DAY THREE - Red Centre Way

Tuesday, October 8

Today we started the the Red Centre Way drive.  After picking up our four wheel drive camper we visited Simpsons Gap and Standley Chasm before overnighting at the Ellery Creek Big Hole campground.

The campground had its own swimming hole and we enjoyed a cool swim.  

Not all waterholes are open for swimming.  Simpsons Gap (shown below) also had water but it was not possible to swim there because the sites are important to the local Aboriginal groups.

We were lucky that it rained in the weeks before we arrived.  Because of the rains we were able to see the Central Flannel Flower at Standley Chasm.  These ancient flowers are only known to grow in the rock cliffs here in Australia and only flower after heavy rains.

This area is also home to the Cycad.  These fern like plants date back to the Jurassic era and the time of the dinosaurs.