Great Central Road – Alice to Perth

Today we fly to the “Alice”.  We visit the historic Telegraph Station and Anzac Hill lookout before having some free time in town. There is also an opportunity for a balloon flight tomorrow over the Ranges – just fantastic! (own expense) (D)

We will visit some of Alice’s other amazing attractions.  We travel to Trephina Gorge Nature Park, known for its sheer quartzite cliffs, red river gums and sandy creek bed. Several waterholes attract native wildlife and provide a beautiful setting for bushwalking. Then to Ross River Homestead for Lunch. The appeal of Ross River Homestead is some of the most dramatic and beautiful countryside in the West MacDonnell Ranges. Ross River Resort is the historic Loves Creek Homestead built in 1898 by the pioneering Bloomfield family as a working cattle station. (B)

Departing Alice we head to Kings Canyon in the Watarrka National Park, which sits at the western end of the George Gill Range. We will take a walk into the Gorge, with its breathtaking 100-metre-high walls and then onto our accommodation and helicopter rides over the ranges (own expense), later a beautiful sunset viewing over the Watarrka National Park. (B,D)

On to Curtin Springs on the Lasseter Highway for morning tea and a look at this 1-million-acre cattle property, visiting the lookouts of Mt Connor and Lake Amadeus along the way. (B)

Today is all about the “Rock” and the “Olgas”.  We enjoy a very informative tour with a local guide, and have the opportunity to explore the area, and visit the Cultural Centre. You may also fly over both attractions (own expense), before heading back to the “Rock” for a BBQ dinner and a spectacular sunset, later returning to Curtin Springs. (B,D)

Onto the Great Central Road in the Great Victoria Desert which runs 1126km from Yulara to Laverton in WA. We will pass five small communities on the way. The Great Central Road has its origins in the early 1930s when Warburton was established as a missionary settlement and supplies were delivered from Laverton via a rough bush track.  We’ll see a large variety of wildlife in the area – dingoes, emus, kangaroos and camels, and many species of birds. Later we arrive at Warburton in the Warburton Ranges. We then check into our accommodation. (B,D)

From Warburton we continue the Great Central Road and head towards Laverton, we have a stop at Tjukayirla Roadhouse. The roadhouse is set deep in the Victoria Desert and is one of the most remote roadhouses on the planet. We pass changing landscapes before arriving at our destination. (B,D)

In the morning we visit the Great Beyond visitor centre and then make our way to Leonora and a visit to the Gwalia Ghost town. In the afternoon its onto Menzies and Kalgoorlie, our home for the night. (B,D)

This morning we take in the sights of this historic town, such as the Super Pit, truly an eye opener with its enormous mining production; Mt Charlotte, where water first arrived at the Goldfields in 1903; and a game of two-up at the famous ring in the bush! (B,D)

With the desert behind us we head to Perth, after concurring the famous Great Central Road. We travel to Coolgardie, Southern Cross and Merredin before arriving in Perth, after an amazing experience in the Great Australian Outback. (B)