Typical - in true Tim and Amber style it decides to rain in the few days that we had set aside for Kings Canyon. But that would not stop us - oh no! Even a flat campervan battery didn't stop us. Ha!
There are only two choices of accommodation on the area - Kings Creek Station or Kings Canyon Resort. We decided to opt for the more authentic option of Kings Creek Station - a working cattle station that also deals with the local camels.
Owned and run by Ian & Lyn Conway, the station is a way of life for them and they have expanded it to cater for tourists by providing helicopter flights, quad bike rides etc. By opening up the station it allows tourists to see first hand the challenges faced working in the outback that have not changed since the first pioneers came to the area.
On our first night at the Station we were lucky enough to enjoy the 'Stockman' show ($15pp), which is put on by the staff to explain the origins of KCS and what they do on a day to day basis. The evening was set up by Ian Conway himself to answer questions that everyone kept asking. The evening was both very informative and also enjoyable as Leeroy and his crew kept us well entertained. Who knew that this Station has featured on one of Michael Palin's TV programmes? The evening was rounded off with damper bread and Billy tea round the fire. The damper bread was cooked on the coals and was served with whipped cream and golden syrup - yum yum! I only wish there has been more... Sadly there is no photographic evidence but you'll just have to take my word for it :)
During our stay at the station we met some lovely people. Before the show we sat around the campfire drinking Billy tea made by Dennis from Chinchilla, QLD. He is a water melon farmer and told us all about the joys of growing them. Who knew that the demand for seedless watermelons is taking over from the more traditional seeded variety? Surely everyone has memories of enjoying one and spitting the black seeds out?
We spent a nice wet morning under the shelter with Mark, Val and their family from Melbourne. There was nowhere else for us to go as the rain settled in for the day. The hours were whiled away drinking tea and exchanging stories of our homes. A couple from Darwin shared in the adventure and very kindly shared some pancakes with us - greatly received and exchanged for a tea bag. The wet morning summed up everything good about Australian hospitality; drinking, eating and talking albeit tea and pancakes...
After tackling a flat battery and a fight with a vicious tree (!!) we braved the elements and ventured off to Kings Canyon to do the walk through the canyon. It was only a baby in comparison to others walks at 1km but it was equally beautiful in its own right especially in the rain. The drizzle brought the canyon to life, as we headed deeper you couldn't help but marvel at the sheer height of the towering rock faces that surrounded us.
The walk through the canyon lead us to a viewing platform where we were able to glance further up the canyon, however we were not permitted to go any further as this was a scared aboriginal site for men. In the distance we could hear running water and were intrigued as to its source but we would have to wait until tomorrow to find out...
Thoroughly wet and cold we retrated back to the station, by which time many of our fellow campers had left and our shelter had become waterlogged. Oh dear!
After a restless night wondering whether we'd get washed away, we awoke to no rain so dashed back to the Canyon for the Rim Walk. It was a much longer walk at 6.5km that started with very steep steps but as expected once we'd reached the top the heavens opened. The misty views across the canyon were stunning and reinforced the scale of the place that we'd got a slight feel of the day before. Deep orange and red rocks had dried from the rain and began changing colour once more.
It was as though we were walking on a moonscape high above the normal landscapes! Large chasms, deep crevices, precarious ledges added to the excitement of being so high. Needless to say, Tim was taking a few photos...
A family that we'd been bumping into around the Red Centre bumped into us again and we spent the morning chatting whilst walking that made it a pleasant experience even though the rain was just as hard. Tim was chatting with the boys about Top Gear and Bear Grylls whilst I was talking to Mum & Dad about the trip and life in general. Typical boys!!
The marked walk led us up and down, in and out of the area showing us the Garden of Eden pool that was lined with palm trees and home to many species of bird and animal all year round.
As we climbed up once more the falls appeared before us in full flood. It is very rare to see this happening and have been told since that only 3% of visitors manage to do so. Due to the rain it wasn't a pleasant place to sit so headed back down.
At the bottom the paths had been flooded so we had to cross a creek to get back to the van. Me being me fell on my bum in the middle getting even more soaked that I already was! Tim was laughing behind wishing he had the camera out...
Ian & Alison gave us their contact details so when we're in their part of the world we'll hopefully be able to meet again. It was then time to leave the area and head back to Alice but the middle will always be a fond memory.
The landscape, the history, the people we've met and our van have greatly added to the trip.
