DESTINATION: Glen Helen
The panoramic landscapes of the West MacDonnell Ranges are easily accessed from Alice Springs. Each of the West MacDonnell’s chasms and gorges has its own unique character and scenery. Simpsons Gap sports a permanent pool and rock wallabies live in the Gap's rocky ridges. Standley Chasm lights up in fiery oranges reflected by the overhead sun at midday. Picturesque swimming holes such as Ellery Creek Big Hole, Ormiston Gorge, Glen Helen Gorge and Redbank Gorge offer refreshing relief on a scorching day. Or visit the Ochre Pits that desert Aboriginal people used as a quarry for ochre, a traditional material for paintings and ceremonial body decorations. Main AttractionsContinue west and you'll travel on a road winding to the south and come to Tyler Pass, a place to stop for spectacular views of Tnorala/Gosse Bluff, a 5 kilometre crater created by a comet 142.5 million years ago. Next visit Hermannsburg, the birthplace of renowned Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira. Four wheel drive out of Hermannsburg to the Finke River, thought to be one of the world's oldest watercourses. The Finke Gorge National Park is best known for Palm Valley, which contains groves of unique and beautiful cabbage palms that are botanic remnants from millions of years ago, when Central Australia was lush with tropical forests. |
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Nearby attractions
If you're interested in an active holiday, the ultimate way to see the West MacDonnell Ranges is by foot. Bushwalking takes you where no roads can go and provides views that few visitors see. The extensive Larapinta Trail in the West MacDonnell National Park is the showpiece of Central Australian bushwalking. Starting at the Telegraph Station in Alice Springs, the trail winds along the backbone of the West MacDonnell Ranges to finish on top of Mt Sonder. Whether you plan to hike through the bush or drive from spot to spot, take the time to discover the West MacDonnell Ranges region and you might never want to leave.
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Copyright 2007,
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cmsadmin. (2005, May 20). Glen Helen. Retrieved July 05, 2008, from Plan Book Travel Australia Web site: http://www.exploreaustralia.com/australia/nt/glen-helen.
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Region: Central AustraliaLocal WeatherTourist infoTourism Top End Beagle House, cnr Mitchell and Knuckey sts, Darwin, NT 0800 Ph: (08) 8936 2499 Local Videos
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