My Top 7 Things to Do - Ormiston Gorge, Central Australia

Mt Sonder from the Larapinta Trail, via Ormiston Gorge, Central Australia

For a good time, spend a few nights at Central Australia's Ormiston Gorge and surrounds – like we did for 6 fun-filled days (and nights) in June 2012!

A geographer's fantasy, the long line of Central Australia's Western MacDonnell Ranges stretches out across the desert plains from Alice Springs full of spectacular scenery, gorges, rivers, mountains and rock formations.

135 km west of Alice Springs, Ormiston Gorge's 300 metre (985 feet) walls tower above Ormiston Creek. The doubled-over double layer of quartzite folded into itself has made the gorge's walls significantly higher than those of the other gorges in the region, and its location in the surrounding ranges means superb panoramas, wonderful walks and a marvellous base from which to experience the region.

Here's my guide to 7 FAAABULOUS experiences to have within a 10km radius of Ormiston Gorge!

1 Sunrise at Ghost Gum Lookout:

Ghost Gum at Ghost Gum Lookout, Ormiston Gorge

'Oh, you've missed the sunrise,' she said, smirking with a particularly smug condescension that almost – but not quite – masked the unfortunate inanity of her claim.

Wouldn't I have noticed if I'd been climbing the steep, narrow and rocky track to the lookout in the total darkness of the pre-dawn night?

No, the sun-drenched landscape was a dead give-away. I clearly HADN'T missed the sunrise!

I'd just experienced it in a different spot...

Secure in the superiority that one-upmanship brings to the uninformed, the couple descended into the chill of the Gorge, hung about with the several thousand dollars worth of photography paraphernalia that would prove their sunrise claims and show off their 'serious traveller' credentials.

Unused to such mindless competitiveness before breakfast, I got out my trusty single lens/single SD card/single battery/no tripod camera.

Even though the sun had ALREADY RISEN, the fine view from Ghost Gum Lookout above the towering walls of Ormiston Gorge was just begging for some amateurish clichéd landscape shots ...

As the ALREADY RISEN sun continued to ascend, the chill of the cold Central Australian desert night wore off. I wondered if the Camp Bore had left yet. The previous night, after setting everyone straight about a number of diverse topics at the communal Barbecue area, he'd inadvertently 'entertained' everyone in the campground with a DVD on 'Super-loud' setting presumably to counteract his deafness. And early this morning, he'd regaled a fellow camper who'd foolishly admitted to not hearing the dingos the previous night with a howling dingo impersonation.

Then way down in the gorge beneath us, I sensed a movement. After the Camp Bore's strangled yodelling (sadly not literal) it was quite a surprise to see the dingo moving so quietly and surely along the water's edge.

Hunting for fish.

No, really. Every year as the waterhole dries out, more and more fish compete for less and less oxygen in the shrinking pools. Then along comes a dingo in search of some easy pickings and scoops them out!

We may have 'missed the sunrise'.

But in a superb combination of poetic natural justice AND childish satisfaction (that gave my inner child a sadistic shiver of glee) WE saw the dingo.

Na na nana nah!

2 Ormiston Gorge and Pound Walk

Ormiston Gorge Walls, Central Australia

Part of the fun of this extraordinary ~7km loop trail through a cross-section of Ormiston Gorge's scenic highlights is the possibility of swimming or wading through the ice-cold water of Ormiston Creek towards the end of the trail.

But don't let this – or anything else – stop you from attempting this 3-4 hour hike. In my opinion, even though we didn't spot the Spinifex Pigeon family that EVERYONE ELSE saw, it's one of the best medium length walks in the country!

If this teaser pic isn't enough, click HERE to see what happened when WE did the walk!

3 Larapinta LITE:

Spectacular though it is, the Ormiston Gorge and Pound walk is a mere detour on the 223 kilometre/12 section hike along the West MacDonnell ranges that forms the demanding Larapinta Trail. Difficult terrain, extreme weather and remote location mean it's not for the faint-hearted – or under-prepared.

But lack of training, portable camping equipment or energy needn't prevent a 'Larapinta Lite' experience! A segment of an official section of the trail connects Ormiston Gorge with Glen Helen Gorge, a few kilometres away by road, and is quite probably one of the easier sections of the trail to attempt.

 

Just can't have too much spinifex ... Larapinta Trail, between Ormiston Gorge and Glen Helen Gorge

 

We ventured a few kilometres down this part of the track past staggering views of Mt Sonder and the Pound to a lookout point with the stunning red cliffs of Glen Helen gorge in the distance. After a fruitless search for Rufous Crowned Emu Wren, we returned the way we'd come vowing that next time we'd organise a pick up at Glen Helen Resort and walk all the way.

BUT … far more importantly, now I can add the Larapinta Trail to the list of walks I've 'attempted'!

Because no one takes my list seriously anyway!

4 Glen Helen Gorge:

Glen Helen Gorge Walls, Central Australia

In a region so crowded with spectacular gorges, time-pressed travellers wishing to avoid the risk of become 'all gorged out' can be tempted to bypass a couple of them!

Glen Helen Resort Piano

But skipping Glen Helen Gorge would be a mistake.

Not just because of the spectacular Gorge itself, either. The Glen Helen Resort offers meals and accommodation, as well as tours, helicopter flights, fuel and gas. As well as a well stocked bar.

And you can't have too much RED Rock, right?? There's more about Glen Helen Gorge HERE!

5 Mt Sonder Lookout:

Mt Sonder Lookout, via Glen Helen, Central Australia

Mt Sonder isn't the Northern Territory's highest mountain – that honour goes to Mt Zeil – but it's (arguably) the most picturesque!

 

Finke River from Mt Sonder Lookout

And as a real Larapinta trekker told us after climbing the mountain on the previous day's hike – 'it's a better view OF than FROM'!

Although there's something about its Namatjira-esque blue folds that draws one towards it, we (fairly easily) resisted the impulse to climb it and instead opted for the Mt Sonder Lookout a short distance west of Glen Helen.

Although it's a fine view in its own right, looking across the ancient bed of what is known as the world's oldest river – the Finke – is an added bonus.

6 Ormiston Gorge Campground:



Ormiston Gorge Campground, Central Australia

Call it coincidence, but the collection of campers coming and going at the Ormiston Gorge campground during our 6-night stay in June 2012 would have defied any B-grade movie casting director to create a better ensemble.

So much so that hanging out at camp was as entertaining as anything else the gorge had to offer.

Well, almost!

I guess you know you're getting older when just listening to the young couple 6 months into a year travelling Australia gives you a whole new perspective on young-love-speak. Sure, the “'Hi Baby'/'Hey sweetie!'” combo wasn't that unfamiliar – but after spending only 5 minutes apart??

Then the dialogue as they prepared to leave.

'Hey sweetie, have you packed the bedding?' 'Sure, babe.' 'There just seems more room than usual.' 'Well, maybe I just folded them differently.' 'You must have packed them in a particularly awesome kinda way!' 'Yeah sweetie.' 'So do you fold them up, honey?' 'No, I just throw them in, babe.' 'I'm flabbergasted!' 'Hey, why don't we make X's favourite meal when we catch up?' 'Babe, that's a GOLDEN idea!' Education and entertainment all in one, we were sorry to see them go.

But replacing them was Broken Hill artist, Eric McCormick whose vibrant works beautifully capture the magic of the desert. Eric took our breath away with a catalogue of his works inspired by a visit to Spain's Rio Tinto and we enjoyed several entertaining chats over the communal barbecue.

The aforementioned Camp Bore spoke so loudly we all knew that he and his longsuffering wife had spent the best part of 5 years on the road. And at the rate of one new campsite every few nights, my mind boggled at how many people he'd potentially annoyed and irritated during that time …

Campground & Amphitheatre from Ghost Gum Lookout Trail, Ormiston Gorge

Then there was the couple with such a faulty sense of direction that in trying to find the Gorge and Pound walk they'd ended up somewhere else altogether. We tried to explain how to access the Larapinta segment we'd done, but they couldn't find it. I wonder whether they even knew they were at Ormiston Gorge??

With hot showers and free barbecues, the $10 per night per person rate seemed quite reasonable for a site within cooee of the gorge and all its attractions. But the camp hosts still spent a good part of their day in a losing battle to keep the freeloaders from hogging the amenities the rest of us had paid for. In a vain attempt to keep the solar-heated hot water for those who'd paid for it, the showers were locked from 10am – 4pm each day.

Except on the hosts' day off when the amenities were left open all day. Word gets around – a steady stream of campervans and clapped out old cars headed in, showers apparently ran hot all day and the water was well and truly cold by the time we returned from our daily adventures ...

Ghost Gum Lookout Trail, Ormiston Gorge

Is it something in the air? Or water?? Or does this strange and magical place attract the quirky, off-beat and downright bizarre?

And if so, what does that make US????

7 Ghost Gum Loop at Sunset:

Ghost Gum Loop Trail at Sunset, Ormiston Gorge, Central Australia

The Ghost Gum Lookout is part of a longer loop walk along the Gorge's western wall, descending into the gorge and returning by rock-hopping along the creek bed. Whether or not you attempt the whole loop, it's well worth reaching the lookout in the very late afternoon.



Ghost Gum Lookout - and sign!  Ormiston Gorge, Central Australia

Because looking across the gorge from the lookout is very different to the sunrise ALREADY RISEN SUN view as the setting sun lights up the Eastern wall.

But … far down the gorge and deep in the silence of sunset, the dingo lurked again!



Still Life with Dingo, Ormiston Gorge Sunset

Read More about Central Australia:

• Walk Ormiston Gorge and Pound
• Glen Helen Gorge
• Standley Chasm
• Aussie ABC – G is for Gorge
• Aussie ABC – A is for Alice Springs
• MacDonnell Ranges