SEGMENT 8

Australia boasts some of the most venomous animals in the world. Aside from snakes and spiders, the most poisonous critter is the box jellyfish which paralyzes the nervous system and causes death. While this jellyfish is mostly found along the east coast, the northern waters have their smaller version, the Irukandji, which, according to the helpful lifeguard in Broome, "will get you into the hospital". Too small to detect in the water or be deterred by nets used in Queensland, this jellyfish causes symptoms such as severe back pain, abdominal cramps, and "a feeling of impending doom". Now this might be just me, but if you've been stung by one of the most poisonous creatures on earth and are feeling immense pain, aren't you justified in feeling doomed?

Having left Broome behind, we stopped at the Boab Prison Tree (pic01) near Derby, where Aborigines were kept by the white settlers for various questionable crimes. Then we headed for the Gibb River Road, famous for its isolation and stunning gorges and waterfalls. Due to an unusually long and stormy Wet season, however, parts of this unpaved track were still flooded and except for a small portion, the road was closed to all traffic. The waterfalls carried more water than usual and were exceptionally spectacular but we couldn't get to them! We drove into the Gibb River Road as far as we were allowed and experienced a thunderous downpour accompanied by an incredible sunset (pic02). In no time, the henceforth dry trail turned into slippery slush and we understood why most roads are closed when wet. We explored lovely Windjana Gorge (pic03), part of the ancient Devonian Reef which once stood here. When the oceans subsided, erosion started and rivers cut breathtaking gorges into this limestone. We started our walk through the gorge very early in the day and although it was overcast, the air in the rainforest was muggy and thick. The river flows only in the Wet; during the Dry, it is reduced to separate pools which are home to fascinating creatures like the Archer Fish, which shoots insects from the air with a spout of water, and freshwater crocodiles. These grow to about 10 feet (3 meters) and are usually harmless, unlike their quite dangerous saltwater cousins which can get up to 25 feet (8 meters) long! We had been advised to stay away from murky water holes and heed all warning signs and didn't intend to take a dip anytime soon.

Back on the highway, we noticed the "no speed limit" signs (pic04). We visited Geiki Gorge with its magnificent rock colors and pushed on to Purnululu National Park or better known as the Bungle Bungles. These rock formations offer great hiking through fantastic gorges. We also enjoyed a helicopter flight just before sunset to see the rock mounts shaped like beehives and canyons from the air (pic04). This park is an absolute must for any visitor to the area who is equipped with a 4WD vehicle!

Sunday, May 7. We pushed on south along the Tanami Desert Track, a 1250 miles (2000km) dirt road through the Outback. Once a service road for the local mines, it is now driven by quite a few tourists who want to experience the Outback away from the crowds. A quick detour took us to Wolfe Creek Meteor Crater. Through seemingly endless bushland we continued along the rather well maintained dirt track until we reached Rabbit Flat Roadhouse, one of the most remote roadhouses in Australia. The owners have been living in this isolation for over 30 years and have plenty of stories to share with those who stop for fuel or food. On Tuesday morning, we reached Alice Springs, an outpost of civilization in the middle of the Red Centre, which offered a surprising area of services. After stocking up and updating our website, we moved on into the desert. The West MacDonnell Ranges feature many scenic spots with lovely gaps in the red rock walls and the occasional waterhole, though the water temperatures discourage any swimming. Along the Mereenie Loop, a heavily corrugated dirt track through Aboriginal Land, we reached Kings Canyon (pic05) where we climbed to the ridge of the gorge and hiked along the rim - a truly marvelous experience! Finally, we reached Uluru (Ayers Rock), the iconic monolith that everybody associates with Australia. The area around the rock and Kata Tjurta ("The Olgas") is protected in a National Park and the only services available are found in the nearby Yulara resort, very touristy and equally expensive. We found some solitude on our 5.8 miles (9.4km) walk around the base of Uluru which surprises with its many crevices and dimples (pic06). Because of strong winds, the climb to the top was closed both days. As Aboriginal landowners, for whom the rock is sacred, prefer visitors do not climb the rock, we hadn't planned this strenuous hike anyway. Not to be missed is a sunset when the rock turns blood red in the disappearing light. In the campground we met a young couple from Germany who were touring Australia on bicycles.
Another wonderful hike took us through the many fascinating rock formations of Kata Tjuta. After leaving Uluru, we were headed for Finke Gorge National Park to attempt a 4WD track mentioned on our maps. We had contacted the Alice Springs 4WD Club to see if any members might be interested in joining us but nobody was available on this short notice. The track was extremely scenic, passing through bushland, crossing red sand dunes, and meandering along dry creek beds with many river gum trees. Eventually we reached Buggy Hole, the attraction which makes this track popular with locals: here the Finke River, supposedly the oldest river on earth that still runs its original course, actually carries water. We camped on the riverbank and enjoyed a spectacular moonrise.
The next morning greeted us with chilly temperatures. Ever since reaching the Outback, we had barely taken off our sweaters during the day, and at night temperatures dip below freezing quite frequently. It is hard to imagine that summers suffer a sweltering 115 degrees F (47 degrees C) on a regular basis! We followed the track north to Hermannsburg and took the short but lovely 4WD track into Palm Valley, a protected area where the rare Red Cabbage Palm thrives. Then we returned to Alice Springs to do some maintenance on our Jeep. The heavy corrugation on the Mereenie Loop had taken its toll again: while the cracks welded by Mike so expertedly held up without problem (see segment 7), the roof on the driver's side had now ripped open. We needed to find a mechanic with a good welding hand, and an oil change was also on our agenda. We were able to accomplish both and the mechanic widened the gutter mounts to distribute the load of the roof rack better (pic07).

We also visited the Central Operations of the Royal Flying Doctor Service which provides medical assistance to those in remote areas of Australia. It was established in 1928 and the local branch covers an area larger than Western Europe. These days, doctors and nurses fly in modern airplanes and use phones for communication, but in the early days their work was much more rugged.
Some data:
Patients attended: 210,423
Aerial evacuations: 31,231
Number of aircraft: 45
Bases: 23

pic01

pic02

pic03

pic04

pic05

pic06

pic07

for more pics click here