Nature & Outdoors

Nature and Outdoors

Travellers are spoilt for choice with a myriad of national parks, landscapes and natural formations and waterholes-  along the journey all offering different experiences and views.

See the great landscape by walking, camel, bike or balloon.

National Parks

Bladensburg NP – Winton

Diamantina NP- Boulia

West Macdonnell NP- Alice Springs

Finke Gorge NP- Alice Springs

Watarrka NP- Kings Canyon

Uluru-Kata Tjuat NP- Yulara.

 

Attractions & Activities

Winton – Bladensburg NP, Age of Dinosaur- Dinosaur Canyon.

Boulia- The Georgina Waterhole, Diamantina NP,

Gem Tree- Fossicking for Gems

Alice Springs http://www.discovercentralaustralia.com

 

Curtin Springs- Station walks – Salt lakes, the flora and fauna of Central Australia and the effect of light on Mt Connor into the evening- 1 or 2 day walking packages are available. www.curtinsprings.com.au

 

Uluru-Kata Tjuta:

Too much to do it justice- bikes, camels, walks-  head onto the website to look at your options- http://www.discovercentralaustralia.com/regions/uluru

 

Docker River through to Laverton- no fixed attractions or services- enjoy the changes in the landscape and wildlife through 4 of the Bio regions you will travel through.

 

Bioregions

Many visitors to central Australia assume that the inland is flat, arid and lacking vegetation or appeal.  When in fact the Outback Way passes through a wide range of landscapes including arid and semi-arid deserts, gorges, breakaways, mountain ranges, grasslands, mallee and mulga covered plains, giant salt lakes, seasonally wet channel country, rivers, creeks, billabongs, hilly woodlands, rolling desert dunes and majestic forests of desert oaks.  With this much diversity it is no surprise to find a variety of birds, reptiles and mammals making for an ever-changing view or experience just around the next corner!

The Outback Way passes through 10 of the 85 distinctive bio-geographic regions of Australia. Bioregions are large land areas composed of common characteristics of geology, landform, land-use, vegetation composition and pattern, climate and visual appearance. Distinctive ecosystems in each bioregion influence the variety of organisms that live in each distinctive part of the outback. The bioregions of the Outback Way include: (from west to east)

1.GVD  Great Victoria Desert

2.GD  Gibson Desert

3.CR  Central Ranges

4.GSD  Great Sandy Desert

5.FIN  Finke

6.MAC  MacDonnell Ranges

7.BRT  Burt Plain

8.SSD  Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields

9.CHC  Channel Country

10.MGD  Mitchell Grass Downs

Whereas scientists and agencies from the States, Territories and academic institutions use the bioregions framework as the basis for scientific studies and nature conservation planning, travellers along the Outback Way can explore the diversity of landscape and enjoy the wonder and beauty of the ever-changing natural environment.