The primary purpose of our visit to Australia was a 10 day live aboard dive trip in which we got about 200 miles into the Coral Sea. Visibility was usually in excess of 150' and the sights were the most beautiful things I've ever seen - absolutely. But this is not about diving. As long as we were going to spend 27 hours in an aluminum tube, Boston to Dallas to Honolulu, to Sidney, to Cairns, we figured we should also see a bit of the land portion of the continent down under. So not only did we pack along our SCUBA gear, but also our backpacking gear. I've never carried as much junk! Two of us could only fit in station wagon taxis!
We chose to visit the Gammon Ranges in the Australian outback, north of Adelaide (Adelaide is on the south coast of Australia). The Gammon Ranges are about 390 miles (8 hours) north of Adelaide, solidly in the desert outback. Our first surprise was trying to get maps and info on the place. I'm used to the U.S. where you stop in a backpacking store and the people there are generally knowledgeable about nearby outdoor regions. Furthermore, I've met a number of Australians in the U.S. and every one of them was stark raving mad (which is what I liked about them), willing to do the most outrageous things. So I was a bit surprised when the response at several backpacking stores was, "Well, I've heard of 'em, but don't know anyone who's ever been there." We finally went to a map store where it turned out the proprietor was the person who had actually surveyed and mapped the Gammon Ranges for the Australian government. Good info there. The other interesting little encounter while in Adelaide was with the rental car company. The person at the desk asked us where we would be staying on our visit, assuming we would be driving the coast highway around the southern edge of the continent toward Sydney, or something like that. When we told him we were heading north to the Gammon Ranges I swear he turned several shades lighter in color and so, "Oh No! You can't take the car there! It's not allowed off sealed roads!" I just growled a bit and threatened to have him for lunch and left with the (red) car. It seems (based on only a couple of data points) that most Australians don't leave the coastal strip of population.
Well, we headed north and quickly left the paved roads behind, heading up long stretches of dirt roads with few or no vehicles. Saw a number of kangaroos and wallabies by the road on the way. We eventually got to the Gammon Ranges and car camped in Weetootla Gorge. The next morning we started on a cross country backpacking trip to Bunyip Chasm - a small box canyon. For most of the way there was no trail - just map & compass. The flies were overwhelming. Fortunately they were not hungry - they just buzzed around and looked for a free ride. I was walking behind Carol in a dry stream bed and counted well over a hundred riding on the back of her pack. I'm sure I had a similar number. About 1/2 way along this map & compass wilderness experience we came to Grindell Hut (which we had thought from the map was abandoned) with two painters living in it, and the next thing I knew, along came a pickup with 2 people in it going to Bunyip Chasm! Hmm-m, turns out about the middle third of the route we had planned followed a 4WD road. Dang, I hate carrying a pack when I can ride! The good news was the pickup gave us a ride to the end of the road and had some cold water. At the end of the 4WD road we continued again on foot. By the time we reached Grindell hut we had left most of the flies behind, which certainly improved our outlook on things. To reach the upper end of Bunyip you pass several fairly narrow sections where a minor scramble is required to climb some small drop-offs. From the end of the 4WD road to the end of Bunyip Chasm was really spectacular desert canyon scenery. After reaching the end, we returned part way and camped. The next morning we hoofed it back to Grindell Hut and decided to drop our packs (and come back on the road in the car to get them). We headed back through Weetootla Gorge without packs (which made it easier) and got in the car to go retrieve our packs. When we found the road to Grindell hut, we saw it was marked as a 4WD road - great, now we were not only taking this poor guy's rent-a-car off paved roads, but on a 4WD road no less! Well fortunately it was a very mild 4WD road and we made it to the hut with no real problems.
We explored a bit more of the Gammon Ranges by car, including Arkaroola Village and trading post. Then we headed south by back roads to Wilpena Pound which we explored only briefly before heading on down to Mt. Remarkable. We camped at Mt. Remarkable for two days a did a couple of day hikes including an extended day hike loop.
All-in-all, I found the Australian outback interesting, but nothing compared to the American west. Australia is a much older (geologically) continent and simply has much lower relief. I'm glad I went, and glad I explored some of the land, but next time I'll concentrate on the diving.
Oh, and when I dropped off the red rent-a-car it was so covered with dust and mud, I don't think I could see a trace of red paint anywhere on it - it was now a brown car.
Postscript (2000): I'm pleased to say that I recently participated in a successful campaign to prevent mining in the Gammon Ranges National Park. As a result of this web page, I was contacted by someone in Australia, enlisting my help to fight a proposed mining lease in Weetootla Gorge. The lease was eventually denied by Iain Evans, Minister for Environment & Heritage following a couple of personal visits and a review of data on the impact.
Postscript (2001): December: I have just received a letter from the Honorable Iain Evans, Minister for Environment & Heritage, that he is initiating a process to to re proclaim the Gammon Ranges National Park to permanently remove all mining rights in the park. Good Show Mr. Evans!