Ononandaway

Day 6 - Coodlie Park Farm Retreat
Tour Itinerary (Perth to Adelaide, 9 Day Tour)
Our first stop today is Bairds Bay which is a sublime stretch of coastline where we can spend time on the beach and having a swim.

For those wanting to experience one of Australia's most unique wildlife experiences of swimming with dolphins and sea lions (OE $140) we have the time at this stop to do so. This incredible optional wildlife experience involves a four hour boat cruise. We find the friendly populations and can swim and snorkel amongst them. There is nothing that can parallel the feeling of communing with wild creatures such as these.

A short drive brings us to Murphy’s Haystacks, incredible granite rock formations sculptured into wondrous and weird shapes over millions of years. After that we go to Talia caves.
Not far from the caves are the sanddunes where we go sandboarding.

After that part of the day you can relax on a private beach, spend time exploring the many beautiful bush or coastal walks on Coodlie Park Farm Retreat.

Day 7 - Mikkira station
This morning we head out and learn to surf with Spike . So we go to a beautiful deserted beach and spend the next two hours mastering the surf breaks.
after the surfing at scales bay we go to the Colton Bakery - a unique wood fired bakery on the side of the highway with a honesty pay system.

We travel to Locks Well and admire the view and the man made 291 steps down to the Locks Well beach.

Day 8 -Port Lincoln

Those not wishing to be quite so extreme head out to Whalers Way Conservation Park for some more spectacular and stunning coastlines,after lunch we go and swim with blue fin tuna. before a visit to Glen Forest Wildlife Park and the kangaroos, koalas, emus, birds and other unique Australian animals.

Our first stop is Wadlatta Cultural Centre in Port Augusta that helps provide answers to the many questions about the formation of the Nullarbor, Flinders Ranges, and the formation of Australia as a continent.

HelpX
Wooffing is fairly well known but HelpX is the non organic version of a website matching up hosts who need work doing with travellers who need a roof over their heads and food for free. For a joining fee of $25 you can get access to emails of host in all areas of Australia. We made a few enquiries before a positive reponse from Didj Gallery in Katherine. We agreed a start date of 1st August and were welcomed by Petrena an Alex the owners. Just 5kms East of Katherine on the way to the gorge is a Block 3045. It houses a few single storey buildings and a wealth of Aboridginal culture mainly in the form of Manual & family and Adrianne who lead a cultural experience which includes learning different styles of Aboridginal painting, spear& boomerang throwing and using fire sticks to make fire. Having spent 5 months in Australia Manual and Adrianne are the only aboridginals we have been able to speak at length with to gain an understanding of their ancient cultures. A reality check on the amount of information we are loosing through not listening possibly lost for ever.

What right do I have to pass comment ? Feelings are very strong of injustice and sadness.
From the moment we entered Perth back in late December the visual impact of the Aboridgines has been with us. Groups wandering around with bottles, groups sitting cross legged in parks or dried up river beds to individuals looking out of place in modern urban landscape. Listening to radio and watching tv there is a sense of a two tier society from the outright racist remarks to patronising comments about the successes of Aboridginals in sport or art. There are about 750,000 Aboriginal people in Australia many appear to have no focus and seem lost in a society that they have very little connection with. Two policies I have great difficulty with are - The big mining companies pay huge sums for the use of Aboridginal land direct to individuals and the governement seems to be issuing a 'Basics card' which allows the holder to only buy what the government thick is desirable. Respect and Responsibilty appear to be absent. Many people have tried to bring justice admiral intent but the 'what ifs' seem to have been missed. So much of a wonder culture is being lost to the wrong policies and 'grog'. I sincerely hope a way is found to capture the varied culture of over 70 different Aboridginal Tribes in the very near future.
The current set of politicians are not repected by the electorate and spend most of their time on photo opportunities and sound bits - Australian let them get on with their jobs.

Uluru formally known as Ayres Rock in Red Centre of Australia.
An iconic draw, one of the 7 natural wonders of the world and a picture of beauty. Rising over 343m from the desert scrub floor. First sight of the Rock leaves you in no doubt as to the reason to be here. The Rock emerges out of a flat desert plain, occasionally you can see other 'tiny' rocks in the distance. About 10km around the base and oval in plan section. An eroded remnant of a long lost mountain range. The vertical coarse red sandstone layers stick up out of the desert floor stretching to wards the sky. We decided to climb the Rock. There is no easy way to the top in fact there is only one way - over 40 people have died climbing to the top. A chain anchored every 3m acts as a safety rail for the first 200m climb on a narrowing buttress. The coarse arkose 800my sandstone does provide good grip even at the very steep angles. As you look left & right the ground is a long way down. Jacky sailed up - me not so keen after several deep breaths and feeble attempts to rationalise the fear I focused on the metre in front - we both made the summit. After the chain runs out out there is still a km to go climbing over the undulating vertical strata rock. Pools of water show just how wet it has been - 5 days ago waterfalls were cascading on all sides - a rare picture. Peaks over 80kms away are visible through the haze of the late afternoon sun as are the sand dunes now covered in spiniflex grasses and srub way below. Headed back to the sunset viewing area which was crowded with 500 cars & campers all gazing at the rock. As the sun sank the rock became vivid red from its deep red of the middle of the day. Even after the sun had set the colour changes were continuing. A must do and I hope many more will see this natural wonder as the memmory will stay for every with us.
About 40kms out in the desert are the Olgas or Kata Tjuta -36 domes of course red conglomerate gently dipping layers unlike the veritical strata of Uluru. By studying the rounded pebbles in the conglomerate it would be possible to develop a story of the geological past of this area which must go back to 2 billion years. We spent a day walking in the deep gorges with towering cliffs rising above us and listening to some of the enchanting bird song that filled the air. A sign does say that when the temperature reaches 36c the paths are closed, which makes you think about just how hot it can get in summer. The walking was just like a spring day being cool in the shade the difference was the sun still packs a huge punch as we are just on the tropic of Capricorn. As the sun sank the colours of the domes came to life -I think you just have to see it as no description I can write is worthy.
Watching sunrise over Uluru was disapointing as it was not in the same league as the sunset we were previlidge to watch a couple of nights ago. The colours were not as vibrant although you have to have seen it to appreciate the changing images of Uluru. Guided walk along the Mala trail filled in a few gaps about the significance of Uluru to the local people. A clash of cultures over access to the summit - time will see if sanity prevales.
A 3 hr drive through a greening desert landscape and the stunning views of Mt Conners took us to Kings Canyon for a couple of days of walking. Only seen evidence of the 1million camels here abouts and a couple of Red Kangaroos during our afternoon drive. A great walk around the rim of Kings Canyon in the late afternoon sun. Walking on 400my old sand dunes and ancient lake beds with ripple marks now very hard rocks was special. The canyon is home to 80 relic plant species of the dinosaur age due to its water supply. Shapes ,colours and textures - an overload of visual stimulation. A visit to the Garden Of Eden, a pool of water surrounded by towering red cliff walls and the sight of prehistoric cycads was definately worth the steep initial climb. The water attracted Western Bower Birds and ducks plus several other species which I was unable to identify. Met up with Jan and Steve from Auckland who are travelling in Trevor a Landcruiser for yet another NZ winter and exchanged tales of the trip.
7 Natural wonders of the world ? What are yours ?
Grand Canyon, GBR, Milford Sound, Amazon, Fujiama, Uluru, Himalayas

Glen Helen Resort and gorge for the night just 12k up the road from Orminston Gorge. A evening of very good Australian singer song writer country music followed a recolation to near the helipad due to the loud music at 1am from some of the drunk students made for a night of contrast. Complained about the disturbance and got our money back for the camping - result - would have preffered a good nights sleep. Thought about mt Sonder but decided to go and have a look at Ochre Pits and breakfast. Pits from where the body paint is collected by the locals - stunning colours in the vertical mudstones in the early moring sun. Next stop Ellery Gorge another break in the West Macdonnell Range to allow a river through. Reflexions in the water hole near the gap were a joy. A short walk over the dolomite and an immediate change in the vegetation - The Outback all looks the same - LIKE HELL IT DOES !! We are seeing the a landscape after 2 years of high rainfall which followed 10-15 years of drought so all I can say is we are very lucky as the flowering plants, bushes and tree are breath taking. Evidence of the very rare brush tailed possum and dingoes but no sightings.
Back to Alice for stores & petrol before heading south in the late afternoon. On our drive down from Alice we stayed at the Mt Ebanezer Roadhouse. We had to break into the campground or carpark with the help of some people we met at Orminston. No one around to take money or man the fuel pumps so a couple ended up staying the night as they were out of fuel, despite having an early flight from Alice in the morning. 50 km from anywhere,the Roadhouse is run by locals and a great art gallery next door. A night of mice - not a plague as now they were only catching 150 a night and not 600 at the peak of the mouse plague. The one that ran over Jacky's face caused the most annoyance despite others eating their way into our food supplies. Finally got shot of the mice two days later with the aid of an ultra sonic device loan from a Tassie couple who took pity on us. Our only hope was that the mouse did not go from us to them as we had the deterent ! The owner of the gallery said its the wettist it has been since white man arrived. Floods earlier in the year had cut off the Roadhouse and stranded hundred of people coming back from Uluru. This area looks flat but there are floodways and apparently we were on high ground. Waters thick with red mud had run through the roadhouse but did not cause too much damage as he said they opened the door to let the mud through. Has to be seen and heard to be believed.