The Australian Outback with the Tin Lids (slang for kids)
A year of planning was almost ruined by dad’s accident with an axe on the morning we were due to head out. A quick inspection by mum, the application of a band aid, it wasn’t as bad as dad made out and we left Brisbane on our way to Roma to meet up with our travelling partners, a family of four. What lay ahead was three weeks of touring through some of the most remote but beautiful country in the world ending at Ayers Rock in the centre of Australia
The distances between locations can be daunting with two families with five children under 15 in tow, however, good planning and
exciting destinations will always triumph over “are we there yet?”
The highlights were many and varied so the Bowness’ got to nominate our top stop.
Miss Alyssa, seven, couldn’t limit herself to just one so she went with a top 3;
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Number 1, goes to the Alice Springs Big Four Park. Swimming pool, go carts, didgeridoo competitions, bouncing castle, leap of faith, table tennis, pinball, Sunday pancake day meant the kids were entertained while mum and dad got to relax after a week on the road. We were there on Territory Day so we had a fireworks extravaganza that would put Sydney New Years to shame.
Number 2 was the AAPT VIP BBQ at Uluru (Ayers Rock). A bus picked us up from the resort and drove us out to Uluru in time to see the sunset (see our picture) followed by a fair dinkum Aussie BBQ under the stars at the cultural centre operated by the Anangu people, the traditional owners of Uluru. Prawns, crocodile, kangaroo and emu prepared by a world class chef who doubled as the star guide. She couldn’t stop talking about it.
Number 3 started with “What is that smell” she asked. “That’s the camels” Coby replied. So started a couple of hours of bouncing around outback Australia on former racing camels with names like Doc and Greyhound. What a better way to see the Australian outback but on the back of a true Ship of the Desert.
Number 2 was the AAPT VIP BBQ at Uluru (Ayers Rock). A bus picked us up from the resort and drove us out to Uluru in time to see the sunset (see our picture) followed by a fair dinkum Aussie BBQ under the stars at the cultural centre operated by the Anangu people, the traditional owners of Uluru. Prawns, crocodile, kangaroo and emu prepared by a world class chef who doubled as the star guide. She couldn’t stop talking about it.
Number 3 started with “What is that smell” she asked. “That’s the camels” Coby replied. So started a couple of hours of bouncing around outback Australia on former racing camels with names like Doc and Greyhound. What a better way to see the Australian outback but on the back of a true Ship of the Desert.
Australian Outback Town
Coby, eleven, was much more sure. After an early start at Arno’s Wall in Winton – a wall made of everything you can think of we headed out of town on gravel roads all the way to his favourite of the trip, Larks Quarry. The world’s only recorded dinosaur stampede. 3300 fossilised dinosaur footprints, something you don’t see everyday.
Nathan,fourteen, couldn’t believe his luck when the pilot said to him “I’ve got a spare seat, do you want to go again?” So up he went again for his second flight over Kings Canyon. The views of Kings Canyon, the domes of the Lost City, the Garden of Eden before diving off the Carmichael Crag were breathtaking. His first ride in a helicopter couldn’t have been more spectacular. The next day was the Rim Walk around the canyon. It didn’t seem quite as far when you were in a helicopter.
Mum was bitten by the prospecting bug when we stopped at Gemfields just North of Alice Springs. After two days of corrugations on the Plenty Highway it was a pleasure just to stop the rattling and bed down for a few days in the Gemfields Caravan Park. Around the camp fire we met our first Grey Nomads. Grey Nomads are retirees who travel around Australia and dearly miss their grandchildren, so we leant them ours. A night of camp oven cooking as they taught the kids how to bake a cake over an open fire is a night we will never forget. We met Grey Nomads at almost every place we stopped and found them to be a source of great conversation and information.
The next morning we drove out to the garnet fields where we were given shovels, buckets, sieves and we started digging, washing and gazing through the sieve to find that elusive red garnet. The lure kept us there all day digging in the dirt. A cheer every time we found a new one. After a long day we headed home to see if we made our fortune. The jeweller back at Gemtree took our bags of garnets checked each and every one sorting them into little piles. It became quickly evident that the biggest pile was not the big ones. While we didn’t make our fortune we did find enough to make a nice set of ear rings for Mum. The hard work had paid off. Finally.
Nathan,fourteen, couldn’t believe his luck when the pilot said to him “I’ve got a spare seat, do you want to go again?” So up he went again for his second flight over Kings Canyon. The views of Kings Canyon, the domes of the Lost City, the Garden of Eden before diving off the Carmichael Crag were breathtaking. His first ride in a helicopter couldn’t have been more spectacular. The next day was the Rim Walk around the canyon. It didn’t seem quite as far when you were in a helicopter.
Mum was bitten by the prospecting bug when we stopped at Gemfields just North of Alice Springs. After two days of corrugations on the Plenty Highway it was a pleasure just to stop the rattling and bed down for a few days in the Gemfields Caravan Park. Around the camp fire we met our first Grey Nomads. Grey Nomads are retirees who travel around Australia and dearly miss their grandchildren, so we leant them ours. A night of camp oven cooking as they taught the kids how to bake a cake over an open fire is a night we will never forget. We met Grey Nomads at almost every place we stopped and found them to be a source of great conversation and information.
The next morning we drove out to the garnet fields where we were given shovels, buckets, sieves and we started digging, washing and gazing through the sieve to find that elusive red garnet. The lure kept us there all day digging in the dirt. A cheer every time we found a new one. After a long day we headed home to see if we made our fortune. The jeweller back at Gemtree took our bags of garnets checked each and every one sorting them into little piles. It became quickly evident that the biggest pile was not the big ones. While we didn’t make our fortune we did find enough to make a nice set of ear rings for Mum. The hard work had paid off. Finally.
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Dad loved the magical Uluru
Dad loved the magical Uluru, the spectacular meteor impact crater at Gosse Bluff, the majesty of the Palm Valley, beauty of conquering the Pound Walk at Ormiston Gorge but really enjoyed the challenge of the Finke River drive. A quick stop at Hermannsberg to fuel up then an all day 4 Wheel Drive adventure along the Finke River through the Boggy Hole then onto Kings Canyon.
It was slow going as we encountered rocks deposited over a millennia in this river that runs only every 10 years or so.
The importance of good planning and the need to travel in groups was demonstrated when we answered a call for help from Roger and Jane who were hopelessly bogged in an old dry creek bed. A lot of digging, pushing and towing with one car while we kept the other safely on the track resulted in a successful recovery. A very sheepish Roger, joined us for lunch then thanked us as we headed on our way to Kings Canyon for a meal and cocktail for the ladies.
Three weeks is a rush to cover the wide brown land that is the Australian Outback. However, there is no better way to experience the Australian outback than on the road. Staying in campgrounds, the local pubs, country hotels and avoiding the resorts makes it an affordable and fun family holiday. Where else but Boulia would the publican tell you the wines behind the bar out back, help yourself just let me know what you drink. You got to love the country hospitality.
Find the Best Holiday Destinations in the world including the most popular countries and most beautiful cities.
It was slow going as we encountered rocks deposited over a millennia in this river that runs only every 10 years or so.
The importance of good planning and the need to travel in groups was demonstrated when we answered a call for help from Roger and Jane who were hopelessly bogged in an old dry creek bed. A lot of digging, pushing and towing with one car while we kept the other safely on the track resulted in a successful recovery. A very sheepish Roger, joined us for lunch then thanked us as we headed on our way to Kings Canyon for a meal and cocktail for the ladies.
Three weeks is a rush to cover the wide brown land that is the Australian Outback. However, there is no better way to experience the Australian outback than on the road. Staying in campgrounds, the local pubs, country hotels and avoiding the resorts makes it an affordable and fun family holiday. Where else but Boulia would the publican tell you the wines behind the bar out back, help yourself just let me know what you drink. You got to love the country hospitality.
Find the Best Holiday Destinations in the world including the most popular countries and most beautiful cities.
Some other great Australian destinations include:
- Queensland
- Victoria
- Victoria - Bermagui
- Victoria - Melbourne Weekend Getaway
- Northern Territory - Kakadu
- New South Wales - Sydney
- Western Australia
- Tasmania
- South Australia
