Top 5 Red Centre Caravan Escapes, NT
Sometimes it’s tough to get into a caravan park in Alice Springs, so here are a few excellent caravan destinations while you wait.
Remote camping, orange sand, dry riverbeds, serenity, history and culture. This is what camping in this part of Australia is all about. A camera is a must, as is a sense of adventure as the destinations below allow you to discover some amazing places. If you haven’t been to any of these places before, add them to your bucket list and start planning a Red Centre expedition.
Palm Valley
Access to the Palm Valley campground is only suitable for high clearance 4WD vehicles as the access track crosses the Finke River a few times. Drop some air from your tyres, including the caravan as the river sand is often deep in places. You are not permitted to take campers/caravans past the campground.
The track from the campground to Palm Valley has been modified in recent years, making it less gnarly, but high clearance will help you over the rocks that litter the track. From the car park, there are two walking options, both offering great views of the ancient Red Cabbage Palms - which are only found in this section of central Australia – and the valley.
The five-kilometre Mpulungkinya loop walk climbs high up onto the sandstone plateau above the palms and leads to views across Palm Paddock before dropping down deeper into the valley. The Arankaia walk is a shorter two-kilometre walk along the valley floor and amongst the palms before a shorter climb up onto the plateau and then loops back to the car park.
Not far from the campground is the Kalarranga Lookout, a short climb that offers extraordinary panoramas of the remarkable weathered sandstone hills. I can recommend the five-kilometre loop Mpaara Walk that envelops you into the Aboriginal Dreamtime by following the story of Mpaara, the Tawny Frogmouth-man and the Pangkalanga Devil Man.
Stunning landscape views from Kalarranga Lookout
Palm Valley Visitor Info
Region: Finke Gorge National Park
Nearest Town: Alice Springs is 138km east via Larapinta Drive.
When to go: The cooler months from April to September are the best times, but the roads may close after heavy rain.
Camping: You must book and pay online before visiting Palm Valley. Camping costs $12 per adult and $6 per child. There are flushing toilets, solar-heated showers, LPG barbecues and burners and communal fire pits. During peak times rangers hold informative talks around the campfire.
What to take: A compressor and tyre gauge, firewood, food and water. Take out what you take in.
Difficulty: The 16km track into Palm Valley and campground can be accessed by high clearance 4WD and offroad caravans. Carry extra food and water, vehicle equipment, recovery and safety gear.
Contact: Finke Gorge National Park
Owen Springs Reserve
Once a thriving cattle station covering 1570km², Owen Springs opened as a reserve in 2003 and has become popular with overlanders searching for a great place to camp, away from the hoards. Besides the incredible bush camping, the reserve has a historical back story, as well as reminders of its pastoral heritage, best experienced on the 50km Owen Springs self-drive.
While the track can be driven in either direction, I’ve written this as travelling from north to south. The Homestead, now ranger station, is the first set of structures you’ll come across with the old Aboriginal quarters nearby. You can explore the quarters, although most of the ‘buildings’ have disappeared. The Aboriginal stockmen were extremely important to the property as they were often skilled horsemen and fencers.
Explorer John McDouall Stuart first trekked through this country in 1860 which led to the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line that originally followed the Hugh River through Lawrence Gorge.
Crossing open plains as you close in on the Waterhouse Range, an old set of redgum yards and branding yard can be found on your left. A little further on is the Old Homestead site. William Gilbert built two log cabins in late 1873, the first homestead to be built in Central Australia. The stone homestead was built from 1886 with the operations gradually moving to the north, to Milner’s Well in the 1950s.
As you enter Lawrence Gorge, it’s easy to spot the signposts signalling where camping is permitted. The next stop is the old Haunted Tree bore; the cattle would often be spooked when the limbs of nearby gums rubbed in the wind. The tank was washed away by a recent flood and can be found a short way downstream as you continue the drive.
Once out of the gorge, enjoy the views across the desert plains with burnt orange sand, golden grasses and mulgas. Crossing the Hugh River, the track to Redbank Waterhole soon appears on your right. There are several areas suitable for bush camping on both sides of the river with the waterhole often dry if the river hasn’t flowed for some time.
Owen Springs Reserve Visitor Info
Region: Owen Springs Reserve
Nearest Town: Alice Springs is 66km north via the Stuart Highway or 50km west via Larapinta Drive.
When to go: The cooler months from April to September are the best times, but the roads may close after heavy rain.
Camping: There are two remote bush camps, one between the signposts within Lawrence Gorge and at Redbank Waterhole. You must book and pay online before visiting Owen Springs. Camping costs $6 per adult and $3 per child. Campsites on the southern section of Redbank Waterhole have easy access, however campsites on the northern side can be more difficult due to deep soft sand. Lawrence Gorge campsites require high clearance 4WD to reach them. You need to be self-reliant as there are no facilities.
What to take: A compressor and tyre gauge, firewood, food and water. Take out what you take in.
Difficulty: A high clearance 4WD is essential with some sections of the 50km self-drive track following or crossing the sandy riverbed of the Hugh River. Carry extra food and water, vehicle equipment, recovery and safety gear.
Contact: Owen Springs Reserve
Henbury Meteorite Craters
It’s hard to imagine what the Arrernte people thought when a large meteorite travelling at more than 40,000 kilometres an hour broke up before hurtling into the surface of the earth around 4000 years ago. The noise would have been deafening and the shock waves that ran through the earth would have startled the native animals, as well as the local inhabitants. No wonder it’s a sacred site.
Access to the Henbury Meteorite Conservation Reserve is via the unsealed Ernest Giles Road that runs between the Stuart Highway and Luritja Road, with the turnoff 15km from the highway. It is then five kilometres to the campground on a very corrugated road.
These days the conservation reserve is a protected area, with more than 12 craters and an area that still contains meteorite fragments. Visitors are free to explore the crater field, using the walking track that leaves from the campground, and please, leave only footprints and take only photographs as the fragments you see lying all about the ground are protected.
The geological structure of the craters has helped in interpreting features on planets such as Mars, and US astronauts visited the area to prepare for moon landings. Over the years, erosion has started to wash soil into the craters however the Aboriginal people wouldn’t drink the rainwater that collected, fearing they’d be filled with iron.
Henbury Meteorite Craters Visitor Info:
Region: Henbury Meteorites Conservation Reserve
Nearest Town: Alice Springs is 145km northeast via the Stuart Highway.
When to go: The cooler months from April to September are the best times, but the roads may close after heavy rain.
Camping: Remote bush camping with only four designated sites. Costs $6 per adult per night and $3 per child. Campsites must be booked and paid for online before arrival. There are pit toilets, fire pits and shelters with tables.
What to take: Firewood, food and water. Take out what you take in.
Difficulty: Ernest Giles Road is an unsealed and dry weather-only road. The track into Henbury Craters and the campground can be accessed by 2WD vehicles. Carry and drink plenty of water and slip, slop, slap.
Contact: Henbury Meteorites Conservation Reserve
Chambers Pillar
Explorer John McDouall Stuart arrived at this stunning landmark on 6 April 1860 naming it Chambers Pillar after a mate. Stuart didn’t leave his tag on the rock, but those that followed did. William and Mary Hayes took up land at Deep Well; Warne and Randle worked on the Overland Telegraph; storekeepers; coppers; and scientists have all carved their names in the rock. Thankfully it is now illegal.
Getting to Chambers Pillar is a little easier on vehicles and drivers these days, with money having been spent improving the road. Following the South Road out of Alice Springs, you’ll notice another track running beside you, this is for the annual Finke Desert Race. Take the turnoff to Maryvale Station, and don’t forget to spend some cash in the store to help out a small business.
Towing a camper into Chambers Pillar is simple
The walking track to the Pillar leaves from the campground. Climbing the sandstone steps up to the base of the pillar provides 360 degrees views of the surrounding landscape and a walkway has been erected to allow easy viewing of the rock and to protect the fragile sandstone from erosion.
The campsites aren't particularly large, but they are well dispersed
The site is significant to the local Aboriginals who retell the Dreamtime story of Itirkawara, the Gecko ancestor. A giant of a man with a violent temper he killed several of his ancestors with his stone knife. Confident in his abilities he took a wife from the wrong tribe, enraging his relatives.
Banished, the couple returned to the desert, Itirkawara fuming and his wife shrinking in shame. They rested in the dunes and turned into rocky formations, Itirkawara into the Pillar, and his wife into Castle Rock. Sunrise and sunset are by far the best times to photograph Chambers Pillar.
Chambers Pillar Visitor Info
Region: Chambers Pillar Historical Reserve
Nearest Town: Alice Springs is 160km north via the Old South Road. Maryvale has a store with limited supplies.
When to go: The cooler months from April to September are the best times, but the roads may close after heavy rain.
Camping: Two designated campgrounds with free gas barbecues, fire pits and pit toilets. The campsites are dispersed and cost $6 per night for adults and $3 per child. Campsites must be booked and paid for online before arrival.
What to take: A compressor and tyre gauge, firewood, food and water. Take out what you take in.
Difficulty: The 45km track from Maryvale into Chambers Pillar can be accessed by 4WD vehicles and off-road caravans. Carry extra food and water, vehicle equipment, and recovery and safety gear as the roads may be closed after rain.
Contact: Chambers Pillar Historical Reserve
Rainbow Valley
As a landscape photographer, I’ve been wanting to visit the colourful sandstone bluffs and cliffs at Rainbow Valley for many years. The road into the conservation reserve is compacted sand, with corrugated sections along the way and although signposted as 4WD only, I came across plenty of 2WD vehicles having a crack.
Closing in on the reserve, I started seeing the first glimpses of the geological formations and all I could think was, WOW! The best times to view Rainbow Valley is in the soft morning light or during golden hour around sunset. As it was mid-afternoon, I decided to find a campsite and set up before heading to the day area with my camera and tripod.
Rainbow Valley is also important to the Upper Southern Arrernte people, who still use it as a place to camp and teach the kids about the place and looking after country. They call this place Wurre.
Boardwalks lead to the salt pan which lies before the main section of Rainbow Valley and you are asked to always stick to the walking trail. There are plenty of spots to wait for the right shot, and as the sun began to set below the dunes over my shoulder, the sandstone bands began to change colour from ochre red to orange and purple matched perfectly with the explosions of colours in the skies above. I highly recommend checking this place out.
Rainbow Valley Visitor Info
Region: Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve
Nearest Town: Alice Springs is 75km north along the Stuart Highway. The conservation reserve is a further 22km on an unsealed road.
When to go: The cooler months from April to September are the best times, but the roads may close after heavy rain.
Camping: Two designated campgrounds with sites costing $6 per night for adults and $3 per child. Campsites must be booked and paid for online before arrival. There are pit toilets, fire pits and shelters with tables.
What to take: Firewood, food and water. Take out what you take in.
Difficulty: The access road to the reserve is recommended 4WD only and is a dry weather track. Carry and drink plenty of water and slip, slop, slap.
Contact: Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve
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