Saturday 31st July - Owen Springs Reserve to Alice Springs

We soon completed our journey through the Owen Springs Reserve, a highly recommended detour on the way back to Alice Springs.

Then it was food and fuel time, but not before we added to the Land Rover count in the Hungry Jacks’ car park. Two other Defenders were parked up and, as we soon found out, there was a third back at the caravan park. In fact, Alice seems to be full of Defenders which are making a bit of a comeback in Australia as the latest Nissan Patrol and Toyota Land Cruiser have become larger, heavier and more expensive.

Our plans of doing internet stuff were dashed when we were again caught out by Australia’s early closing times, with all the internet cafes shutting by 2pm on a Saturday. Slackers. Instead, we headed back to the Big4 caravan park for a couple of nights are we’re both in need of a bit of a break from the constant packing up and moving on.

The first job before setting up the roof tent was some minor straightening of the tent’s hinges, as a small collision with an information bay’s roof at Owen Springs Reserve had resulted in a slight offset to the base boards. I’m not going to say who was driving at the time, but I was in the passenger seat.

The Land Rover drivers we met earlier are from near Melbourne and had just completed a trip through the Simpson Desert taking the little travelled Madigan Line, and they kept us entertained with photographs and videos over the BBQ. They were travelling with three other 4WDs, all Japanese vehicles, and much friendly mocking went on between the two factions.

Mike, one of the Defender drivers, had done some work helping with education requirements on an island off the Arnhem Land coast at the request of the local Aboriginal population who live there, and he provided us with some interesting insights into their culture and lifestyle. Isolated from western influences and fiercely independent, having seen off early white expansion into their lands, the traditional way of life on the island is more prevalent than in many Aboriginal groups, and they still feel connected to the land and sea and are proud of their history. It would be great to visit the island, but it’s invitation only unfortunately!