School of the Air (www.assoa.nt.edu .au) as it is delivered to kids on remote outback stations, or tour the base of the Royal Flying Doctor Service

Alice Springs Northern Territory

(www.flyingdoctor.net/central/alice.htm), which routinely operates over-the-air medical clinics to isolated communities. And thank your lucky stars that the ancient medical gear on display here has been superseded! The town’s undoubted highlight is the chance to catch up with rare desert critters at the inimitable Alice Springs Desert Park (www.alicespringsdesertpark.com.au) at the foot of the MacDonnell Ranges. Here you’ll meet the bilby (Australia’s adaptation of the Easter Bunny), thorny devils, tiny marsupial mice and a myriad of other species that have adapted amazingly to their harsh and unique habitats – so well, in fact, that you’re unlikely to ever see these secretive creatures in their own environment. And make sure you duck your head at the birds-of-prey display, where huge, swooping wedge-tailed eagles display their skills.

THE HIGHWAY NORTH The Stuart Highway, a sealed and well maintained stretch of road, heads north from Alice, roughly following the Telegraph Line’s 3600km route from Adelaide to Darwin. Along The Track, check out quirky outback pubcum-roadhouses like Barrow Creek Hotel, where the wall is adorned with business cards, banknotes and other paraphernalia. Further north, ‘Earthlings are welcome at Wycliffe Well’ (www.wycliffe.com.au), a holiday park that offers a surreal outback experience of the alien kind in the ‘UFO capital of Australia’. Try to get through their huge range of international beers. Take a break at the Devils Marbles – strange clusters of spherical rocks stacked in precarious piles that straddle both sides of the highway. They

ARTS OF CENTRAL AUSTRALIA The vivid central Australian landscape has inspired generations of indigenous artists, who depict the colours and textures of the desert in oils, watercolours and dots. In Alice Springs, the Araluen Centre for Arts & Entertainment (www.nt.gov.au/dam) houses the Namatjira Gallery and hosts local and travelling exhibitions. Galleries in town sell artists’ works from renowned regions such as Papunya Tula, Utopia and Hermannsburg. For something less high-brow, don your favourite head gear and strut your stuff at the Alice Springs Beanie Festival (July), where wearable art gets cult status.

Authentic Australia 33

QUOTABLE QUOTES ‘It’s the most simple instrument in the world – just a branch of a tree minus termites.’ William Barton, one of Australia’s finest didgeridoo players.

are particularly beautiful at sunrise and sunset when the boulders, punctuated by clumps of golden spinifex, exude a rich glow. Several Dreaming trails cross this sacred site, which is believed to be the eggs laid by the Rainbow Serpent.

TENNANT CREEK & BEYOND In perennially sunny Tennant Creek, take a trip back in time at Battery Hill, an underground mine and remnant of the gold rush era, then head to Mary Ann Dam for a cooling dip. Acquaint yourself with Warumungu culture and the art of the Barkly region at Nyinkka Nyunyu Art and Culture Centre (www.nyinkkanyunyu.com.au) in town. North of Tennant Creek, the Barkly Hwy splits off the Stuart Hwy, traversing the Barkly Tableland to the Queensland border and Mt Isa. Continuing along the Stuart Hwy, a slight

Devils Marbles near Tennant Barossa Creek Valley Northern South Australia Territory

detour leads to the fascinating former droving town of Newcastle Waters, where beer-thirsty drovers would cut loose after weeks on the track. It’s now practically a ghost town. Rather more lively is eccentric Daly Waters Pub, just to the north, which has been dubbed the Northern Territory’s oldest pub. If you need to rejuvenate travel-weary limbs, there’s no finer place than the pandanus-lined natural thermal pools at Mataranka or the crystalclear Bitter Springs in a natural pocket of rainforest. Early station life can be explored at the Elsey Station

Homestead, constructed for the film We of the Never Never. On the edge of Arnhem Land, Manyallaluk’s Dreaming Place (aboriginal touroperators.com.au/blackpages/nt /manyallaluk.html; Apr-Nov) is an authentic Aboriginal experience. The tour includes spear throwing, didgeridoo playing, sampling bush tucker and information about bush medicine. Closer to Katherine, you can explore the tropical Cutta Cutta Caves (best time to visit is May to November), where endangered ghost bats and orange horseshoe bats roost amid stalactites.

TOP 10 NORTHERN TERRITORY Want to get straight to the best Northern Territory has to offer? Here’s our top 10 picks: • Soaking up an Uluru sunset • Perusing Kakadu’s wetlands and rock art • Canoeing along Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) • Having a beer and a yarn in an outback pub • Feasting at Darwin’s markets • Bathing in waterholes, falls and themal pools • Glimpsing the rare and the nocturnal at the Alice Springs Desert Park • Admiring awesome crocodiles at Shady Camp • Learning about Aboriginal culture • Taking a cruise at sunset in Darwin

Darwin Northern Territory

THE TOP END

TIWI ISLANDS Melville Island Milikapiti Pularumpi

TIMOR SEA

Pickertaramoor

Bathurst Island

Noonamah Berry Springs Batchelor

Joseph Bonaparte Gulf

Litchfield NP

Mt Marumba

Hw y

a Vi cto ri

Angurugu

Larrimah

r

Kakadu National Park Northern Territory

GULF OF CARPENTARIA

Numbulwar GROOTE EYLANDT Ngukurr Port Roper

Maria Is

DOWNS Elsey HODGSON ALT NP

ay Railw

WAGURUNGURU ALT

Top Springs

art

Mataranka

Alyangula

Mt Furner Roper Bar

y Hw

Gregory NP

NT

Beswick

Springs to Darwin

Lake Argyle

ive Victoria R

Kununurra

Timber NP Creek

Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) NP

ce Ali

Gregory

Keep River NP

Bulman

Pine Creek

Stu

Dhupuma Garrthalala Cape Grey

ARNHEM LAND ALT

Kakadu NP

Daly Butterfly Peppimenarti River Gorge NP Palumpa Wadeye Katherine

Nhulunbuy

Gove Peninsula

Mt Gilruth

Bark Hut Inn Adelaide River

(Port Keats)

WA

Land

100 km 60 mi

Guluwuru Is

Galiwinku

Ramingining Gunbalanya (Oenpelli) Arnhem Gapuwiyak

Mary River Jabiru Nourlangie NP

DALY RIVER / PORT KEATS ALT

WESSEL ISLANDS

Braithwaite Point

Maningrida

Ubirr Shady Camp

0 0

Marchinbar Is

Garig Gunak NP

Palmerston

DARWIN

ARAFURA SEA

Croker Island

Van Diemen Gulf

Beagle Gulf

Cape Scott

Cobourg Peninsula

MARRA ALT

SIR EDWARD PELLEW GROUP

ALAWA ALT

Vanderlin Is Borroloola

Daly Waters

Mt Brown Dunmarra

BARKLY TABLELAND

GARAWA ALT

Cape Crawford

QLD

THE TOP END The monsoonal Top End beckons the adventurous to enter a different world, marked by the Wet and Dry seasons and infused with Aboriginal spirituality. Unspoilt wilderness areas support cascading waterfalls, bubbling thermal pools, lily-fringed billabongs and abundant wildlife. To some the Top End retains a frontier feel, while others revel in Darwin’s easy-going charm.

KATHERINE Make a beeline for big-draw Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park. Picture yourself paddling a canoe between

the towering rock walls carved out by the Katherine River and then dragging your canoe onto the sand to tuck into a packed lunch. You can let someone else do the work and take a boat cruise to view rock art and see where Australia’s first colour film, Jedda, was partly filmed in 1955. Even the Ghan train stops long enough in Katherine for passengers to take a cruise. Gain a view from above on an excellent walking trail that climbs the escarpment. Back in Katherine, soak in the thermal pool or sit in on a School of the Air lesson.

Katherine Gorge Northern Territory

JATBULA TRAIL Described as ‘awesome’ by hikers, the inspiring 66km, one-way Jatbula Trail leads from Katherine Gorge to the pandanus-lined Sweetwater Pool at Leliyn (Edith) Falls, on the edge of Nitmiluk National Park. The five-day hike mounts the Arnhem Land escarpment, with each camp site positioned beside a picturesque water hole or waterfall.

LITCHFIELD NATIONAL PARK Weave through land that is dotted with curious anthills, overflowing with waterfalls and dotted with crystal-clear plunge pools in Litchfield National Park. Take the creek walk through monsoon forest to Florence Falls, a sheer-sided pool and the Park’s best swimming hole. Loop around the rockpools at Tolmer Falls for stunning views of tombstone-like pillars and outcrops descending into dense forest. DARWIN Named after evolutionist Charles Darwin, Australia’s northernmost city continues its evolution with a casual, multicultural flavour that attracts an eclectic mix. While keeping one eye on nearby Asia and another on the southern states, Darwin makes the most of

these influences and ingredients, with great restaurants, flipping-fresh seafood and fine shopping – from market treasures to croc-leather products, local pearls and authentic Top End arts and crafts. Join the feasting en masse at one of the city’s colourful, open-air markets. Darwin was made for cycling and culture vultures won’t miss out on a pedal around its sights, including the impressive Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, which houses carvings and bark paintings from the Tiwi Islands and Arnhem Land. Take a surreal wander into the oil-storage tunnels built in WWII, when Darwin copped twice as many bombs as Pearl Harbor. Combined with Cyclone Tracy’s destruction (see the boxed text Cyclone Tracy), the wonderland of encrusted remnant wrecks now entertains divers, while landlubbers can explore a living reef at Indo Pacific Marine on the wharf, or handfeed fish at Aquascene (www.aquascene.com.au). Explore the unique Territory Wildlife Park (www.territorywildlifepark.com .au), with its walk-through aquarium. Soak up Darwin’s vibrant tropical nightlife and catch a film under the stars at the Deckchair Cinema (www.deck chaircinema.com). When winter grips southern Australia, it’s warm, dry and

Authentic Australia 39

happening in Darwin. In the warmer months (October to March) brilliant thunderstorms bring intense lightning. TIWI ISLANDS (SIDE TRIP) Known as the Tiwi Islands, Bathurst and Melville Islands retain their own distinct culture. Fly out of Darwin for one- and two-day tours to explore craft workshops, early Catholic mission buildings and carved pukumani (burial poles), adorned with symbolic and mythological figures. Tiwi Islander passion for Aussie rules football ensures the Tiwi Grand Final (March) is a huge event.

CYCLONE TRACY Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin on 25 December 1974 ‘like a steam train from the sky’ at around 280km/h, destroying around 90% of the city’s houses and irreparably changing life in the Top End. Check out Darwin’s few remaining original Burnett Houses at Myilly Point and head for the darkened room at the NT Museum & Art Gallery, where a chilling recording of the screeching cyclone simulates the event.

Tiwi Islands Northern Territory

MARY RIVER NATIONAL PARK Many are drawn by the lure of hooking a legendary barramundi, others by the promise of meeting a crocodile on its very own turf. Pay heed to the warning signs. Shady Camp is particularly well stocked with these fearsome reptiles, which you can view from a waterbird or crocodile hide, or mid-river from a hired dinghy. KAKADU NATIONAL PARK No trip to Australia would be complete without a visit to the World

ART IN KAKADU If you’re looking for rock art, Kakadu is the place to go, with over 5000 sites dating back 50,000 years. Ubirr and Nourlangie Rock have some of the finest rock art galleries in the world and feature hand stencils, X-ray–style animals and fish, Dreaming figures and even an intriguing Tasmanian tiger. Across the East Alligator River into Arnhem Land, Injalak Hill in Gunbalanya (Oenpelli) is another impressive site; the art centre here (www.aboriginalart .org) is an good place to buy authentic works, including bark paintings and didgeridoos.

Heritage–listed wonderland of Kakadu National Park. From Wet to Dry it offers enchanting proof of life’s circularity – filling and emptying billabongs and vivid green floodplains, dispersing and congregating wildlife. Jump on a crack-of-dawn Yellow Water wetlands cruise for perfect mirror reflections on the water and to tick every second bird off your list, or take an Aboriginal-guided Guluyambi cruise on the East Alligator River; aweinspiring crocodiles feature on both. Absorb the spirituality of the area’s living Aboriginal culture at the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre. Impressive rock art can be seen at Ubirr, then sit back at rocky Nardab Lookout to enjoy the late afternoon sun casting a magic golden glow over expansive wetlands. Take a tour to Gunbalanya (Oenpelli) in Arnhem Land, which passes brilliant green wetlands and spectacular escarpments, and don’t miss a walk through Nourlangie’s rock-art galleries, with enchanting views and the nearby lily-carpeted Anbangbang billabong. There are also towering cataracts at Twin Falls and Jim Jim Falls, and a clear pool at Gunlom (Waterfall Creek, which starred in Crocodile Dundee); stunning waterfall-edge views await those who hike to the top. Finally, when the sun

Authentic Australia 41

TAKE A HIKE From short boardwalk stints to view rock art and wetland waterbirds to long scrambles up rocky outcrops and all-day hikes, walks in Kakadu end in superlative views and the odd undisturbed clear pool. Hard yards reward with space to contemplate and feel the place without distraction.

goes down, make camp, boil a billy and catch a fireball sunset before sleeping out under a blanket of stars.

VICTORIA HIGHWAY The Victoria Hwy stretches from Katherine to Kununurra, traversing the tropical and semi-arid transitional zone and threading between sandstone scarps and soaring cliffs. Cruises from Timber Creek showcase majestic Victoria River and its creatures – both the friendly and the seriously snappy. Sidling up to the border is Boab-studded Keep River National Park, a boutique-sized park with stunning sandstone formations, rock-art sites, excellent walking tracks and abundant wildlife.

Kununurra Western Australia

THE KIMBERLEY TIMOR SEA

100 km 60 miles

Mitchell Falls ADMIRALTY GULF ABORIGINAL LAND

Prince Regent Nature Reserve

Kuri Bay R EE O AN LAG CK PE BU CHI AR

Kununurra Western Australia

S

E RANG

Great

s

Purnululu (Bungle Bungle) NP Mt Coghlan

r No

rn the

WAGURUNGURU ABORIGINAL LAND

Mt West Wall

Ga rd

ner

Ra

Wolfe Creek Crater NP

NT

Mt Archie

Halls Creek

Fitzroy Crossing

St G eorg e R ang e

Hwy

an ge

y

er rth No

at Gre

r Ra nges

Turkey Creek (Warmun)

Geike Gorge NP

NOONKANBAH ABORIGINAL LAND

Barbrongan Tower (225m)

Edga

Windjana Gorge NP KING LEOPOLD

Looma

Hw

n

Rosebuck Bay

Tunnel Creek NP

WA

Keep River NP Gregory NP

Lake Argyle

River

Broome

bb Gi

Willare Bridge Roadhouse

Roebuck Roadhouse

Rive Mirima r

Kununurra NP

DOON DOON ABORIGINAL LAND

r RiveMT BARNETT ABORIGINAL LAND

Rive r

Palumpa

d Or

Dampier Derby Peninsula Mowanjum

Point Coulomb Nature Reserve Cable Beach

King Sound

MILITARY TRAINING AREA

ell

Beagle Bay

Wyndham

Emma Gorge

Isd

Cape Leveque Lombadina

Pender Bay

Peppimenarti Wadeye (Port Keats)

OOMBULGURRI ABORIGINAL LAND

Drysdale River National Park

Rd

INDIAN OCEAN

Kalumburu

Sy nn ot R

0 0

RC

EL

d Or

BO NA PA RT E

A

Joseph Bonaparte Gulf

O AG

P HI

ng e

THE KIMBERLEY Western Australia’s tropical north is home to a remote and beautiful wilderness of wild rivers, wilder storms, ancient cultures and extraordinary landforms. And when you’re adventured out, the pubs, beaches and restaurants of Broome await for some serious R&R.

KUNUNURRA The gateway to the wonders of the east Kimberley region, Kununurra is a small, modern town that makes an excellent base for journeys into the

stunning gorges, crashing waterfalls and bizarre rock formations of the Kimberley, and Purnululu and (just over the border) Keep River National Parks. On the outskirts of town is Mirima National Park, a wonderful area of steep gorges, spinifex plains and Boab trees, plus some excellent walking trails that take you high up escarpments for great views over town. Kununurra is also known for its thriving indigenous arts scene, and has four galleries to browse through.

Purnululu National Park Western Australia

PURNULULU NATIONAL PARK The Bungle Bungle Range is an otherworldly landscape of curvy, striped domes of rock that seem to ripple across the countryside in the World Heritage–listed Purnululu National Park. Amazingly, these unique formations were only ‘discovered’ in the 1980s and attract visitors from all over the globe. You’ll exercise your legs getting to the best formations, but the vista is something to behold and there’s some beautiful waterholes and excellent camping areas,

stay the night and be mesmerised by the stars. GORGE COUNTRY The Kimberley is rightly famous for its rugged and picturesque gorges. To the east, Emma Gorge at El Questro Wilderness Park has a permanent waterfall and sensational swimming. Closer to Broome, the Windjana, and Geikie gorges and Tunnel Creek are almost obligatory stops on tours of the western Kimberley. From sloshing through Tunnel Creek to a gentle cruise along Geikie, you’ll find these remnants of a 350-million-year-old

TOP 10 WESTERN AUSTRALIA Want to get straight to the best that Western Australia has to offer? Here’s our top 10 picks: • Swimming with Ningaloo Reef’s whale sharks • Kayaking the Bay of Isles at Esperance • Wildlife spotting at Shark Bay • Gawping at Mitchell Falls in the Kimberley • Exploring the Windjana and Geikie gorges and Tunnel Creek • Plunging into pools in Karijini National Park • Taking a camel ride on Broome’s Cable Beach • Day-tripping to Rottnest Island • Dining the night away at Margaret River • Sandboarding the dunes at Lancelin

Authentic Australia 45

reef system provide a spectacular counterpoint to the harsh surrounding countryside. GIBB RIVER ROAD (SIDE TRIP) This 664km 4WD track takes you into the heart of the remote Kimberley, with its rushing rivers, towering water falls, endless tracts of wilderness, deserted beaches and untouched islands. This extraordinary region is visited by few Australians, let alone international visitors, and is an adventure not to be missed. Inaccessible

THE MIGHTY ORD The damming of the Ord River in 1972 created Lake Argyle, a gigantic inland freshwater ‘sea’ that’s dotted with islands and within easy reach of Kununurra. Hop on a cruise boat to see the plentiful wildlife or drop a line into the water and catch a fish for your supper. Sunset cruises provide a peaceful way to end the day over a cold tinnie.

Gibb River Road Western Australia

CROCS UP CLOSE Just northwest of Kununurra, Wyndham is a small town at the junction of five large rivers that are alive with salt-water crocodiles. A safe way to get close to these prehistoric reptiles is the crocodile farm, where you’ll see everything from cute little hatchlings to fearsome monsters. Head there at feeding time for some great photo opportunities.

by road during the Wet, you can still get a sense of its outrageous beauty through a fly-over from Derby or Kununurra. BROOME Perched on WA’s far north coast, Broome was founded as a pearling outpost in the 1880s. Today, it still does the pearl thing, but it’s grown into an attractive little town that’s boomed along with traveller interest in the Kimberley. It’s best known for the beautiful crescent sweep of Cable Beach – traverse it on camelback or just while away an afternoon reading between cooling dips. Broome also boasts the best restaurants north of Perth, some mon-

strous crocs at the Broome Crocodile Park (owned by eccentric TV celeb Malcolm Douglas) and a couple of good little museums. Tours can be arranged across the Kimberley, from fishing charters in the remote northern islands to Gibb River Road treks and gorge explorations. DAMPIER PENINSULA (SIDE TRIP) North of Broome, this beautiful peninsula makes for a brilliant two or three-day excursion. A sandy 4WD track takes you into an engaging

BROOME BIRD OBSERVATORY A staggering 800,000 migratory birds break their journey in the mudflats south of Broome every year, and you don’t need to be a dork in a tweed jacket to appreciate the spectacle of so many birds (representing more than 100 species) crowding the shores of Roebuck Bay. Tours are run from Broome and you can either camp or stay in a chalet to catch the best viewing times at dawn and dusk (see www.birdsaustralia .com.au).

Authentic Australia 47

mixture of Aboriginal settlements, including the Beagle Bay Aboriginal Community, where the local church features a stunning mother-of-pearl altar, and Lombadina Aboriginal Community, which is noted for its traditional handcrafts. At the top of the peninsula, Cape Leveque is a magnificent spot with wonderful beaches and stunning red cliffs; sunset here is truly memorable. Join a tour to get the most from your visit: options include Aboriginal culture, fishing and mud-crabbing.

KALUMBURU DREAMING WA’s northernmost town, Kalumburu (a former Christian mission) lies just inland of the Timor Sea, at the end of a seriously rough, rugged and slow 4WD track. The pay-off is that very few travellers get up this way, and the local community welcomes visitors, offering legendary fishing and crabbing tours, as well as insights into their ancient cultural practices.

Cape Leveque Western Australia

WESTERN COAST Roebuck Roadhouse

Broome Cape Latouche Treville

y Hw Lagrange

Port Smith

Be a

ch

Nort hern

Cape Bossut

Larrey Point

ile

Sandfire Roadhouse Kidson Track

Pardoo Roadhouse

Port Hedland

t

M

Gr ea

hty

Eig

Cape Cossigny

INDIAN OCEAN

ABORIGINAL Lake LAND Waukarlycarly YANDEYARRA Karratha Barrow Is Marble Bar ABORIGINAL LAND Nullagine Fortescue River Roadhouse MillstreamMungaroona Chichester NP Range NR Onslow Rudall River North West (Karlamilyi) Auski Roadhouse Cape Wittenoom NP Exmouth 95

Dampier

Montebello Is

Roeburn

138

Hwy

95

Ningaloo Reef

Cape Range NP

a Tallawkan Trac

Tom Price

Nanutarra Roadhouse

Karijini Learmonth Ningaloo Newman Barlee NP Marine Paraburdoo Range tal Range Park as NR almia opic of o C Opth Tr ULLAWARRA Hi gh Coral Bay Ra ABORIGINAL LAND Barle ng Collier e e Ra nge Mt Vermon Range Minilya NP Kennedy

Jigalong

Range NP

chis on

Gladstone Overlander Roadhouse

353

Billabong Roadhouse

River

co

Gas

Mur

Mia

Denham

yne

Coordewandy

Shark Bay Monkey François Péron NP

Well 10

Well 8

Well 7

Well 6

Well 5

n Range Robinsor

Well 4A

Well 4 (salty)

WA

ve

Ri

Well 3 (unreliable)

Well 2A

Karalundi

Mt Hale

Well 2

Meekatharra

Mt Murchison

Mt Charles

Kalbarri Binnu

Lake Way

Nannine Cue Lake Austin

Leinster Sandstone

Mt Magnet

Tabletop Leonora-Gwalia

123

Yalgoo

Mullewa

Northampton

Wiluna

Well 1

95

Murchison Settlement Roadhouse

Toolonga NR

Kalbarri NP

Kumarina Roadhouse 95

Well 9

Mt Gascoyne

Gascoyne Junction

Carnarvon

LITTLE SANDY DESERT

Great

Roadhouse

Hwy

W es t

rth

No

Lake MacLeod

Capricorn

Northern

136

352

Lake Barlee

95

Eradu 123

Geraldton

Abrolhos Archipelago

95

Illawong Jurien

200 km 120 miles

Wubin 116

Wialki

Mt Grey

Moora

The Pinnacles New Norcia Lancelin Moore River NP Gingin

Nambung NP

95

Merredin t Northam Grea

Rottnest Island Fremantle

Goongarrie

Lake Moore

95

Eneabba

Cervantes

Menzies

Mt Singleton (678m)

116 116

s nge Ra nt Hu

DongaraPort Denison

0 0

Paynes Find

Walkaway

Southern Cross rn Easte

Narembeen

PERTH 40

Armadale

Corrigin Kulin

30

Jilakin Rock

120

107

y Hw

WESTERN COAST Natural splendour is everywhere to be seen along WA’s western coast, with a host of natural wonders to explore, from the limestone pillars of the Pinnacles and secret waterholes of Karijini National Park to the teeming marine life of Ningaloo and Shark Bay. Charge up your camera and prepare for experiences found nowhere else in the world.

KARIJINI NATIONAL PARK (SIDE TRIP) Hidden within the red dust, rugged rocks and sheer ravines of this inland national park are gorgeous water-

holes and lush vegetation, which provide a delightful respite from the hot sun. Stop at the excellent Karijini visitors centre, run by the area’s traditional owners, the Banyjima, for an insight into the rich local history, then don some stout boots and start exploring the park’s many striking gorges – each different from the last. When you’re done, grab your swimming costume and walk deep into the crevasses for an afternoon’s carefree play in the cool waters. Tours

Weano Gorge Western Australia

IT’S A MAN’S WORLD The small mining towns of Tom Price, Paraburdoo and Newman flank Karijini National Park. Generous pay and conditions draw the men north for long shifts underground extracting iron ore, but far fewer women make the journey, resulting in very male-dominated communities. Pull up a stool at the local bar and get chatting for an insight into the isolated but lucrative life of the modern miner.

are available from Karratha and Port Hedland (see www.discoverwest.com .au/tours/karijini+tours.html). NINGALOO MARINE PARK The jewel in the crown of the western coast, Ningaloo Reef is simply fabulous and not to be missed. This 250km-long inshore coral-reef system can be accessed merely by hopping into the water and swimming a little way into the surf. It supports a staggering variety of marine life, including mysterious whale sharks, humpback whales, enormous manta rays and sea turtles, as well as endless schools of reef fish. There’s camping aplenty in

Cape Range National Park along the northern coast, and nothing beats a cooling swim over the reef first thing in the morning. For a great party atmosphere, head to the tiny village of Coral Bay, perched right by the reef. Further north is Exmouth, the area’s main town, with a resident population of emus. SHARK BAY The captivating Shark Bay World Heritage & Marine Park is famed for the dolphins at Monkey Mia, but

WHALE SHARKS The world’s biggest fish, this gentle giant visits the plankton-rich Ningaloo Reef between April and July each year. Ningaloo is the best place in the world to encounter these amazing beasts, and you’d be mad to miss an opportunity to share the waters with them. Excellent tours operate out of both Coral Bay and Exmouth (see www.exmouthwa.com.au). If you arrive at other times of the year, you can swim with languid manta rays instead, and of course the snorkelling and diving alone are reason enough to visit this magical place.

Authentic Australia 51

there’s plenty more here to check out, including some extremely rare animals. One of Australia’s last sea-grass beds supports a precious population of dugongs, while tiger sharks, sea turtles, dolphins and more can be seen in the shallow green waters of this vast bay. A catamaran tour is a heap of fun and the best way to see the marine life at close range, while donning your goggles for a flight over the area will let you appreciate its extraordinary beauty. The nearby François Péron National Park, where

TOURING THE WATERS Fishing, diving and wildlife watching are hugely popular here, and there are plenty of charter boats to take you on a marine adventure. For landlubbers, a regional bus tour will take you to the world’s best-known colony of stromatolites (lumpy clusters of microbes descended from organisms that existed 1900 million years ago), the blindingly white Shell Beach and François Péron National Park. See www.sharkbay.asn.au for some ideas.

Barossa Exmouth Valley Western South Australia

endangered marsupial species are being reintroduced, is also well worth a wander, while the tiny town of Denham has all the sleeping, eating and shopping facilities you need.

catered tours and independent canoe hire available. In the evening you can kick back at a beachside café, eat fish and chips on the beach or mingle with the locals over a steak at the pub.

KALBARRI A popular holiday town on the mouth of the Murchison River, Kalbarri offers yet more beautiful beaches, some of the state’s best surf breaks and an addictively easy-going ambience. Just east of town are the deep and majestic gorges of Kalbarri National Park, carved out of the sandstone by the snaking twists and turns of the Murchison. Sheer cliffs almost seem to touch as they tower above you, and climbers and abseilers take full advantage. Canoeing is a fantastic way to explore this park, with both

GERALDTON This fine old town boasts some of the best pubs north of Perth and a thriving live-music scene to keep you leaning on the long timber and brass bars well into the wee hours. Swimming in the crystal-clear waters of the town beaches will ease an aching head, or you can try your hand at windsurfing – Geraldton’s steady breezes are a magnet for wave-jumpers from across the world. Offshore lies the magnificent isles of the Abrolhos, home to sea-lion colonies, sea birds, hefty golden-orb spiders and the small Tammar wallaby. Bring your snorkel to gaze in wonder at the delicate reefs that swarm with a rare and spectacular mix of tropical and temperate fish species. Day trips are offered by several outfits (see www .geraldtontourist.com.au).

CLOCKWORK DOLPHINS Dolphins have been appearing almost every morning for decades at Monkey Mia, just to the east of Denham. Ditch your shoes and join the crowd to see the dolphins being fed in the shallows by rangers, who will fill you in on the life cycle of these intelligent mammals.

CERVANTES & THE PINNACLES On the outskirts of the small crayfishing seaport of Cervantes the famous Pinnacles of Nambung

Authentic Australia 53

National Park jut weirdly out of the desert sands. Thousands of limestone pillars, ranging from a few centimetres in height to towering 5m blocks, suggest a silent army that is frozen in time, and at dawn and dusk they’re an arresting and eerie sight. Just beyond the dunes of the desert, sweeping fine-sand beaches entice you to cool off after your aridarea exploration and watch the sun swallowed up by the limpid waters of the Indian Ocean – perfect for a lateevening picnic.

SURFING THE DUNES North of Perth, the holiday town of Lancelin is a prime spot to try your hand at sandboarding. Immense dunes or pure white sand stretch down to the water, so hire a board and put your skills to the test. Climbing the dunes is thirsty work, but the beach is close by for a refreshing dip or a quick windsurf, and Lancelin’s classic old pub has great beach views to go with its ice-cold beer and locally caught crays.

Barossa Lancelin Valley Western South Australia

THE GREAT SOUTHWEST

Kalgoorlie-Boulder

Wialki

Coolgardie 116

Nambung NP

Moora Wongan Hills

Wedge Is Lancelin

95

Moore River NP

Nungarin

Yanchep

Northam

PERTH

Fremantle Rockingham Mandurah

I N D I A N Lake Clifton OCEAN

Armadale A lb

an

Augusta

40

y

Hw Carrabin

Lake Cowan

Bruce Rock

Kondinin Jilakin Rock

Harvey

Narrogin

y

Holt Rock

Wagin uth

Tambellup

Fitzgerald River Jerramungup National Park

Stirling Range NP

Frankland

Gibson

Esperance

Bay of Isles

Cape Le Grand NP

Bremer Bay

Cape Knob

30

Sound

SOUTHERN

Fremantle Western Australia

Dalyup

Cheyne Bay

Shannon NP Mt Barker D’Entrecasteaux Mt Frankland NP NP Albany WalpoleKing George Nornalup Walpole Denmark NP 102

Hwy

Hopetoun

So

Broomehill

Kojonup

Bridgetown Nannup Manjimup Pemberton

Coast

Katanning

30

10

Scaddan

Lake Grace Ravensthorpe

Arthur River

Salmon Gums

Frank Hann National Park Lake King

107

Williams

Brunswick Junction

Dundas Rocks

Lake Hope

120

Hw

Norseman

Lake Johnston

Narembeen Wave Rock Corrigin Hyden Kulin

Widgiemooltha

WA

40

Pinjarra

Busselton

Margaret River

Dangin

Brookton

y

Donnybrook 10

Cunderdin

a Gre

rn

ste

Ea

Kambalda Boorabbin NP Yellowdine

30

Cape Naturaliste Dunsborough

t

York

20

Bunbury

Merredin

Goomalling

Bindoon

Rottnest Island

Southern Cross

Mt Grey

0 0

OCEAN

100 km 60 miles

THE GREAT SOUTHWEST WA’s beautiful southwest is a naturelover’s delight – its soaring forests, deserted beaches, world-class surfing, jewel-like archipelagos and abundant wildlife will energise your body and captivate your mind. More sophisticated pleasures await at the superb wineries of Margaret River and the bright lights of brassy Perth, while a tour of the goldfields at Kalgoorlie evokes the spirit of Australia’s greatest gold rush.

PERTH Settled in 1829, and home to most of WA’s residents, Perth is a city on

the move and in a hurry. From its glitzy city centre to the grand old port town of Fremantle, it bustles and buzzes day and night. And as befits a major city, there’s plenty to keep you entertained. The Aboriginal collection at the Art Gallery of Western Australia (www.artgallery.wa.gov.au) is outstanding, while the Aquarium of Western Australia (www.aqwa.com .au) will introduce you to WA’s dazzling array of marine life. Perth is also blessed with lovely beaches, where you can learn to surf or windsurf or

Scarborough Western Australia

just soak up the rays. In this sportmad town there always seems to be a game on – from cricket and Aussie Rules to rugby and football. And when the sun goes down, Perth revs up, from the Northbridge clubs to the Freo pubs, with plenty of venues to catch a band. KALGOORLIE EXPRESS (SIDE TRIP) Heading east from Perth takes you into the heart of Australia’s greatest gold reef. Still the nation’s richest field, the Golden Mile has been mined

ROTTNEST ISLAND Twenty kilometres off the coast from Fremantle, ‘Rotto’ has been Perth’s favourite playground for more than 150 years. Development has been kept to a minimum, and much of the island remains untouched and ready to be explored by bicycle (private cars are banned). The waters are also protected and teem with fish and marine life, making for sensational snorkelling. The island’s most famous residents are the quokkas, small wallaby-like marsupials that live nowhere else and are readily seen along the coastal fringes.

since 1893, and its riches have built a thriving frontier town packed with superb Victorian and Edwardian buildings, and some of the biggest and finest pubs you could ever hope to raise a glass in. Don’t miss a look at the field itself: modern techniques have produced a gargantuan hole in the ground that has to be seen to be believed. Kal’s colourful past is related in a couple of museums, and a walk around the town is a must for architecture buffs. Every September the town goes off during the running of the Kalgoorlie Racing Round, the state’s biggest country horse-racing carnival. It’s worth the detour for this alone. MARGARET RIVER There’s nothing like a decent bottle of wine with a fine meal, and at Margaret River you’re spoilt for choice. Established later than its eastern rivals, Margaret River’s many vineyards have caught up quickly and now produce some the country’s very finest tipples, complemented by international-class restaurants – this is definitely one place to plan a splurge. If you need to work off all that indulgence, Margaret River boasts some of the finest surf breaks

Authentic Australia 57

in the world, and attracts an international field every year for its Masters pro event – local surfing heroes like Taj Burrows often can be seen riding the Surfer’s Point waves. The majestic tall timbers of nearby Boranup Forest are also worth a look, as is its fine woodcraft gallery. PEMBERTON The magnificent old-growth karri forests surrounding the tiny timber town of Pemberton will take your breath away. Among these towering and ancient specimens, is the

Gloucester Tree, a giant among giants, thrusting high through the canopy to a height of 60m and topped by an old bushfire-lookout platform. A ladder of broad pegs twists helixlike upwards around the trunk, and the wind and swaying upper reaches make for a hair-raising experience, but from the top there are killer views all the way to the coast, and you’ll have bragging rights over your mates for days. Further south near Walpole, the Valley of the Giants Treetop Walk gives a bird’s-eye view through tingle trees.

Pemberton Western Australia

ALBANY WA’s oldest town, the former whaling port of Albany is littered with fine old buildings and has its share of great beaches, but whales continue to provide the town’s lifeblood. These days, however, it’s cruises and not harpoons that bring in the punters. Southern right whales are easily spotted along the coves and inlets of King George Sound from July to October, and in the warmer months diving is the go. HMAS Perth was sunk here, and the reef that has grown around it provides a world-class experience.

BIBBULMUN TRACK If time is on your side, tackling a portion of the 964km Bibbulmun Track will give you unrivalled access to the southwest’s superb karri, marri and jarrah forests. Winding its way from Albany to eastern Perth, it takes you through the best of the region’s natural features, flora and fauna, and has almost 50 camping grounds with water and pit toilets along its path. For details of this amazing track, see www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au.

WOODY ISLAND The only island off Esperance with visitor facilities, Woody is a 240-hectare nature reserve that’s home to abundant wildlife, heaps of sea birds and some excellent walking trials. It also has a shoreline dotted with isolated coves ripe for some serene solo exploration by kayak. Still a thriving fishing centre, you can swap yarns with fishermen at the dock, bunk down in coastal safari huts or get right back to nature with a swim at Skinny Dip Bay!

ESPERANCE The gorgeous Bay of Isles surrounds this small agricultural town on a stunning stretch of WA’s southern coast. White-sand beaches and brilliant blue waters are just the job for lazing in the warm sun, swimming and beachcombing the day away, as well as enjoying a rare look at beach-loving kangaroos. Across the water, more than 100 islets dot the waters, and are home to fur seals, penguins, sea eagles, dolphins, whales and more. Just east of town, the Cape Le Grand National Park offers more fabulous beaches, excellent bushwalking and camping under the stars.

Esperance Western Australia

Great Victoria Desert Nature Reserve

THE NULLARBOR PLAIN & EYRE PENINSULA

SA

NULLARBOR PLAIN

Queen Victoria Spring Nature Reserve

Continues Below Nullarbor Recreation Nullarbor Reserve National Park

AY IA RAILW

TRANS-AUSTRAL

COONANA ABORIGINAL LAND

Kambalda

Hwy

e

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Caiguna

Balladonia

Norseman

Border Village

Madura

Cocklebiddy Newman’s Rocks

Eucla

Mundrabilla Roadhouse

WA

Widgiemooltha

Great Australian Bight

Point Dover

Dundas Rocks

Nuytsland Nature Reserve Point Culver

Salmon Gums

Cape Arid National Park

Grass Patch Scaddan Dalyup

Israelite Bay

Gibson

Esperance

Cape Arid

Oo

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Maralinga (Restricted Area)

Yalata Roadhouse

Head of Bight

e

Nundroo Roadhouse & Hotel

Fowlers Bay

Great Australian Bight

Cactus Beach

Olympic Dam Roxby Downs

Mt Finke

Penong

Kingoonya

Lake Gairdner National Park

Pimba

Lake Torrens

Lake Gairdner Hawker

Mt Hiltaba Wirrula

Smoky Bay Haslam

Venus Bay

Talia

Iron Knob

Eyre

Hwy

Lock

Eyre Peninsula Coffin Bay National Park

Whyalla

Kyancutta

Port Neill

Sheringa

Yeelanna

Port Lincoln Cape Carnot

Quorn

Port Augusta

Gawler Ranges National Park

Poochera Minnipa

Elliston

100 km 60 miles

Leigh

Pureba CP

Ceduna

Wudinna

0 0

Lyndhurst Andamooka

Lake Creek Torrens National Park Parachilna

Glendambo Woomera

Lake Everard

Streaky Bay

SOUTHERN OCEAN

e

nc

Fe

Dog

SA

Fence

Yellabinna Recreation Reserve

Nullarbor

Great Australian Bight Marine Park

ng

Tarcoola

Nullarbor Recreation Reserve

Nullarbor Roadhouse National Park & Hotel

Ra

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MARALINGA TJARUTJA ABORIGINAL LAND

Continues Above

SOUTHERN OCEAN

Point Malcolm

Condingup

Port Pirie

Rudall

Snowtown Arno Bay

Kadina

Spencer Gulf Maitland

Port Wakefield

Louth Bay Lincoln National Park

Yorke Peninsula

ADELAIDE

r Strait

Investigato

THE NULLARBOR PLAIN & EYRE PENINSULA The straight red road heading east from the West Australian border is remarkable enough, but a detour down the Eyre Peninsula makes this a truly spectacular journey.

NULLARBOR PLAIN The long stretch from Border Village to Ceduna takes in several sites along the way, so stop for regular breaks. You can turn-off for legendary surf at Cactus Beach, which has strong breaks and bush camping. Further on, Fowlers Bay is an almost ghost town with heritage buildings and

impressive coastal dunes. You’ll pass through Nullarbor National Park, hugging the coast to the WA border. Below, the dry plain is honeycombed with limestone caves that you can venture into at Murrawijinie Cave. Border Village marks the SA–WA border with the Big Kangaroo, a giant marsupial that offers a cool drink to passers-by. HEAD OF BIGHT Turn off at Yalata Roadhouse to get to the Head of Bight whale-watching

Great Australian Bight South Australia

platforms, which afford spectacular views of a major breeding ground for southern right whales. They migrate here from Antarctica to calve in its protected waters between June and October. The area is protected by the 20,000-sq-km Great Australian Bight Marine Park, the world’s secondlargest marine park after the Great Barrier Reef. CEDUNA To celebrate the end of your Nullarbor trek, stop in at this coastal town to enjoy the luxury of the state’s top seafood. It takes its name from the Aboriginal word cheedoona (a place to rest), with good beaches for

EUCLA TELEGRAPH STATION In 1877 the first message was sent from the Eucla Telegraph Station and read ‘Eucla line opened. Hurrah’. It was worth celebrating, as this vital link between Western Australia and the eastern states sent 11,000 messages annually. You can explore the telegraph station ruins just 4km off the highway.

SEAFOOD PLATTER Ceduna is perfectly placed to sample the many fishy delights of the Eyre Peninsula. In fact, the oysters are so good they have a festival of their own, Oysterfest (Oct), and you can sample some at Smoky Bay or Denial Bay. Whatever your preference, head to one of the local restaurants, tuck in your napkin and climb into the freshest seafood you’ll ever taste.

stretching out on. Ceduna Museum (www.sa.nationaltrust.org.au/proper ties.htm) has a fascinating collection of Aboriginal artefacts and the Maralinga Room details the controversial British atomic tests that occurred in the desert north of here. Local indigenous artists are featured at the Ceduna Aboriginal Arts and Culture Centre, a gallery space that features painted emu eggs and didgeridoos. EYRE PENINSULA There are wild and undiscovered spots along the Eyre Peninsula that will let you feel you’ve escaped the crowds, as well as an idyllic coastline

Authentic Australia 63

for camping, fishing and swimming. Rugged Lincoln National Park boasts the challenging Investigator Trail, a six-day walk taking in coastline and bushland. On Cape Carnot, better known as Whalers Way, you can spot migrating whales, and you can meet the local fur seals at Cape Wiles. The unofficial capital of the peninsula is the seafood-rich Port Lincoln, with towns like Smoky Bay, Streaky Bay and Elliston along the western coast that are famous for fishing or oysterfarming. For an ecologically sound

FESTIVALS The annual Tunarama Festival (late Jan) is held in Port Lincoln on the Australia Day weekend every year, celebrating this mighty fish with tuna tossing, keg rolling, slippery-pole climbing, boat-building races and live music.

stay, bunk down at Discovaus (www .discovaus.com.au), a sun- and windpowered restored train carriage in a secluded spot near Elliston.

Barossa Eucla Valley Western South Australia

GAWLER RANGES (SIDE TRIP) Accessible from Minnipa or Wudinna, the Gawler Ranges National Park is being discovered by bushwalkers and nature-lovers alike. It’s known for the spectacular Organ Pipes (shafts of granite projecting spectacularly out of cliffs), while Mt Wudinna is reputedly SA’s largest exposed monolith. The Granite Trail, a 25km self-drive tour, is a quick way to see the mountain from Wudinna. PORT LINCOLN This prosperous port was almost the state’s capital and still does big business with several tuna farms in the bay, so expect to see millionaire fishermen driving beat-up utilities. Hills surround the town and Boston Island protects the entrance to the harbour. The Seahorse Farm is the best way to get up close to the delicate leafy sea dragon, SA’s state marine emblem, while Whaler’s Way, also known as Cape Carnot, is a great place to spot not-so-delicate leviathans. Boat tours are available for close-up inspection of these enormous mammals, or you can join a group to explore the walks and waves of Coffin Bay and Lincoln National Parks.

COFFIN BAY NATIONAL PARK (SIDE TRIP) Not far from Port Lincoln, the wild coastal scenery of Coffin Bay National Park promises outdoor adventure. There’s bush camping at Yangie Bay and several challenging day walks through thick heathland, including to Sudden Jerk Lookout. Watch out for emus, which are known to be particularly friendly around here.

BAIRD BAY SEA LIONS Swimming with sea lions and dolphins at Baird Bay is one of those ‘must do’ experiences. Once Baird Bay Ocean Eco Experiences (www.bairdbay.com) has guided you through your encounter with these playful creatures of the sea, you’ll never want to leave the water. If you prefer to stay on dry land, a network of gravel roads leads out to Point Labatt in Baird Bay, where a large colony of Australian sea lions is visible from clifftop viewing platforms. They usually laze just 100m away on the rocks. You can stay out in the wild, camping in Calpatanna Waterhole Conservation Park at Wedina Well.

JOURNEYS TO AUTHENTIC

AUSTRALIA

travel beyond your expectations Away from the eastern seaboard lies a treasure trove of superb beaches, mind-blowing natural features, authentic outback experiences, world-class wines and gourmet fare, ancient Aboriginal cultures, rare and precious fauna, and, of course, the resilient and welcoming people who have made this part of Australia the intriguing and unforgettable place it is. Travelling to Australia? Travel beyond your expectations with this miniguide to South Australia, Northern Territory and Western Australia. Specially produced by Lonely Planet with the assistance of South Australian Tourism Commission, Northern Territory Tourist Commission and Tourism Western Australia.

JOURNEYS TO AUTHENTIC

AUSTRALIA

travel beyond your expectations www.southaustralia.com

www.australiasoutback.com

www.westernaustralia.com SPECIALLY PRODUCED BY:

SPECIALLY PRODUCED BY:

We seek to inspire the right kind of travel – The Lonely Planet style embraces the positive power of independent travel to transform both travellers and the communities to which they travel. The Lonely Planet way means taking risks, leaving behind the everyday, experiencing a culture at first hand and discovering the people, the land, the history. Our responsibility is to ensure millions travel with respect, sensitivity, curiosity and with a liberal sense of humour.

Journeys to Authentic Australia Travel beyond your expectations First published – June 2005 Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Business Solutions in conjunction with South Australian Tourism Commission, Tourism Western Australia, and Northern Territory Tourist Commission ABN 36 005 607 983 90 Maribyrnong Street, Footscray, VIC 3011, Australia www.lonelyplanet.com.au or AOL keyword: lp

Authored at Lonely Planet by: Peter Cruttenden, George Dunford and Susannah Farfor Project Management: Chris Love Design: Nic Lehman Layout: Laura Jane and Mark Germanchis Editing: Adrienne Costanzo and Yvonne Byron Cartography: Paul Piaia, Wayne Murphy, Corey Hutchison and David Connolly Business Development: Blake Hutchison Text Lonely Planet Publications 2005 Photographs from Lonely Planet Images, South Australian Tourism Commission, Tourism Western Australia and Northern Territory Tourist Commission Printed in Melbourne by Print Graphics

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Eyre Highway, Nullarbor Plain South Australia