Australia is a continent. Or rather, it is a single island, floating between the southern Indian Ocean and the vast Pacific Ocean as the only continent that is a single country. Compared to the rest of the world, it is the sixth-largest country and the smallest continent in the world. But exactly how big is Australia? The continent is estimated to be 2.97 million square miles, or about 7.7 million square kilometers. That’s huge, isn’t it?
Of course, in three weeks we could only get a small taste of it; it’s like trying to describe the “flavor” of a plate of spaghetti just by looking at the tomatoes and basil in the vegetable’s garden.
In any case, with my husband behind the wheel of cars and RVs, most of the time, we racked up almost 5’000 km.
Obviously, we absolutely have to go back and for several reasons.
The flight with Qatar from Zurich via Doha to Adelaide wasn’t a quick one; well, I slept a little, trying to mitigate the jet lag and its following effects.
A month before departure, we had to revise our itinerary because SeaLink SA Ferry canceled our Thursday evening reservation, so we ended up spending two full days on Kangaroo Island. But since we had already booked the flight from Sydney and the hotels in Ayers Rock and Alice Springs, this meant we had to cover more kilometers per day on the first leg of the trip.
Kangaroo Island is a small, unspoiled corner of paradise! From Adelaide, it takes a couple of hours to get to Cape Jervis. The Ferry to Penneshaw runs every hour, but you need to make a reservation. Very strict checks are carried out before you can board the ferry, in order to prevent insects or small animals that could be harmful to the ecosystem from being brought onto the island. We spent a couple of nights at Emu Bay Holiday Homes, a lovely location half hour away from Penneshaw!
We had the chance to tour the entire island, stopping by the Emu Bay Eucalyptus Oil Distillery shop, where they make various products from eucalyptus leaves. We also visited Raptor Doman, Seal Bay Conservation Park, Cape du Couedic Lighthouse, Admirals Arch, Flinders Chase, Bunker Hill, and Sneling Beach, where I collected several tiny seashells and some sand for my daughter’s collection. We saw many animals and a rich variety of flora; the landscapes are breathtaking. The only downside is the multitude of dead kangaroos lining the narrow roads. In Australia, kangaroos are viewed in very different ways: they are loved as a national symbol, but they are also considered a threat to agriculture and motorists. Unfortunately, it must also be noted that on more than one occasion we observed that speed limits are not being followed, which is why it is quite possible that this is one of the reasons for the thousands of dead animals we encountered along the roadsides (dirt roads, state highways, and even freeways). The sight of animals killed by cars was, unfortunately, a daily occurrence, this really struck me deeply and caused me great distress.
A visit to Seal Bay Conservation Park, which is part of the South Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service, allowed us to admire a colony of sea lions with several pups from a safe distance. It is a strictly protected area where silence is required and visitors are prohibited from attempting to make contact with the animals.
After leaving Kangaroo Island, the trip was a bit exhausting, but we still made a few stops before it started pouring rain. It was a long 7h 30′ drive that took us to Mount Gambier, where we spent the night at the Presidential Hotel.
The next day, early in the morning, the trip continued with a few stops, such as at Tower Hill Park Wildlife Reserve—Parks Victoria, where we walked for a couple of hours until we reached the top of a hill where there’s a lake inside a volcanic crater.
Then we had a cappuccino in Peterborough and in Port Campbell, where we saw a stunning rainbow from the lookout.
But the main attraction was definitely the Twelve Apostles Marine National Park.
It was freezing cold with a fierce wind caused by the currents of both the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean meeting. Icy rain fell on and off, but Loch Ard Gorge, The Razorback, The 12 Apostles, and Gibson Step Beach were breathtaking! Along the Great Ocean Road, we drove through the Latrobe Bushland Reserve/Lower Gellibrand to Moonlight Head. It’s a famous headland with a 360° view of the ocean below, but unfortunately the path was impassable and there were gates with “No Entry” signs. So, after driving around in circles a few times and running the risk of running out of gas, we gave up.
Given the bad weather we had to skip our planned visit to Cape Otway; we then drove to Apollo Bay, where we stayed the night at the Waterfront Motor Inn.
If we ever return to South Australia, it will be in December (summer), and we certainly won’t miss the Great Ocean Walk.
The next day it was pouring again; I would have gladly stayed under the duvet, especially since it was also very cold. I expected it to start snowing at any moment, but the lowest temperature had been 5° Celsius.
After leaving Apollo Bay, we took the C119 north through Otway National Park and finally the M1 East, which took us to Melbourne.
Since the weather was still gloomy, we just made a quick stop in the city without spending too many hours there.
Our final destination was Lakes Entrance, a journey of in total over 500 km and more than 6 hours of driving. Fortunately, the Sandbar boutique Motel was well-heated, with two rooms and a very kind host, though the Wi-Fi left something to be desired.
Early morning. It’s raining again, and there’s a bone-chilling wind. I saw the beautiful beach at Lake Entrance from the other side of the bridge while my husband Massimo ventured out there despite the weather.
Today, too, we had a trip of more than 6 hours heading north, passing through Canberra, the capital of Australia. We didn’t stay in the city, but we did visit Capitol Hill, where the government is headquartered, surrounded by consulates from all over the world.
We drove through Kosciuszko National Park, another marvelous attraction on this continent. Rainforests gave way to arid areas, all sharing a single unpleasant commonality: animal carcasses along the roadside.
I know, this is something that breaks my heart, and I can’t help but mention it… if any reader ever decides to visit the country, it’s wise to be aware of the negative aspects as well.
We arrived at our destination before dark and spent the night at the Goulburn Motor Inn.
We took it easy that morning, confident that the drive from Goulburn to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains National Park would take only 3 hours, passing through Abercrombie National Park.
Unfortunately, near South Bowenfels, due to a traffic accident on the A32, we couldn’t access Katoomba from the west; instead, we had to head north on the B59 to Richmond and then take the A32 westward from there toward Katoomba, and the trip took 5 hours.
Although it took us two hours longer than expected, we were able to see the Three Sisters, Echo Point, the Giant Stairway, and Lady Darley’s Lookout at sunset. The entire Blue Mountains region, so named for the distinctive bluish hue caused by sunlight filtering through a fine mist of essential oils released by the eucalyptus forests, is breathtaking! The Blue Mountains aren’t mountains formed by a collision of tectonic plates, but rather a vast sandstone plateau sculpted over millions of years. The area was originally covered by a shallow sea. Over thousands of years, sandstone deposits, followed by tectonic uplift and volcanic activity, and then erosion, carved out the canyons now covered by dense vegetation, mostly eucalyptus. As you walk along the various trails, you pass through semi-tropical, humid vegetation and into cool, shady forests. A multitude of birds such as the Rainbow Lorikeet with its blue head and red body, the bright red Crimson Rosella with blue and black wings, and the white Sulphur-crested Cockatoo with its yellow crest, keep you gazing upward for hours (I’d forgotten my binoculars at home!).
I would have stayed there for several more days, as there are countless trails, some easy others leading to very deep gorges accessible via safe, vertical ladders.
We spent the night at the Palais Royal Boutique Hotel, a building dating back to 1896 that has retained its charm over these 130 years.
Next destination: Sydney.
Early morning, we drove through a section of the route that we hadn’t been able to take the day before because of the detour. We stopped at Eagle Howls Lookout, Ladslide Lookout, and Boar’s Head Lookout, all located on Cliff Road. Scenic World is the departure point for a cable car, a chairlift, and a funicular that comfortably takes you down to the rainforest valley below (for those who don’t want to exert themselves or walk).
The trip to Sydney was quick; we reached the city in 1 hour and 30 minutes and were able to take a quick city tour of the Opera House, the beautiful Botanical Gardens, and a few other distinctive buildings, such as St. Mary’s Cathedrals and St. James’s Church. For my taste, there were too many tourists crowding just about everywhere, while the park (fortunately) was almost deserted.
That night we stayed at The Great Southern Hotel—nothing special, really, with small rooms, and the price wasn’t worth the service.
The Jetstar flight from Sydney to Ayers Rock was a real test of our patience. We had to change terminals no fewer than five times. Some passengers weren’t even present at the gate for boarding, and we despaired that the flight would finally be canceled and that the rest of our roadtrip would go down the drain. Having worked for an airline, I understood perfectly well that, for safety reasons, there could be no compromise on strict security checks.
In the end, we took off late, but somehow the view of the Uluṟu monolith from above had comforted me.
Once we arrived at Ayers Rock Airport, we picked up a new rental car and headed straight to Yulara’s Lost Camel Hotel, dropped off our luggage, and made our way to our destination: Uluṟu National Park.
A long time ago I dreamed about it, it was a strange dream, but I still remember it.
Ayers Rock/Uluṟu at sunset with some rain and clouds or in the dimmer light of the morning’s sunrise with a temperature of 6° and a chilling wind: and there it was… the Sacred Monolith.
It is a massive sandstone rock in the heart of the arid “Red Centre” in the Northern Territory. It is sacred to the Aboriginal people of Australia, and its formation is believed to have begun about 550 million years ago. It is located within Uluṟu-Kata Tjuta National Park, which also includes the Kata Tjuta rock formation (colloquially known as “The Olgas”), consisting of 36 red rock domes, which we did not visit, however.
With Ayers Rock behind us, the drive to Alice Springs was nearly 500 km. We made a few stops to drink and snack, but the effort wasn’t worth the trip. The problem was that to get to Darwin, our final destination, we had no choice but to take a flight from Alice.
The city of Alice Springs is bleak. It’s dirty everywhere, with many disheveled and destitute Indigenous people clearly under the influence of alcohol, a déjà vu of what I’d seen on my travels through Native American reservations in Arizona and New Mexico… this sight made me very sad. Wherever we white people have gone, we’ve brought cultural and social devastation.
We thought we’d be able to visit The Kangaroo Sanctuary, but unfortunately, when I planned the trip, I hadn’t read that it was closed on Sundays. This was yet another disappointment to add to the list; I’d written to the Sanctuary weeks ago before but never received a reply. Too bad I would have liked to give them some money for the babies kohalas and kangaroos. The only positive thing, aside from two dead emus on the sides of Highway 4 and then the A87, was that I didn’t see any dead kangaroos or wallabies. Maybe it’s because there’s absolutely nothing to see in that part of the Northern Territory, so it’s not very busy? We spent the night at the Crown Plaza Hotel.
The next day, we flew to Darwin again on a Jetstar Aviation flight. In Darwin, we picked up the small camper van to continue the rest of our adventurous trip.
It was a very enriching experience: a bit different from traveling by car and staying in hotels for the night.
We got to experience the “strangeness” of sleeping in the forest, without running water or electricity to rely on, but it was undoubtedly an unforgettable moment.
These national parks are teeming with crocodiles, so it’s always important to stay away from the swamps and keep an eye out.
We picked up our pass at the Bowali Visitor Center for Kakadu National Park. From there, we traveled through the Burrungkuy Region (Nourlangie), Nawurlandja, Anbangbang Billabong, and Burrungkuy, then headed up to Malabauijbanjdja, where we stopped for the night.
During the night, the temperature dropped again, allowing us to rest well.
The following morning, we took a one-hour walk around the Bubba Walk, a billabong. After a 40-minute uphill hike, the Mirray Lookout also allowed us to take in the vastness of this part of the park.
We visited the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Center, where we learned about various aspects of Aboriginal culture. We were supposed to spend the night in a remote part of the park, at Gunlom Campground, about thirty kilometers down a dirt road, but… we got stuck in the sand! Even though we’d called roadside assistance, no one showed up for an hour, and it was only by sheer luck that two kind souls (Anna e Rigo) stopped to help us. Otherwise, we would have had to spend the night there. Lesson learned: next time, we’ll get a 4×4 vehicle equipped for situations like this.
Fortunately, we were able to find a caravan park in Pine Creek (The Lazy Lizard) and spent the night there.
The next day, we set off again heading southeast toward Nitmiluk National Park, which is located south of Kakadu National Park. There, we took a boat to travel upriver along the Katherine River and visit two of the three “gorges” (which are teeming with crocodiles, though they remained well hidden from your view). Since it was the dry season, the water level was low and the river was navigable; during the rainy season, it’s impossible to venture into the gorges. The rock formations carved by water on the Arnhem Plateau are impressive. We also would have liked to visit the Franz Weber Territory Wild Horses Sanctuary (a Swiss organization we’ve been following for many years), but unfortunately the gate was closed. The rangers provide information about the presence of the infamous freshwater crocodiles; in fact, wherever there are pools of water, there are signs indicating whether swimming is prohibited or permitted.
Once we arrived at Nitmiluk Gorge Caravan Park, we treated ourselves to a delicious watermelon mojito.
After leaving the Caravan Park, we drove along Gorge Road to Edith Falls (Leliyn Falls) and took a refreshing swim. We could have reached a second, much taller waterfall, but it would have required a roughly 1-hour uphill hike.
Continuing on, we arrived at a small lake in a mining area where gold was mined until 1995 (a sign indicated that 2,000 kg of gold had been extracted). Heading down onto the Stuart Highway, we entered another mining area, likely connected to the previous one.
After an exhausting journey, we arrived at the Coomaliec Caravan Park; there were quite a few small kangaroos there, but they kept their distance from us. There was no shortage of frogs; they were hopping around everywhere, but some had taken refuge inside the electrical outlet box… a sight that was a bit out of the ordinary.
After leaving Comaliec Creek, we arrived at Lichtfield National Park. Since it was Saturday, we had the opportunity to attend a meeting with a ranger who works there. He provided us with interesting informations about the local flora and fauna, with a special focus on the enormous termite mounds and the larger Cathedral Termite Mounds situated nearby at an information shelter that offers a fascinating insight into these remarkable creatures and their habitat.
Up to 100 years old, these structures are unique to northern Australia. If you stroll along the boardwalk you marvel at these enormous magnetic compasses, with their narrow edges pointing north-south and their broad backs facing east-west.
Afterward, we stopped at Buley Rock Hole and, walking through the dense riverine forest, reached the plateau. A trail further down leads to Tolmer Waterfall, but the area is closed to the public to preserve the delicate ecosystem, which is already under significant pressure. Among the most endangered species are small wallabies and a couple of bat species.
The entire plateau area is dotted with a succession of waterfalls, some tall and narrow, others less imposing but wider in span.
Although we’re in the “dry” season, there’s no shortage of water. At Wangi Falls, the waterfalls form a larger pool where people cool off in the water.
Leaving the plateau behind, we visited an old, abandoned Bamboo Creek tin mine.
We arrived at the famous Dundee Beach in the late afternoon and checked in at Dundee Beach Holiday Park, where we’ll be spending our last few nights before heading home.
Unfortunately, we hadn’t counted on the innkeeper! Saltwater crocodiles are the ravenous inhabitants of these stunning coastal waters. It’s not uncommon to see large specimens measuring over 3–4 meters. As a result, you must always stay alert, keep a safe distance from the water’s edge, look ahead to where you plan to walk, avoid venturing out at night, and, especially during low tide, be careful around rocky areas that emerge from the shoreline.
No swimming in the sea, no lounging on the pristine, spotless beach that stretches for kilometers… and perhaps, it must be said, thanks to the presence of this member of the Crocodylidae family, the beaches are a true and unique wonder, completely free of any debris.
I’m absolutely certain of one thing: we’ll go back, and we’ll stay longer because there’s just so much to see, but we’ll get a bigger RV and it has to be a 4×4. The idea of venturing into secluded, remote, and charming areas has really gotten under my skin! I’ll have to convince my husband… and pass on some of my great thirst for adventure to him!