We were going to head into the West Macdonell Ranges first thing but were feeling a bit tired so first we did the usual things that you do in town - restock the supplies and getting the other bits and pieces you need. Found some slippers for the girls, seeing it is starting to get cold and a few things for Angie's birthday. Headed out to look at the range after lunch. The ranges are pretty spectacular and have a very distant colour to them. It is a very amazing...

Woke up to a VERY cold morning (-3C) so stayed in bed until 7:30 waiting for the sun to come up. We had breaky around the fire and hit the fields for a few more hours. We found lots more Zircon - and a few possible cutters. Packed up at lunch and headed to Alice Springs. About 20 or so km out of town we reached the highest point on the Stuart H'way- about 720m. We have been slowly rising since Darwin. When we got here we checked out town and got a bit of info...

We packed early and decided to head to Harts Range (Gemtree). As soon as we arrived (10am) we hit the fossicking fields. We spent the morning and afternoon specking for Zircon. Jacob and Angie quickly got bored bit they enjoyed playing games in the diggings. The free camp is a nice spot - desert country with beautiful sunsets/rises, very isolated and spread out with about a dozen campers all in secluded camp spots. The night was very cold (as they will all be...

Big day driving today on the road for nine hours. Went through Tennent Creek and checked out thje old Telegraph station for lunch. Some interesting buildings to be seen, including the cellar built into the ground. a bit further saw us stop at the Devil's Marbles for a stretch of the bipedal mascles. The kids were keen to test their strength and try and push a few of the boulders over. The boulders won of course.... We drove on.. Barrow Creek didn't look too in...

We started the morning with a dip in the hot springs- there was heaps of steam coming off the water. After packing up camp we started our day on the road heading south. It was strange to pass through places that we have already visited on our travels. We stopped to have lunch at Bitter Springs and have another swim in the thermal creek at Mataranka. Anyway after about 500km on the road we are certainly heading south. Tonight we are camped at Dunmarra Roadhouse....