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| East MacDonnell Ranges |
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Emily & Jesse Gaps -10 kilometres east of Alice Springs. Emily and Jessie Gaps are perhaps the first noticeable features of the East MacDonnell Ranges. Home to interesting Aboriginal paintings, the Gaps are important spiritual sites to the Eastern Arrernte Aboriginal people. Many places in the landscape are associated with the same Dreamtime story, forming a dreaming trail. Corroboree Rock - As the name suggests, this site is of great significance to local Aboriginal people, the real significance of the rocky outcrop to the Eastern Arrernte people is not well known. Corroboree Rock was probably not a corroboree site, but a site where men carried out important ceremonial activities. Trephina Gorge/John Hayes Rockhole - This is classic MacDonnell Ranges rockhole country, beautiful and isolated the further upstream you walk. Trephina is noted for its sheer quartzite cliffs and river red gum-lined watercourses. Two gorges dissect the range: Trephina, with its wide views and sandy creek bed, and John Hayes Rockhole with steep, narrow rock walls. Waterholes in this area attract much wildlife, including a diverse range of birdlife. Arltunga was officially central Australia's first town, born out of a gold rush. In 1898, alluvial gold was discovered in a dry creek bed downstream of Paddy's Rockhole. Today the remains of mines, old miners camps, and stone buildings (some of which have been restored), are preserved for the public to explore. Ross River Resort and N’Dhala Gorge - Interesting mixture of a tiny settlement and one of the most beautiful gorges in the MacDonnell Ranges. It is some of the most beautiful scenery in the Centre. The Nature Park has two deep gorges which both have interesting flora as well as Aboriginal carvings and fossils. All the interesting sites can be inspected by an easy walk through the gorges. Ruby Gap - We've all heard of fool's gold, but how about fool's rubies? Ruby Gap Nature Park is linked to the first mining rush in Central Australia, and it was a false one. In March 1886, explorer David Lindsay found what he thought were rubies in the bed of the Hale River. By May of the next year there were more than 200 people in the area prospecting. By June 1888, it was found that the stones were merely high-grade garnets, and not nearly as valuable as rubies. Central Australia's ruby boom quickly collapsed. |
