The red dust of the Australian outback leaves a lasting impression. I mean that literally as I glance down at discoloured suede of my casual shoes well over a month after finishing a 5 month road trip circling the western half of the country. Of course the red dust also permeates everything else whether that be the gum trees of the West MacDonnell ranges, the abundant birdlife thriving in this desert habitat or the senses. That it sticks to the magnetic buttons on my camera backpack gives a clue to the reason for its colour; it’s rich in iron oxide. Best of all when the light of sunrise or sunset hits, monoliths like Uluru and Kata Tjuta take on an incredible array of glowing hues.
What is the Red Centre? It’s a vast region in Northern Territory which features desert plains, mountains, gorges and waterholes. Apart from the most recognisable Australian icons Uluru and Kata Tjuta, it also includes the area around Alice Springs and King’s Canyon. The easiest way to explore them is the Red Centre Way including the 4WD only Mereenie Loop. You could stay just one night each at Glen Helen, King’s Canyon and Uluru but you would be short changing yourself of what should be a very special experience.
I first travelled the Red Centre Way in 2009, seeking a desert experience after a trip to the massive red dunes of Namibia. First stop was Glen Helen, which turned out to be a very charming location with numerous varied attractions nearby such as Redbank Gorge, Ormiston Gorge and the West MacDonnell Ranges (Tjoritja). Even though we only stayed overnight, it was very productive in terms of photography. I had a wonderful time working the reflections and reflected light in the gorges and canyons. This time around I tried to replicate a composition I had previously photographed of gum trees with the beautifully shaped Mount Sonder in the background but couldn’t find the spot despite extensive scouting over a couple of days. I ended up finding this telephoto view of some desert oaks. It ended up being quite a lot of effort to get the shot as getting separation of the two main trees required centimetre precision in camera placement and the light only worked for less than a minute each day (sunset) to illuminate the subjects and background rocks.
Next stop is King’s Canyon (Watarrka National Park) where the 3-4 hour rim walk is a must do with grand views over towering cliffs and intriguing dome-like formations to more intimate landscapes of wildflowers peeping up between rocks and even a lush waterhole. Unfortunately this time around the dull light made the photography difficult. After two trips, I’m yet to make a photograph that really captures the grandeur of the place. We were treated to some dingo encounters but be mindful as they have been known to be aggressive and often cause problems around campsites.
