Serpentine Gorge Explained

Serpentine Gorge
Map:Australia Northern Territory
Location:Burt Plain, Northern Territory
Range:MacDonnell Ranges
Coordinates:-23.75°N 132.9667°W[1]

Serpentine Gorge is one of the gorges in the West MacDonnell Ranges in Australia's Northern Territory. It is located approximately 100 kilometres west of Alice Springs along the Larapinta Trail.

It comprises two gorges created by a south flowing creek which has cut through two ridges of Heavitree Quartzite.[2] The gorge is home to some rare Central Australian plants such as the Centralian flannel-flower[3] and cycads (the Macrozamia macdonnellii). There is a semi-permanent waterhole guarding the entrance to the gorge.

Tourism

There is a 1.3 kilometre walk along a service road, or alternatively along the creek bed, to the gorge, and a short steep climb to a lookout.

Section 7 of the Larapinta Trail starts at Ellery Creek Big Hole and ends here. Section 8 of the trail goes from here to Serpentine Chalet Dam.[4]

Nearby are the ruins of Serpentine Chalet which was a late 1950s/early 1960s Ansett-Pioneer tourist venture. Lack of water and the remote location on an unsealed road brought about its demise. All that remains now are a concrete slab and other floor foundations.[3] [5]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Place Names Register Extract for "Serpentine Gorge" . NT Place Names Register . Northern Territory Government . 5 April 2020.
  2. van Oosterzee, Penny (1998) A Field Guide to Central Australia, J. B. Books, Marleston S.A.
  3. Northern Territory and Central Australia, Lonely Planet, 2006
  4. http://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/parks/walks/larapinta/itineraries.html Northern Territory Government, Walks, Talks and Trails: The Larrapinta Trail
  5. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22375320-5001000,00.html Borthwick, John (2007) "The ripple effect"