Journey Through the Red Centre of Australia

March 26, 2018Scotty201 ViewsAdventure, Alice springs, Australia, Ayres Rock, Backpacker, Backpacking, desert, Hot, mountains, northern territory, Photography, The Olgas, top end, topend, Uluru, UNESCO

Driving up from Sydney in an old Ford Falcon Station Wagon and sleeping in the back of it on a foam mattress was a great adventure, travelling on wide open roads unlike those I’d just been driving on in the UK and without a care in the world, the sense of freedom it gave me stays with me to this day

Each night I would park in free camps or by the side of the road, this was a truly unique introduction to outback Australia.

Having left the UK only a few weeks earlier the furnace like heat of the red centre of Australia was awesome, though it wasn’t always fun sleeping in the car at night as the temperature would get cold.

As I was travelling on my own for this trip we plan to do it again as a family and let the kids see their home territory.

For those readers unfamiliar with Australia, the Red Centre also known as Central Australia is a massive area in the Northern Territory (top end), centred around Alice Springs.

Its an area of red desert with gorges and mountain ranges, and includes several iconic places Uluru/Ayres rock the Olgas and Kings Canyon.

Uluru is one of Australia’s most recognised natural icons, it’s a huge sandstone monolith that sits out in the middle of a flat landscape. Locates roughly 450km from Alice Springs, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and regarded by local Indigenous tribes as a sacred site.

From sunrise to sunset you can get some awesome pictures as the light changes through out the day.

The Olgas / Kata Tjuta is only a short drive away and has thirty six rock formations the highest of which stands 1066 meters above sea level

Kings Canyon which is located in Watarrka National Park also roughly 450km from Alice Springs but heading north along the Stuart Highway and is a great place for hiking and seeing some unique Aussie landscapes

Many travellers to the Northern Territory self drive, but there are many different tour companies that you can use.

If travelling to the area there are many different options for accommodation, for both the budget and luxury traveller.