21 July - Alice Springs National Parks

21 July 2016 – 179 407

Alice Springs National Parks

Ewaninga Rock Carvings Conservation Reserve was our first stop for the day – it is aboriginal rock art, but done by chiselling the rock, rather than painting, these are obviously very old, and must have taken many, many hours. https://nt.gov.au/leisure/parks-reserves/find-a-park-to-visit/napwerte-ewaninga-rock-carvings-conservation-reserve Next up was Yeperenye (Emily and Jessie Gaps) Nature Park, which has aboriginal paintings relating to a dreamtime caterpillar story – the individual paintings were much larger and in a completely different style to any aboriginal rock paintings I have previously seen.
https://nt.gov.au/leisure/parks-reserves/find-a-park-to-visit/yeperenye-emily-jessie-gaps-nature-park

We visited Olive Pink Botanic Gardens, however because it is the middle of winter, nothing was in bloom.  We saw a great number of different birds, including Ring Neck Parrots and a Western Bowerbird and his bower; while we had a picnic lunch. http://opbg.com.au/

After lunch we headed to Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve, where we took a guided tour.  This is the best preserved of the overland telegraph repeater stations, and is still in operational condition.  The buildings and furnishings are in excellent condition. https://alicespringstelegraphstation.com.au/ Hayden was keen to take Drew to the Central Australian Aviation Museum, where he showed him the flight simulator.  Hayden spent the evening playing chess and checkers with another boy, who had the ability to challenge him and beat him; sounds like he really enjoyed it!https://centralaustralianaviationmuseum.org.au/

Mum