Wycliffe Well
Trip Start
Jan 11, 2010
1
39
43
Trip End
May 27, 2010
Wycliffe Well, Northern Territory, Australia
Friday, April 30, 2010
We stopped at an outback roadhouse called the Barkly Homestead, a very isolated place on the highway. Luckily for us we didn't need any fuel at this point because it was extortionate - they can charge what they like when they're 300km away from the next service station! We had a beer each (bizarrely served by a girl with a thick Irish accent) and bought some souvenirs. Back on the road and once again we were soon surrounded by nothing as far as the eye could see in all directions. All you get is the 10km-spaced distance markers to the next destination, we were counting down from 200-odd to 'SH' (the Stuart Highway). We got to the junction eventually, now given the choice of heading north to Darwin or south back to Adelaide. Due to our financial situation and being so glad to be out of the tropics, we chose the latter option.
Just south of the junction is the town of Tennant Creek, the biggest place for miles, which we had initially planned to camp at. Yet again however we were earlier than we thought, so decided to carry on, seeing no reason to hang around! We also saw a nice campsite in one of our brochures at a little place called Wycliffe Well, another 150km south. Why not?!
On the way we stopped at a region right on the highway known as the Devil's Marbles. Not knowing quite what to expect we were completely gobsmacked - it was unreal! They are a scattering of hundreds of huge rounded boulders, and seemingly have no place being where they are. They lay there as if placed there by some giant, some very precariously balanced on top of each other. There was an information board trying to explain some of the geology behind it, but they were just so weird to look at. We spent half an hour or so walking around and climbing them but the sun was getting low in the sky so we soon got back on our way.
Not much longer and we were at Wycliffe Well, which turned out to be the strangest place we had visited so far! It's the self-confessed 'UFO capital' of Australia, with hundreds of sightings over the years. Nothing to do with the suspiciously nearby US military airbase, of course. The town was pretty much just a roadhouse, motel and campsite, but they've really gone over the top with the alien theme! There are signs and models of little green men everywhere and even a flying saucer on the forecourt. Inside the roadhouse the walls were plastered with newspaper clippings of UFO sightings and the like - this is Australia's Area 51! The campsite itself was intergalactic-themed, even with Elvis and Incredible Hulk statues, pushing the UFO link a bit far. For no particular reason the campsite also had an 'animal sanctuary' which comprised a couple of dazed-looking emus and a small aviary. Weird! We spent the night surrounded by all the alien-obilia but didn't see any UFOs ourselves. Maybe next time!
Comments
Thank you for the update , loved the joint pictures ! all looks great , also it looks like your seeing things that not everyone does , which is always nice, the area 51 place looked articauallly , seemed to have missed airs rock along the way...
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