Cycling in Outback Australia

Detailed travelogue of our Down Under to the Red Centre trip from Darwin to Alice Springs and Ayers Rock. It was a long and hot ride at the start of the hot season in November 1988. This ride was part of our 'round the world trip

Destination Red Centre

Below us we saw the lights of the city. After a long flight we finally reached our destination: Darwin, capital of The Northern territory, located in North Australia. Our plan: cycling to the very heart of this immense continent. While the cabin crew was spraying the plane to kill foreign germs we tried to get a glimpse of the country that would be our home for the next 6 months.

At 4 o'clock in the morning we stepped on Australian ground. Although the next city is more then 1500 kilometres away Darwin is a modern town with all amenities. After the disastrous cyclone Tracy (1974), which wrecked most of the place, the town was completely rebuild. The first days we were busy to acclimatise. Yes, Darwin is located in the tropics, every day of the year is hot and humid. Year round temperature ranges from 30 to 40 degrees Celsius. More beer is being consumed here then in any other Australian town (230 l. per head per year). They even have their own beer bottle size: the Darwin Stubby, containing more then 2 litres.

We arrived in October. This is the time of the so called 'Build Up'. Temperature and humidity are then building up to the wet period that begins in December.

Kakadu National Park

First destination was a 'short' side trip of only 250 km's (one way) to Kakadu National Park. This park was declared World Heritage Site by the United Nations. It is famous for its unique flora and fauna, and for the aboriginal rock paintings. Some of these painting are more then 3000 years old, and are believed to be among the oldest art-sites in the world. There are hundreds of them spread out through the entire park. Only a couple of them can be visited; most of the paintings are considered sacred and are off-limits for non-aboriginals.

Halfway on our way to Kakadu we crossed the mighty South Alligator River. Take a trip up the river and you begin to understand its name. If you're lucky you can spot the crocodiles baking in the sun. The locals call them 'salties' because they prefer the salty water of river mouths. Near the waterfront large signs warn visitors not to camp near the river, even making noise can attract these animals. Still every year a couple of people lose a leg or more.

Time to rest: 42° Celsius, roadside stop with emergency-water tank on Stuart Highway.

While camping in that area we were bothered by a much smaller animal. Hundreds of 'man-eating' ants were attacking our supplies and even eating their way trough the bottom of our tent. Only after several counter-attacks with insect-repellent they backed off for some time.

The famous rock paintings display all kind of pictures. Ranging from beautifully shaped and coloured fish, kangaroos, snakes, etc. to the first artistic impressions of the white man arriving in this part of the world. We had a wonderful time in Kakadu National Park. The roads were in good shape and there were only a few visitors. We even did not mind cycling those 250 km's back to Darwin. While cycling I killed the time counting the empty beer cans along the road. There were thousands and thousands of them.

Down the Track

The Stuart Highway runs all the way from Adelaide in South Australia to Darwin in the north. Only a few years ago long stretches were rough dirt road, but as a part of the Bicentennial Program (200 years Australia) many improvements were made. We had to cycle 100 - 150 kilometres a day to reach the next roadhouse ( a gas station with additional facilities like camping , a small shop, a restaurant, etc.).

Roadtrain and cyclist
Larger version of this panorama

In between those small settlements there would be nothing then endless desert. The main problem was the drinking water. In our water bottles we carried 3 litres but on hot days this would never be enough. Therefore we carried two additional 4 litre water bags. Mostly they were empty by the end of the day.

thirsty cyclist drinking giant bottle of icy cold coke

To avoid the heat we got up at 5 a.m. every morning. After 11.30 a.m. cycling became impossible. We had to wait till it started to cool down a bit. Never before 3 p.m. we were able to continue. Under these conditions water became a precious commodity. At the end of a very hot day the first thing we did was to buy two 1.5 litre bottles of Coca Cola and drink them on the spot.

Our first 'tourist spot' on the Stuart Highway was the spectacular Katherine Gorge. The Katherine River flows through it. During the dry season it is a placid stream but after heavy rainfall it becomes a raging torrent with several dangerous rapids. We hired a canoe to explore the gorge. During the cool season you may see small fresh water crocodiles on the riverbanks.

Just one day cycling down the track was the Mataranka Homestead. It's a beautiful place to camp. Nearby is a crystal clear thermal pool where we washed off the red dust.

Hundreds of giant bats were hanging in the trees around this pool. It's an ideal area to see some of the local wildlife. Kangaroos crossed our road more then once; there are many colourful birds (kakatoes, parrots), wild horses, all kinds of reptiles, etc.

The further south we got the dryer the climate became. The suffocating humidity of the tropics disappeared. The air was so dry , sweat vaporised instantaneously leaving a thin white layer of salt on our arms. Nights became cooler and cooler as we approached the Red Centre. Most of this area is a so called 'semi-desert'. There are numerous rivers but most of them carry water only every 10 years. But even without rain most plants can survive. Like the small melons growing along the road, living on the morning dew dripping of the road.

Not all animals were here from the beginning of times. Large herds of cattle destroy all local plant life, leaving a bare desert behind. Although the traffic signs "Danger ! stock on road" were numerous, we more then once passed the carcasses of dead animals. We could smell them from miles away. Large herds of wild camels also live in this area. Originally they have been brought in from Afghanistan to help to explore this harsh country. Now they are being used on tourist trips and some are even exported to countries like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Cattle attract another animal : the infamous Australian Bushfly. They sit on your head, on your back, simply everywhere. Sometimes when one of us was preparing a sandwich for lunch, the only duty of the other was keeping the flies off the sandwich. They even managed to zig-zag in front of your face while cycling at speeds over 35 km's p/hr. Waving your hand in front of your face is one of those typical Australian gestures.

Further south traffic became sparse. Only a few cars passed us every hour. Some friendly drivers stopped to offer us a cool drink. Every day we were passed by one the most spectacular vehicles of the Australian Outback. Giant trucks, called Road Trains, pulling up to three huge trailers. Drivers in cars are warned to move off the road when these monsters blow their horn to pass.

After several weeks we finally reached Alice Springs, a small town ( pop. 20.000 ) but with all facilities. An oasis in the desert, a nice place to have a break from weeks of hard working. Our final destination 'Ayers Rock' was just outside Alice. Well, to Australian standards it is : only 450 km's separated us from the world's largest monolith. By that time we were already thinking according to Australian standards of distance, so we considered this distance only a minor challenge.

The Rock

cycling around Ayers Rock
Cycling around The Rock

Only 4 days of pleasant cycling brought us to Ayers Rock. This rock is 3.6 km long and rises more then 300 meters from the surrounding pancake-flat desert. Nearby is the Yulara Resort which consists of a large campground, a youth hostel and several hotels. The main things to do here are climbing the rock and watching its famous colour changes at sunset and sunrise. Of course climbing the rock is nothing compared to climbing a real mountain but still several people have lost their lives here. Some got a heart-attack, others lost their grip on the slippery surface of the rock.

aerial view of Ayers Rock
Larger version of Ayers Rock from the air

On the top there are wonderful views of the country, but there is more to do here. The excellent Visitors Centre organises Aboriginal Guided Tours where local people show you their traditional way of living. There are walking trails and one can visit the Olga's, a group of equally impressive rocks nearby. At the foot of this rock, 3100 km's of cycling to the heart of Australia finished. We took a bus to north-east Australia to continue our trip, but that's another story.

Questions?

If you still have some questions left do not hesitate to send us an e-mail. Frequently Asked Questions and answers about cycling in general can be found at the FAQ pages.

Cycling in Outback Australia / 1988

Destination Red Centre

Kakadu National Park

Down the Track

The Rock

Questions?