August  2nd  2017

When we rose this morning the temperature was 5.1 deg but within an hour it had dived down to 4.1 deg. This is much colder then we have had. We were keen to leave early and actually drove out the Redbank Campgound gate at 8.15 am. Our Permit to drive the Mereenie  Loop was dated for 02-08-2007. This was to be a continuous trip with only one stop allowed and No Camping. Surprisingly we had more bitumen road than expected. The Namatjira Drive connects with Larapinta Drive to form the Mereenie Loop  It was originally developed when the Mereenie Oil Wells were opened. Most of the Mereenie Loop was a wide gravel winding road which varied in quality. We took one diversion and that was to take a closer look at Gosse Bluff which is actually part of a meteor site. It is a beautiful area with a wide variety of trees and beautiful red/brown rocky crags and bluffs which at this hour of the morning appeared to be dark red/purple in colour.

Gosse Bluff

There were very many trees and bushes to be seen ..some of  which were flowering. We could not identify them all but many we familiar with….Desert grass- trees which have an unpronounceable name  ‘Xanthorrhoea thorntonii’, Mallee trees with lovely blue/green glaucous leaves, Kurrajong trees, Acacias, Cassias, Spinifex, Desert Oak trees, Euclyptus socialis which was displaying cream coloured  flowers, Thryptomene and Grevilleas.

The drive was enjoyable with wonderful scenery nearly always dominated by beautiful rocky ranges displaying the ‘bones of the earth’.

There was much evidence of brumbies but we did not see a single horse. We saw no other animals and only a few birds..finches and a few budgies. An interesting Speed restriction sign was

 LIFT UM FOOT.....get the message

Speed Restriction message

We booked into the Camping Ground at Kings Canyon Resort so I did some  much needed washing..everything becomes so dirty with so much dust everywhere. The background mountain to this park is the magnificent range that encompasses Kings Canyon. The park itself is crowded and facilities could be a lot cleaner