A Super Saturday



A tree in the creek at Simpsons Gap

After a lazy sleep in we went and stocked the new fridge with picnic supplies and hit the West McDonald Ranges.  A feast for the eyes and heart-warming for both the soul and the body!  Simpson Gap saw us spy rock wallabies – they were so hard to see unless they were moving!  Last year we found very few places with water so it was lovely to see the cool pool reflecting the sides of the gap.



Simpsons Gap

A rock wallaby - look hard!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The dry creek bed at Simpsons Gap

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wild flower at Standley Chasm

Then on up the road to Standley Chasm we went.  Will wasn’t feeling great so I wondered down to the chasm by myself – a great opportunity to stop and take lots of photos of wild flowers.  The sun was just coming over the top of one wall of the chasm, which made the walls reflect an amazing ochre colour.  After a while I chose to head on back so that I had time and space to myself, another opportunity to spot wildflowers!! 

Standley Chasm

Flower at Standley Chasm

After our picnic lunch sitting by the empty creek at Standley Chasm we headed to Ellery Creek Big Hole along Namatjira Drive – a ‘fresh’ water hole??  The walkers from Alice Springs were keen and took a dip – but the dead fish had us a little worried.  The air bubbles coming from down deep had as guessing what they could be when another tourist said there would be plenty of turtles in there – so maybe that was it.  It was a gorgeous spot but the poor water quality lessened the appeal somewhat. 

 

Ellery Creek Big Hole

It was time to head back to camp then as a communal bbq tea was planned.  After making some potato salad and catching up on yesterday’s blog I joined the crew around the camp fire, the music playing softly in the background.  This was what I had remembered!! Clear skies, no winds, laughter, story-telling, finding out where others had come from – I think we may be the only Victorians- NSW, WA, Queensland and plenty of Tasmanians were there.  I’ve snuck off early to put my thoughts to paper in the comfort of hearing the laughs continue, Will’s chuckle booming over the yard feeling the most at home since arriving here 5 days ago.