Still following Binns Track, I had now been driving on rough dirt roads for many days. This makes it pretty tiring, as the quality of the dirt can change in an instant and means you have to totally concentrate on the track. It is frustrating, as you can’t really appreciate the countryside you are passing through.
So it was nice to stop and rest for a couple of days at some amazing gorges in the magnificent mountains to the east of Alice Springs.
Trephina Gorge
Sheer red cliffs overpower you as you walk along the creek bed in this spectacular place. Although dry on the surface, the creek still has water flowing below the sand. A rather green and sorry-looking waterhole attracted a myriad of birds, as it was the only available drink in this arid place.
It is possible to walk along the gorge rim and the views are amazing. The red centre is fittingly named. I love the red rocks against the blue of the sky and the white of the ghost gum trunks. To me, these incredible contrasts are the true colours of the outback.
The startling red rocks of the Bluff towers over the lower gorge. These glow a deep crimson in the light of the setting sun. The rocks seem to radiate this light long after the sun has set.
Climbing upwards gives you a spectacular view over the appropriately titled Mordor Plains. The desolate land from Tolkien’s stories obviously inspired the naming here.
N’Dhala Gorge
Known as Irlwentye (pronounced eel-oon-ja), this gorge is an amazing place to visit.
Severe water damage to the rough track meant this area was inaccessible for many years, so this was the first opportunity for me to visit this sacred place.
Spectacular red rock cliffs tower over the valley which was the home to Aboriginal people in abundant times. Caves in the sandstone overhangs provided shelter and waterholes provided an oasis for these people and the wildlife they hunted.
They illustrated their ancestral stories by engraving images into the rocks in the area. Known as petroglyphs, there are two different types here. They were either pounded into the rock surface or ‘pecked’ using a sharp stone hit by a heavier stone.
This may mean the different styles represent diverse time periods. It is unknown how ancient the images are but some may be 2,000 years old. Others could possibly be upwards of 10,000 years old!
I spent a couple of days wandering around this beautiful place. At first the petroglyphs are difficult to spot. But, as with most things, the more you look, the more you see. Pretty soon I had encountered many of the amazing images.
Some images seem to represent the dreaming ancestors.
There are also numerous illustrations of spirals and concentric circles, which seems to be universal symbols at ancient sites around the world.
Unfortunately the weather turned cold and windy while I was here and it soon began to sprinkle. Not wanting to risk being caught here by heavy rain, I headed back to the relative civilization of Alice Springs.
