A journey across the continent

by Wiola and Mike February 24, 2017

written by Wiola and Mike February 24, 2017

Stuart Highway

Stuart Highway is streaching for almost 3000 km from Adelaide in the South all the way to the Darwin in the North across the Red Outback. You should plan to take it slowly as there is planty to see on the way. We started from the top end after our visit to Kakadu National Park.

Here are some of the things that you can do while travelling this amazing highway:

Katherine and Nitmiluk National Park

The first stop for us was Katherine and nerby Nitmiluk National Park. This is a great place where the river created some spectacular georges. You can either take a boat tour or kayak up the river or just take the hike to the rim. As we were there some of the trees were crowded with bats. Preatty amazing and quite noisy creatures.

Bats in Nitmiluk National Park

Bats flying around

Katherine Gorge, Nitmiluk National Park, Northern Territory (NT), Australia

Mataranka hot spring

There is nothing as relaxing after a long day drive as a bath in a hot spring. You can do it for free in Mataranka.

There are 2 springs here. One over at the camping site. This one is more organized and have some concreate stairs and walls. The other one called Bitter Springs is a stream in the middle of the forest. You can just float all the way down in cristal clear water among the palm trees. Splendid!

Bitter Springs, Australia

Devils Marbles

Just south of Tennant Creek you can find Devils Marbles. These are some unique rock formations which are in spherical shapes. It is a great experience to walk among them and marvel at creation force of nature.

Devils Marbles

Great rock formations on Stuart Highway

Alice Springs

Alice Springs is the second biggest city in the territory but it is not very large at all. You can go a top of ANZAC hill and take a look at the town from the top. There is a busy airport. South of Alice Springs at roadhouse Erldunda you can take the turn to Uluru and Kings Canyon. This is one of the iconic Australias natural wonders, but we are gona tell you all aout it in saperate post.

Coober Pedy

The first mejor town in South Australia is corky Coober Pedy. It is famous for its opal fields. People from around the globe are coming here to try their luck in the searching. There are plenty of ditches and holes around the place. The town looks like the surface of the moon and is full of quite excentric people. To protect themselfs from the heat of the day, locals started to build homes underground, in caves. Today you can stay in an underground hotel and visit underground church.

Coober Pedy underground Church

Coober Pedy

Lake Hart

As we were driving south the land started to become greener and greener. We drove by magnificent salt lake called Lake Hart. If you are there, do not miss the opportunity to walk on to the edge of the water so you can see that, what seemed to be the beach from the distance is, in fact, a filed of salt flakes.

Almost like in Bolivia - Lake Hart

Lahe Hart, Australia

1 journey 1 life 2 people

Lake Bambunga

As we got close to the coast we could see Flinders Ranges rising on the East. There were quite a few pink lakes such as Lake Bumbunga which appered to us really extraordinary.

Pink Lake on a desert, AU

Lake Bambunga

Pink Lake in South Australia

Port Augusta

The highway finally made it to Port Augusta. It was a great feeling to see the sea again after experiencing so much sand in the last week.

Port Augusta Jetty

Adelaide

Finally the route ended in Adelaide. The city itself has a very european flavour to us. Maybe it is because of brick, victorian style churches which remind us of England? There is also a great hike to the summit of Mount Lofty. From there, you can see the South Australia capital streaching by the sea shore and enjoy a view of the setting sun.