After a 9 month stint working at a record label in Sydney, it was time to accomplish what I’d originally set out to do – explore the ‘real Australia’ before heading home to London.
My Polish grandfather (a nomadic explorer and poet) emigrated to Oz in the 1970’s. In 1987 he set off on an epic expedition – to hike more than 3800km from Sydney to Kununurra! For more than a year he hiked 30km every day with his dog and a cart that he'd made by welding together 3 shopping trolleys. Sadly, almost as he reached Kununurra, he passed away.
I really wanted to honour his legacy by following in some of his footsteps. So I booked a trip to the Outback in an attempt to get a glimpse of what he’d experienced more than 30 years earlier.
Adelaide to central Australia
From start to finish my trip to the Northern Territory was hands down the highlight of my entire year Down Under. Don’t get me wrong, the East Coast was great but for me, the Outback was in a league of it’s own. My trip began in Adelaide. I was travelling as part of a group of 14 – a mix of Europeans and Aussies - all backgrounds and ages, albeit with a communal sense of adventure. We hit the road in a cosy mini-van and within 4 hours had reached our first landmark – a small town called Melrose. Established in 1840, Melrose is nestled in the Flinders Ranges, South Australia’s largest mountain range and is the oldest town in the area. After exploring this quaint town, we stopped for lunch under an old gumtree before setting off for Coober Pedy, a further 6 hours along the Princes Highway. I’ve spent a fair amount of time in mining towns in South America so I wasn't too excited about this stop, but it turned out to be one of my favourites on the trip. Coober Pedy, known as the ‘opal capital of the world’ is a peculiar little town where most of the inhabitants live underground to keep themselves shaded from the unforgiving heat. We quickly understood why the name Coober Pedy translates as ‘boys waterhole’ in Aboriginal. For the wildlife lovers amongst you, Cooper Pedy is also home to Josephine’s Kangaroo Orphanage, where you can meet the rescued kangaroos and adorable baby joeys. We spent the night in an underground bunkhouse then set off early for an epic day-long drive up to our next destination.
There’s something truly magical about driving for hours on the Stuart Highway whilst listening to Paul Kelly records and not passing a single car. I just loved gazing out the window and seeing nothing but red dirt, dried up astrebla grass and clear blue skies. On these roadtrips my thoughts often switched to my grandad’s expedition. I wondered if we had crossed the same paths and I was often left bewildered by how he’d managed all of this by foot!
Northern Territory
Crossing into the Northern Territory was a big milestone during the trip. The border confirmed we were in the true depths of Outback Australia. Crossing the border also meant we were just a few hours away from the holy-grail - Uluru. We made it to our campsite just before sunset so quickly dumped our gear and raced up a nearby hill for a glimpse of the famous rock formation. What we saw silhouetted on the horizon didn’t disappoint. Uluru was a truly awe inspiring sight, especially when it glowed red. Once the sun had set and with our tinnies of beer downed, we headed back down to camp to prepare for the first of many nights sleeping in swags. A swag is essentially a heavy duty Australian sleeping bag. If I'm honest, this is something most of us had been nervous about given all the critters you can find in the Outback but we were absolutely fine. In fact we were more than fine, it was an amazing experience. You can’t beat sleeping out in the open, under the brightly lit stars with a light breeze brushing your face to keep you cool. I’d highly recommend swag life as a way to really experience the Outback and get back in touch with nature. It’s an earthy experience in more ways than one.
Mother Nature
The following few days we had to adjust our body clocks to avoid the brutal heat. We were doing our trip in December (the height of summer) so we were asleep by 10pm most nights and up at 4am to either drive somewhere or to get around a national park before it closed at 11am. I’m not an early morning person but I thrived in these conditions. There’s something quite humbling about being forced to adapt to your environment or risk feeling Mother Nature’s brutal revenge. I’ve travelled extensively and other than Patagonia, this was the only time I’ve ever really felt at her mercy. Where in the world would it hit a scorching +40C by 10am? It’s a significant experience; you learn discipline and develop a deeper respect for the land.
Uluru
So this was the day we’d all been waiting for - the morning we were to come face to face with Australia's most recognizable natural landmark – Uluru. As we drove closer to Uluṟu–Kata Tjuṯa National Park, it was immediately evident why this place is a UNESCO world heritage site. It’s a beast of a sandstone rock. The geological term for Uluru is an inselberg - an isolated rock mountain. It soars to well over 1000m high. I’m sure you’ve seen some incredible photos of Uluru but honestly, they won’t do it justice. You need to see this place with your own eyes to be-able to fully absorb the majesty of it. After a fascinating visit to the Aboriginal Cultural Centre where we learnt about the local Anangu people and their ancestry it was time to begin our 4 hour hike around the base of the incredible rock formation. It was here we also learnt about the spiritual significance of Uluru. For the local Angangu population, Uluru is sacred. The many caves around the rock hold deep spiritual meanings and contain ancient rock paintings. For this reason the locals do not want us to climb it. Some ignore this wish and do anyway (which I think is incredibly disrespectful). We’re on Angangu land, we should respect their law. The hike around the base was fantastic. Between gazing up in disbelief at the sheer size of Uluru we learnt about the local flora and fauna.
After more swagging and the best sunrises and sunsets I’ve ever seen in my life it was time to hit the road up to Watarrka National Park.
Kings Canyon & Alice Spring
Our accommodation on this night was equal to a 5 star hotel in our eyes – a glamping pod! After a bit of frolicking in the local campsite pool and spotting dingoes, it was time to get ready for the evenings events. Tonight was special because it was New Years Eve. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend it – out in the wilderness with some newly found friends. Given our newly adjusted body clocks we didn’t even make it to midnight. We had some beers and all hit the sack around 10pm but that’s fine, we had an important thing to get up for the next day. At 3am on New Years Day we set off for Watarrka National Park, home to the Kings Canyon. It was the perfect way to see in the New Year. At 7am I was standing on the rim of the ancient sandstone canyon with a hangover free head! We spent 4 hours exploring the vast sandstone domes, lush plant life and the famous watering hole "Garden of Eden". The Canyon Rim Walk was a definite highlight and a must-do for those of you toying with the idea of visiting the Northern Territory.
Just after lunch we boarded our trusty mini-van for the final time to make our way to Alice Springs. ‘Alice’ as the locals call it is the third largest town in the Northern Territory. It’s an odd place, but there was some great stuff to do, notably the Reptile Centre where you can have a more than up close and personal encounter with Goannas, Pythons and their enormous crocodile.
For me, Alice Springs also had a deep personal importance as it’s where I found out exactly where my grandad passed away. The people at the local registry office were incredible helpful in my pursuit for answers. It was closure and the perfect ending the an incredible, life affirming trip.
Final thoughts
I’ve met so many people, Aussies included, who’ve never been to Uluru or the Northern Territory and I think it’s a real pity. Everyone harps on about Bryon Bay, the Barrier Reef etc but the remote outback is the REAL Australia. If you have the time, don’t fly there; hit the road. Half the beauty of the Northern Territory are the barren landscapes, the random outback towns and being in the elements.
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