THE ICONS
These RENOWNED outback destinations are on the NATIONAL R ADAR for a reason, but they still hold some remarkable SECRETS.
Uluru, NT
Uluṟu, in the heart of the Red Centre, began to form some half a billion years ago, rising 348 metres out of the Central Desert. This ancient monolith is a sight to behold at any time of the day, from its iconic rusty red to purple when the sun melts into the desert. For the Aṉangu people, Uluṟu is a deeply spiritual place entwined in traditional Tjukurpa lore. After dark, Wintjiri Wiru tells the ancestral Mala story through more than 1000 choreographed drones, lasers and projections in the night sky. The 10-kilometre base walk is a must and weaves through pockets of lush vegetation including the Mutitjulu Waterhole.
Insider tip: Uluṟ u is in one of the driest regions in Australia, but occasional heavy downpours can occur between November and March resulting in majestic waterfalls.
Kakadu National Park , NT
Kakadu is a place of staggering numbers. Stretching for 20,000 square kilometres, it encompasses a rich environment of vast savannah woodlands, stone escarpments, tropical waterholes and swollen wetlands. The national park is home to about one-third of the country’s bird species and provides habitat to some 10,000 crocs. You’ll find some of these salties lurking beneath the surface at Yellow Water (Ngurrungurrudjba). The Bininj/Mungguy people have lived in the area for 65,000 years and it has the world’s greatest concentration of rock art sites; there are about 5000 known sites scattered throughout the park, with some paintings dating back 20,000 years. Let that sink in.
Insider tip: After viewing first contact paintings at Nanguluwurr and the Creation Ancestor Lightning Man (Namarrgon) at Burrungkuy (Nourlangie), be sure to visit Marrawuddi Arts & Culture centre to ethically purchase art from Kakadu and West Arnhem Land artists.
Ningaloo, WA
The palette of Ningaloo is almost inconceivable: red desert abruptly clashes with turquoise ocean. It’s home to the world’s largest fringing reef frequented by manta rays, sea turtles and the world’s largest fish, the whale shark. These gentle and placid creatures visit between March and July each year in conjunction with the reef ’s annual coral spawning. Swimming with them is an otherworldly experience.
Insider tip: Fly over sunburnt desert, rugged ranges, empty beaches and a colour wheel of ocean blues on a scenic flight. There are several operators in the area.
Coober Pedy, SA
This isolated town halfway between Adelaide and Alice Springs was put on the world map after opal was discovered here a century ago. Coober Pedy comes from an Aboriginal term for ‘white man in a hole’, a moniker given because the miners built their homes –
