The Colours Of Kings Canyon

Ok, today I could give you a talk about the amazing geological formation of Kings Canyon over millions of years and delve in deep to explore the spiritual connection of the Luritja People, but instead, It’s nice to just give you a feeling for the colours of this place.

We did the iconic 6km Kings Canyon rim walk starting at about 9.00am. The track sign says it takes about 4 hours with steep sections. It’s not really difficult to walk and the point of this place is to take the time and enjoy and appreciate the spectacular canyon views from above and below.

Being morning, the sun is providing plenty of shade below inside the canyon so as the sun rises, each view is different as the canyon comes alive. It’s a peaceful place especially up on top of the rim navigating through the sandstone formations.

On top of a ridge, Jen decides to practice her base jumping skills. I check the wind with my finger and with a slight south easterly wind, unfortunately we had to abort the jump...

As ever, the dominant colours are the vivid blue sky absent of clouds that gets lighter on the horizon, the brilliant yellow sun tinged with orange, the deep ocre, orange and red of the sandstone, the copper and rusty browns of the dirt, the blackness of the shade across the canyon walls, the contrasting red river gum trees with their ivory and golden trunks and bright green leaves, every shade of green and amber bushes with their darkened branches that are dark purple and black, and the bluey yellow grey and wheat spinifex grasses that tie everything together like a patchwork quilt.

These essential living colours represent the essence of the outback and capture the spirit of the red centre’s arid lands. Although it’s dry desert, there’s no shortage of colourful foliage, trees and grasses. What is absent out here though are wildlife and water. They go hand in hand. Other than a black crow, we haven’t seen a Kite or any other bird life and no kangaroos or wallabies., not even a sound and the river beds and creeks are all dry.

The colours are a precious memory that we will take with us as we start to head further south and back home to civilisation.Read more