> Attractions
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> Attractions
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Mereenie Loop Travelling west from Alice Springs, the unsealed Mereenie Loop Road links the West MacDonnell Ranges, Hermannsburg, Glen Helen and Palm Valley with Watarrka National Park and offers an exciting scenic route for visitors. It unveils the classic desert scenery so typical of "The Centre" and links several of our most treasured and sought after assets - our National Parks. The loop road provides a scenic alternative to get from Alice Springs to Watarrka and Uluru National Parks. Permits As the road traverse Aboriginal land, a permit is required. The permit comes with a souvenir tour pass booklet and costs $2. The permit also includes permission to travel the Tnorla (Gosse Bluff) access road. Permits area available from the Central Australian Visitor Information Centre 7 days a week, located on Gregory Terrace, Alice Springs, and are also available from the following organisations:
Driving Conditions This road is not designated exclusively for 4X4 vehicles, however the condition of the road is variable due to the weather and traffic. Due to this factor, caravans, conventional vehicles and trailers are not recommended. A 4X4 vehicle is definitely required to visit Palm Valley and Gosse Bluff. Also, rental vehicle companies do not allow conventional vehicles to travel this road, however some rental companies may allow high ground clearance and more robust vehicles access to this road. We recommend you discuss this directly with the rental companies. It is advisable to contact Alice Springs Police (08 8951 8888) to obtain up to date information on the road conditions before attempting the journey. Alice Springs To Gosse Bluff The route heads west from Alice along Larapinta Drive through the spectacular West MacDonnell National Park to join up with the Mereenie Loop Road. This park now protects a huge area of the MacDonnell Ranges with its fascinating suite of plants and animals, and tranquil waterholes in lush, sheltered gorges. A range of camping, walking and swimming opportunities are available for all the family. The panoramic lookout at Tylers Pass at the western end of the West MacDonnell National Park provides a departing view of the ranges while also introducing the spectacular circular range formation known to the Western Arrernte Aboriginal people as Tnorala (Gosse Bluff). Here the Western Arrernte "dreaming story" proudly challenges the western scientific explanation for the formation of this crater which centres around a huge comet crashing to Earth about 130 million years ago. Gosse Bluff To Kings Canyon An alternative route joins Mereenie Loop Road via Hermannsburg and Finke Gorge National Park where 4X4 enthusiasts can sample the excitement of driving down the sandy creek bed of the mighty Finke River between towering red sandstone cliffs. The Mereenie Loop Road picks up traffic behind Tnorala and heads out across low sand dunes and down off the escarpment to Watarrka National Park. Fiery red rolling dunes creep to the edges of salt pans and the purple daytime haze of the ranges can be quickly transformed to a burning ochre by the setting sun. Interesting plants add colour and contrast to the landscape. Tall Desert Oakes grow in the swales between the dunes, their drooping branches swaying gently in the slightest breeze and stately Desert Kurrajongs dot the rolling hills between the ranges. Grass trees or Xanthorrhoeas with their blackened flower spikes stand like defiant sentinels watching over this ancient, colourful land. Among the ranges the fields of spinifex sway like a cheering crowd; their spiky leaves providing a formidable refuge for small desert reptiles, mammals and birds. Watarrka National Park, which is famous for Kings Canyon and its maze of rock domes, lies at the end of the Mereenie Loop Road. Sheltered spring fed waterholes throughout the park are a refuge for several rare plants, many relics from a lone-gone wetter age. Alternative Route via Glen Helen (Namatjira Drive) Glen Helen Lodge is 134 km from Alice Springs and 258 km from Kings Canyon. Fuel is available daily from 8am - 5pm (Peak season 8am - 6pm), camping and store facilities are also available. Hermannsburg is 245 km from Alice Springs and 198 km from Kings Canyon. From Mon - Sat 8am - 5.30pm and Sun 10am - 5.30pm fuel, auto repairs and store facilities are open. Kings Canyon Resort is 394 km from Alice Springs with fuel, accommodation, camping and store facilities available daily from 7am - 7pm. Alternative Route via Hermannsburg (Larapinta Drive) 109 km from Alice Springs is Wallace Rockhole. From here it is 250km to Kings Canyon. Fuel is available daily from 9am - 5pm. Hermannsburg is 126 km from Alice Springs and 199 km to Kings Canyon. Mon - Sat 8am - 5.30pm, Sun 10am - 5.30pm fuel is available. Kings Canyon Resort is 325 km from Alice Spring with fuel and major facilities available daily from 7am - 7pm.
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