Table Top Track - Litchfield National Park, Northern Territory

Wangi Falls

The Table Top track is a 39km loop through (unsurprisingly) the Table Top at Litchfield National Park.  There are 4 recognised entrances/exits to the circuit which are ‘link walks’ from Florence Falls, Greenant Creek, Wangi Falls and Walker Creek.  Walkers can camp off of the track proper at Florence, Wangi and Walker.  Additionally there are basic bush camping facilities 3km East along the track from the end of the Greenant link walk, 5km North West along the track from the end of the Wangi link walk and 1.8km East of the end of the Walker link walk.  There are fire pits and tables at each of the bush camps and if you believe the rumours there are also pit toilets, but so far I have only managed to locate them at the Tjenya Falls (North West of Wangi) bush camp, and the camp East of Walker Creek.

Walking the Table Top

Usually the track can be expected to be open from June to August if everything goes to plan.  Outside of those months walking the track is discouraged due to ‘hot and humid’ conditions, though you may be able to get a permit if you phone 08 8999 4486.  I’m assuming NT Parks and Wildlife pick up at the other end but I can’t say for sure.  I’ve tended to opt for the ‘if you don’t ask, they can’t say no’ approach.  Even in season the recommendation is that overnight walkers register their walk through 1300 650 730.  The benefit of that is that if you don’t deregister by noon on the day you told them you would be completed, they (again I’m assuming NTPW) will send out a search party.  They do however require a refundable $50.00 deposit per person or $200.00 deposit for a group of more than 4.  I guess though if they have to send out a search party you probably forfeit your deposit... 

Back in 2011 I had attempted to complete the Table Top track loop with 2 of my girlfriends – Naomi and Other Lisa.  That was my first hike since my scouting days.  The scenery had been beautiful but the trip hadn’t gone quite to plan.  That might be a story for another day but the abbreviated version is that on the second evening I became suddenly and violently ill.  The next morning we decided the safest option was to head back to the closest car rather than push on in case the situation worsened.  Since then I’ve done a couple other little pieces of the track but I haven’t yet completed the full circuit.   

This week has been my first break since starting back at uni after a good few years away from study.  I’ve been a bit out of the swing of this study thing so this has been my first chance to ‘go bush’.  Even so I didn’t want to spend too much time away from the books so opted for a little day trek back out to the Table Top with Jess.  The plan was to start at Wangi and walk the circuit anticlockwise out to the first bush camp.  Although today’s itinerary was restomping old ground I was just happy to hit the trail again, besides it had been more than 2 years since I’d covered that same area.

Trekking through  the long grass on the Table Top

Technically the track was still closed for the wet season, but some (read ‘I’) would say that’s the best time to walk the track.  Yes it is over grown and it can be hard to locate some of the markers in the tall grass and others maybe missing or have fallen over.  Yes it’s still pretty bloody hot.  But it also means that it’s unlikely to be crowded and the creeks are flowing at a good pace meaning the pools aren’t stagnant and scummy.  So although it’s hot you have a lot more and a lot nicer places you can cool off at.    

We both got up at some ungodly hour with the intention of covering most of the ground while it was relatively cool but somehow it was already 8 am when we arrived at Wangi.  At least it still wasn’t too hot at that point but it didn’t take long for the sun to come out in full force.  The majority of the walk was pretty flat, once you complete the steep ascent to the top of Wangi.  From there the link walk to the track is marked with blue arrows leading onto the circuit proper.  On the reverse side, heading off of the track the arrows are orange. 

Some of the long grass between the track markers was crushed which provided a bit of a path occasionally.  Not all of the markers were so easy to find though.  We had a map and GPS and could have easily navigated our way to the bush camp without the markers but we wanted to follow the track proper at least on the way out.  This meant we spent a bit of time walking in circles trying to find the obscure little blue triangles.  That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing though.  

The view from Picnic Tree and putting Picnic Tree to good use

 














At one point we took a break from our search and decided to explore a noisy creek close by.  I’m glad we did as we stumbled upon a pretty, shaded creek with a large old paperbark tree fallen across its width, linking the banks on either side.  It seemed a good spot to take a break and we sat on the tree over the clear deep water below and had a snack.  We aptly named that spot Picnic Tree (52L FL 84354 45069).  After our snack we stripped off to have a swim in the creek.  It was only then, once I took off my gaiters and saw the trail of blood down my leg that I realised I’d been leeched!  I’m quite not sure how the sneaky bugger had gotten in there.  It was a good effort though.

The water was refreshing and the base was a mix of pale sand and smooth rock.  On the far side of the creek from the track the tree bank seems to stretch back a distance but the ground is flat dirt.  The spaces between the trees are broad enough to fit a 2 man tent.  I reckon it would make a great spot to come back to and camp.

Reluctantly we decided to leave Picnic Tree to continue on our walk and eventually we found the marker that had been eluding us.  I’ve marked each of those we passed on my GPS for future reference, might come in handy one day and they are good for navigating your way back to the track if you wander off.  We passed other pretty areas where the creek cascaded down but we didn’t jump back in till we made it to The Steps – the bush camp (52L FL 96326 44743).

The Steps bush camp

Here the creek widens and the water falls over a series of short rock steps, creating a sequence of shallow pools.  We took advantage of the cool water, having a swim and refilling our Camelbaks.  To err on the side of caution though we used a filter funnel and Aquatabs.  I’m not keen for a repeat of my first Table Top trip!

On the trek back we followed the markers less closely, initially walking along side the creek.  Sometimes you see some interesting things when you get off of the beaten track.  Sometimes you find some downright weird things.  We came across a pair of 12.5kg free weights...  Looks like some crazy person walked out there with them then eventually regained their sanity and abandoned them.

Cooling off again at Picnic Tree

It was after midday when we started back and the sun was well and truly doing what it does best.  We could both feel our brains getting a bit hot so we stopped off again at Picnic Tree.  This time we just jumped in in our clothes.  The cool off was probably quite necessary before finishing off the walk back down to Wangi.

Visited 23.04.2014

Hugh River Bush Camp and Standley Chasm, Central Australia - Northern Territory

After a day of relative rest doing local tourist things around Alice Springs, James and I decided to get out of town again.  On a previous visit I had seen an un-signposted  dirt track heading north off of Namatjira drive about 15kms west of the turn off towards Standley Chasm, which I had marked on my GPS as ‘must check out’ (53K LP 35535 65746).  Comparing the coordinates to the maps of area I saw that the road branched and was interwoven amongst the ranges and a number of creeks, terminating at a various gorges and waterholes.  So we set out to explore!

The Huge River Bush Camp track before she got nasty

Once we entered the dirt track we did in fact find a sign which named the area as the Hugh River Bush Camp and that there were recognised camp sites (no facilities though) at places called Reedy Hole Waterhole, Birthday Waterhole and Hugh Gorge.  The official tracks amongst the bush there follow the path which John McDouall Stuart took through the MacDonnell Ranges during his explorations through Central Australia in the early 1860s. 

We attempted to make it out to Reedy Hole Waterhole – that being the closest to the entrance but unfortunately never got to see if there was actually any water there at this time.  We had hired a 4WD for the trip but it really wasn’t equipped for the terrain which alternated between very rocky and soft sandy creek beds.  The clearance on the car was low, the tyre tread was inadequate and our pressures inappropriate.  In the end we stopped 2.5km short of our intended destination and turned around while we still could.  So that track has been added to my list of things to come back and explore one day. 

The path out to Standley Chasm

Defeated we started back towards Alice, stopping off at Standley Chasm on the way.  The chasm has been cut through the sandstone by an offshoot of the Finke River, leaving a gash up to 80 meters deep through the West MacDonnell Ranges.  I’ve been to the chasm twice before but somehow never realised that there was an entry fee.  I’d always just stepped over the rope blocking the vehicle entrance, however now there is a gate and a sign so ignorance is harder to excuse.  There is an $8 fee for Territorians, $10 for visitors from interstate and concessions for seniors and kids.  Unaware of my previous free entry the nice lady at the visitors desk let us both go through for the Territorian price.

The chasm’s name honors Mrs Ida Standley.  Mrs Standley was the first non-Indigenous woman to visit the dramatic rock formation.  She had been appointed the role of the first school teacher in Alice Springs back in 1914.  In 1925 when a school for children of Aboriginal heritage was set up at Jay Creek, not far from the chasm she was appointed as the matron there.  The name that had been given to the area by the Western Arrernte people is Angkerle Atwatye, which appropriately means ‘the gap of water’.      

Standley Chasm

The walk out to the most dramatic part of the chasm is a mere 1.2km and the path there along the creek is well marked and worn.  The lady at the counter highly recommend wearing closed shoes but I find that for most of these things I fair well enough by switching the hubs on my thongs over to 4WD.  Only a short distance into the chasm is a chain across the dry creek and sign stating ‘DANGER, DO NOT PASS THIS POINT, IF YOU GO BEYOND THIS POINT YOU RISK SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH, NO RESPONSIBILITY WILL BE ACCEPTED BY THE OWNERS OF STANLEY CHASM IF YOU CONTINUE’.  The view from this spot of the shear sandstone walls towering above you is striking, and is worth a look but it’s also somewhat anticlimactic: ‘hmm, well we saw it; I suppose we turn around now’. 

I considered the sign, on my previous visits I had never ventured beyond it.  But thinking about it then, the sign didn’t actually say ‘Trespassers will be prosecuted’ or ‘Proceed and you will cop a $4,000 fine’, it was merely what I call a ‘serving suggestion’.  James and I decided to get our $8 worth and stepped over the chain. 

Beyond the main chasm 
(approx 53K LP 43997 76562)

We were rewarded for our agility with a network of smaller chasms branching out before us along the fault lines.  The base of the gap to the right rose sharply and looked like it terminated at the top of the escarpment so we ventured to the left deeper within the network.  The maze continued to branch and turn and we passed a number of small pools in the rocks, diminished by the scorching weather.  We reached one passage which at first glance looked fairly impassable.  On closer inspection I found a narrow passage upwards between the boulders.  Feeling glad I hadn’t over indulged at breakfast I managed to maneuver myself through the space.  

Beyond the boulders, the gap between the walls opened up further.  A short distance up the rocky creek bed we came across a number of tell-tale blue arrows which indicated we had stumbled upon a gazetted path.  I’m not sure if it was part of the Larapinta Trail, which stops by the chasm, or a much smaller local walk.  Having reached signs of civilisation once more we decided ‘hmm, well we saw it; I suppose we turn around now’.

visited 02.02.2014

Uluru, Uluru – Kata Tjuta (Ayers Rock – Mount Olga) National Park - Northern Territory (Central Australia)

After more than four years out of uni I made the crazy decision to return to full time study.  As a bit of a last hurrah before knuckling down to I decided to take 5 weeks off of work before the semester starts and go on a few little adventures.  I figured I’d have a lot less time to do these kind of things for a while so I might as well make the most of it while I can. 

Part of that time included spending about a week in Central Australia.  I’ve visited Alice and the surrounds briefly a couple of times in the past but never had much time for a good look around.  There is something very alluring about the juxtaposition of the dry, bright red dirt and soft moss green spinifex grass against the vibrant blue sky there, and there are so many amazing natural wonders to be seen in the area so I’ve been keen for a while to get back.  Fortunately I managed to convince my mate James that the place was worth a look in and he agreed to come along for the ride.  He lives in Adelaide and myself in Darwin, so we both met in the middle and hired a car. 

The base walk at Uluru

One of the things I’d been most looking forward to doing while there was to getting back and seeing ‘The Rock’ again.  I’d visited only briefly back in 2010 when I did a road trip from Adelaide to Alice with a friend.  James and I arrived in Alice Sunday arvo on Australia Day and after celebrating in traditional Aussie style we hit the road Monday afternoon.  It was pretty late in the evening by the time we arrived at Yulara (52J GT 00055 06502) – the little tourist town situated near the entrance to Uluru – Kata Tjuta (Ayers Rock – Mount Olga) National Park.  We had stopped off at Rainbow Valley and Henbury Meteorites Conservation Reserves on the way down.  Yulura is the closest you can stay to Uluru as there is no camping allowed inside the park these days.  You also have to pay an entry fee to get in.  It’s $25 for a three day pass or about $32 to get an annual pass.  I decide to go the annual pass option...you never know, I might get back there this year?

For a couple reasons tourists are dissuaded from climbing Uluru.  The path of the climb is said to follow the traditional route taken by the ancestral Mala men when they arrived at ‘The Rock’.  Out of respect for the Mala story the traditional owners do not make the climb.  The Traditional Owners have voiced concern about possible damage caused by tourists undertaking the climb and fears that their traditions and culture may be compromised as a result.  The climb can also be pretty dangerous.  However at this stage the climb still remains open except in situations where the danger is increased.

“That’s a really important sacred thing that you are climbing... You shouldn’t climb.  It’s not the real thing about this place.  The real thing is listening to everything.  And maybe that makes you a bit sad.  But anyway that’s what we have to say.  We are obliged by Tjukurrpa to say.  And all the tourists brighten up and say ‘Oh I see.  This is the right way.  This is the thing that’s right.  This is the proper way: no climbing’.” – Kunmanara (Traditional Owner)

Note: Tjukurrpa is the traditional law of the Anangu, the traditional owners of Uluru and the surrounds.

After the late night it was about 9:30 in the morning before James and I made it out to the base of Uluru.  I recognise that it makes me a bit of a dick but I was disappointed when we arrived to see a sign saying that the climb was closed after 8am, though in hindsight it’s a pretty sensible decision not to let people start the ascent after that time.  I know it’s even worse that I know the reasons why the Traditional Owners don’t want people to climb – I can’t even argue ignorance to their plea.  But as someone who loves adventures and is always longing to see over the next hill or around the next corner how could I not climb the massive monolith while the offer still stands.  When George Leigh Mallory was asked why he wanted to climb Everest he replied simply ‘Because it’s there’.  I’m certainly no Mallory but I can understand and appreciate the statement.  Yes, like I said I know I’m a dick.

So instead of the climb we decided to entertain ourselves that morning by doing the 10.6 km walk around the base of Uluru with a couple of the shorter walks thrown in for good measure.  As you walk around you can see the black trails down the rock face where temporary waterfalls appear when it rains but when we were there is was very dry and very hot.  Fortunately we’d come prepared with our Camelbaks and hats and sunscreen and sunglasses but all that garb still does nothing to insulate you against the oppressive heat. 

Aboriginal children swimming in Mutitjulu Waterhole

Interpretative signage along the walk also highlights areas of particular significance to the Traditional Owners as well as art sites.  My favourite spot though was a place called Mutitjulu Waterhole (52J GS 045644 94616).  There are a few other waterholes around the base but this was by far the largest and is the most reliable water source.  All of the waterholes have motion sensors overlooking them to detect entry and I overheard a tour guide remark that if you are caught swimming you will cop a fine of up to $4,000.  However we arrived to see a group of about 15 Aboriginal kids swimming there and performing crazy jumps and dives.  The little smartie pants had stuck a hat over the motion sensor.  They were clearly having a lot of fun and loved the attention from the tourists.  They upped their antics, dancing and singing and diving in procession when a bus load of people came to join James and I watching the show.  I would have loved to have jumped in with them but a $4,000 fine would have significantly upped the cost of the trip.

 

After the walk we returned to our hotel for a while to escape the heat.  In the evening we drove back out to the sunset viewing area (52J GS 01598 96577) early and set up a little possie.  I’m pretty sure everyone who rocked up later was a little jealous.  We had a table set out with citronella candles and sat back drinking wine and eating cheese and crackers and apricots dipped in chocolate while music played through portable speakers as we watched Uluru change from orange to red to purple.  Who needs to spend $185 per person on the Sounds of Silence dinner when you have that!

Uluru sunset viewing area

The ascent up Uluru

The next morning was take two on our rock climb attempt (god you’re a dick Lisa).  We got up before the crack of dawn and drove around to the sunrise viewing area first (52J GS 07687 92745).  I was surprised at how ridiculously packed it was there.  There must have been about three bus loads of people as well as a dozen car fulls.  It did have a slightly negative impact on the serenity of the situation but it was still worth a look.  By 6:40 we had commenced our ascent.  For those of you who haven’t seen Uluru in the flesh she is pretty high (346 metres) and pretty steep.  It certainly gave our calf muscles a decent workout.  You need to have a moderate level of fitness if you want to attempt the climb otherwise you could easily get yourself into a spot of trouble.  The sign at the start of the climb explicitly states that if any of your possessions blow off you should not try and retrieve them, very wise advice.  About 35 tourists have already died doing the climb by attempting such things, and dying would be a pretty crappy way to end a holiday. 

The first half of the climb is by far the hardest but a long chain attached to a series of upright poles has been erected to help the tourists out.  The chain terminates at a place appropriately nicknamed ‘Chicken Rock’ (52J GS 03823 95233) since a lot of people reach it and decided they have had enough so they head back down.  What they apparently don’t realise is that the climb gets a whole lot easier after that.  Also the view from the top is breathtaking.  After Chicken Rock the path is marked by a series of white dashes painted on the rock.  The path terminates at a cairn in the centre (52J GS 04556 95306) and you are not allowed to proceed any further.  From the top you can see clearly over to the undulating hills of Kata Tjuta and other landforms in the distance. 

James and I at the top

The climb back down is unfortunately just as rough on the old legs as going up but it’s still well worth a look once.  The way I see it, in a day or two your legs will stop hurting but for the rest of your life you will remember what it felt like when you reached the summit.  I did cheat a bit though on the way down.  After the chain ended I decided to slide part of the way down on my bottom.  But it was only after arriving back at the hotel that I discovered the substantial hole that had worn through the seam of my pants.  I didn't mind too much though, it's reasons like that that I usually choose to wear  my $7.50 K-mart leggings out bush.  I must have been through half a dozen pairs by now getting into mischief.   

A bloke by the name of William Christie Gosse also thinks the view from the top is worth the pain.  He was the first white person to climb the rock, back in 1873.  Gosse is quoted as saying 'after walking and scrambling two miles barefooted, over sharp rocks, succeeded in reaching the summit (of Uluru), and had a view that repaid me for my trouble'.  It was Gosse that gave Uluru its other name - Ayers Rock.  He name the rock after Sir Henry Ayers who was the Premier of South Australia five times between 1863 and 1873.

Kata Tjuta unset and sunrise viewing areas

After packing up our gear at the hotel we drove out to Kata Tjuta, by that time it was 11:30.  The temperature was already well into the 40s and James had some wicked blisters coming up so we decided it probably wasn’t the best time to attempt the 7.4km, difficult grade walk though the rocks.  That would have to be a job for another day.  Lucky I got that annual pass.  We stopped at the sunset and sunrise lookouts there to take in the incredible view, then headed on our way up towards Kings Canyon for our next adventure.

Visited 28-29.01.2014

Gosse Bluff - Tnorala Conservation Rserve, Northern Territory (Central Australia)

After a morning hiking in the searing heat of Kings Canyon, James and I filled the car up with $2.26/L unledded and started out on the Mereenie Loop with the plan to head back up towards Alice via the West Macs along Namatjira Drive.  There is an alternate path back up into Alice via the Larapinta Drive which passes by Palm Valley and Hermannsberg but we decided against that this trip.  Because much of the loop between Kings and Glen Helen passes through Aboriginal land you need to get a permit to drive the route.  That’s simple enough to do though, you can buy them from the little store at Kings and it’s only $5.50 per vehicle (or the cost of 2 litres of fuel).  

Watch out for the wildlife along the Mereenie Loop

Most of the Mereenie road is unsealed and parts of it are quite corrugated but nothing compared to going up to the Mitchell Plateau so I’m not complaining.  We were comfortably able to maintain pretty reasonable speeds.  I’m told most people do it in about three hours though there was a pair of French people who managed to take 6.  I’m not quite sure how they managed to drag it out so long.  You do need to watch out for wildlife though.  We saw several herds of wild horses running about over the road as well as donkeys and cattle and I’m pretty sure one of those would leave a mark on your car if you smacked into them.

Who said clothes don't grow on trees?

Although the scenery along the loop is quite pretty and it’s interesting watching the landscape change there isn’t terribly much you can stop off to see.  There is a little lookout high on a hill not far from The Canyon where you are allowed free overnight bush camping (52J GU 44875 36934) but the view is actually better from the road either side of the official lookout/camping area which is badly obscured  by trees.  Also if you are all out of clean nickers you might be interested in stopping by the tree at 52K GU 97064 54904.

One place worthy of a little stop off if you have a 4WD is Gosse Bluff within the Tnorala Conservation Reserve.  The car park there is located only 6 kilometres off of the main road.  Tnorala reserve is managed jointly by the Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife Commission and the Western Arrente people.  So while there are some picnic facilities present like tables, shade and toilets there are also some areas of the reserve of special importance which are off limits to the more pasty folk like myself.

Inside Gosse Bluff

The large ring of hills which is the focal point of the reserve came about as the result of a terrible accident.  During the Dreamtime a large group of stars from the Milky Way took the form of women and were performing a ceremonial dance across the sky.  During the dancing one of the mothers put her baby down to rest in his wooden baby carrier (turna).  To her horror the turna fell out of the dancing area and plunged down towards the ground.  The infant tipped out of the turna which then landed on top of him.  The child and turna landed with such an impact that that the earth and rocks where they landed were forced upwards in a great heaving motion.  Here they stayed forming the walls of Tnorala (Gosse Bluff).  As a punishment for the carelessness the Milky Way was covered with sand in an attempt to hide it from view.  Tormented by their loss the Evening Star (the child’s Mother) and the Morning Star (his Father) are still searching for their missing child today.

However the less imaginative would try and have you believe that the unique formation of hills resulted from the impact of a massive ancient comet.  The impact force pushed the outer walls of the ring hundreds of metres high into the air.  Since the craters formation millions of years ago, erosion has reduced it to the structure we see today. 

The satellite imagery of the area makes for pretty interesting viewing.  However it can be a little hard from inside much of Gosse Bluff to get a feel for the magnitude of the structure around you.  But if you take the marked walk from the car park there is a lookout on a slightly raised plot of land that gives you a relatively unobstructed view of the ring of hills around you (53K KP 26308 63272).  If you are still having trouble seeing the hills there its probably a result of the flies in your eyes.  No that’s not a Catch 22 joke, those sticky little buggers were absolutely everywhere and loved to crawl in behind our sunglasses and try and get up our noses.

The lookout offers a fairly unobstructed view of the ring of hills

The view of Gosse Bluff from Tyler's Pass

For those who only have a 2WD vehicle don’t fret too much.  You might not be able to get into the centre of the Bluff but a bit further north along the main road there is a turnoff up the hill to a lookout at Tyler’s Pass (53K KP 31282 79674).  The view back down over Gosse Bluff is pretty spectacular which makes it a none too bad spot to stop off for lunch.  Unfortunately I didn’t have a camera that could really to the view justice though so I guess you’ll just have to go see it for yourself.

Visited 30.01.2014