Sunday, 19 April 2026
We have been on the road for a week and already we are finding out about things that we have missed, despite having allocated what we thought was a generous amount of time to each of our destinations. Apparently, we missed the opportunity to see The Breakaways just out of Coober Pedy while we were there. A conservation park 25 kilometres north of Coober Pedy it features majestic arid scenery. I dare say we’ll see enough majestic arid scenery to fill a photo book so maybe a good thing to miss a few scenic places … or save them for another trip???
When we arrived at Uluru we received a Red Centre Wider Region Map, covering the area around Alice Springs and Uluru. That also lists a few things we perhaps could have visited, if we had spent a second night at Erldunda before heading into The Rock? We are planning to travel to Alice Springs via Kings Canyon and the Mereenie Loop so we won’t be driving the section of the Stuart Highway between Erldunda and Alice Springs. It turns out there are a few things along that route that we will miss. Without an open-ended itinerary I doubt it’s possible to see everything.
Anyhow, this morning we were up early enough to ride around the base of Uluru before it got too hot. We were picked up out the front of the Outback Hotel & Lodge and taken out to the Mala Carpark. This is the carpark at the end of the rock where the climb used to be. The steel poles and chain have been removed but you can still see the wear from all the tourist foot steps that climbed it over the years. Today, you can walk, bicycle or Segway around the base of the rock to get close, but not too close to this important site. We opted to go with the bicycle option which was, of course, an easy option for Bernie and I slightly nerve wracking one for me, since I have not been on my bike in more than 10 years!
The Outback Cycles staff issued us with bikes and helmets and sent us on our way (strictly anti clockwise for cyclists) and instructions to be back by noon to catch the shuttle back to Yulara. We enjoyed a lovely leisurely ride on the ridiculously lush path around the base of The Rock. The majestic arid scenery being not quite so arid just at the moment! The sun was shining and the sky was blue and The Rock was red. Birds and butterflies were the positives. Blowflies were the negative. It was a toss up whether to wear the fly nets or not? Wearing the net fixes the fly problem but at the cost of a clear view of the bike path and the scenery!! I opted to go without the fly net and paid the price by snorting a fly up my nose. I managed to catch it in my mouth and spit it out so, avoided swallowing it but, Yuck!
We made a couple of stops during our circuit to do two short walks. The first was the Kaniya Walk into the Mutitjulu Waterhole which was peaceful and picturesque. The second walk was the Mala Walk into the Kantju Gorge. There is a waterhole at the base of the gorge which catches water that pours off The Rock when it rains. It must be spectacular when the rainwater is cascading off the slopes.
Despite not having been on my bike for a decade, I managed to complete the 10.6 kilometre circuit without falling off. The path is flat BUT there were some sandy bits that were a bit of a slog to cycle through. I got a bit bogged down in a couple of those and had to walk the bike through to some firmer ground to get started again. Still, I’ll take it as a win that I arrived back at the Outback Cycles trailer unscathed.
After being dropped off back at the Outback Hotel & Lodge we drove to the Shell Servo to top up the tank. When Bernie went in to pay, he spied Splices in the freezer adjacent to the cashier. With our little freezer on board we were able to buy those to enjoy later on. From the servo, it was off to the IGA for some supermarket sandwiches for lunch. After eating those back in our room, we went for a drive back out to Uluru. Bernie has had the solar panel on the roof of the truck charging the battery that powers the fridge and freezer but, without driving the car, the battery is struggling a bit to keep up. He tells me he needs a bigger solar panel, ha, ha. Anyhow, we took the opportunity to drive Uluru Road all the way around The Rock, so that now, we have viewed it from every angle!
Back in town we decided it was Splice o’clock and then time to check out the pool. We spent an hour or so by the pool while we had some washing going in the laundry. The pool was … refreshing. With our washing hung out to dry behind our room, we showered and dressed to head out for another evening activity, this time the Field of Light. The Field of Light Uluru is a massive, award-winning light installation by artist Bruce Munro. Fully solar powered, the display features 50,000 spindles of light, arrayed over an area equal to seven football fields. The light spheres change colour through ochre, violet, blue and white in a design that reflects the blooming of the desert after rain. The Field of Light was installed in 2016 for a planned run of six months. Then it was extended for another six months, and another. This year it has celebrated its 10th anniversary. Our guide tonight told us that it is definitely (maybe?) going to conclude in 2029.
Although we had drinks and canapés during the Field of Light show, we felt like a little something more when we arrived back ‘home’. We ordered a pizza from the on-site cafe despite the fact that they didn’t have any of the usual toppings. We’re not really fans of gourmet pizza toppings but opted for the one that seemed the least ‘alternative’. Honestly, what place does rocket have on a pizza??!
Steps: 10.915 (7.19kms)
