Watarrka National Park has some of the most beautiful scenic landscapes in Australia’s Red Centre, and it’s home to some rare and unique plantlife.
This natural hub of the Red Centre sits 4 hours away from Alice Springs.
With dramatic rocky structures and a biome of unique and rare plant species, it’s easy to see why the Watarraka National Park is National Heritage Listed.
The Luritja and Arrerntre people
For over 20,000 years, the Traditional Owners have lived in Watarrka. The Luritja and Arrente people have always been the Traditional Owners of the land.
This national park holds deeply rooted cultural value to the Anangu ngurraritja (specifically Luritja and Arrerntre people) who have been looking after this sacred ground.
The canyon thrives with unique and rare plant species, which the Traditional Custodians hold deep value for.
In 1872, Ernest Giles was the first European explorer to discover the Watarrka region. Almost 90 years later, in 1961, Jack Cotterill built the first European home in the area. Jack also made the Wallara Ranch.
Cotterhill used the ranch as a kind of bush hotel and touring service, accommodating travellers and allowing them to stay at the ranch, then giving them tours of the area.
How big is the national park?
The park is over 1000 square kilometres in the Northern Territory, about a three-hour drive from Uluru.
The park is in a protected area in the Red Centre, and it’s home to huge, impressive landscapes. You’d be surprised to see rock holes, gorges, and rugged ranges, all in the middle of Australia!
What can I do?
Watarrka National Park is a picturesque area where thousands of visitors come by yearly to explore. There’s heaps to do in the Watarraka National Park:
- Explore the rock art
- Visit Kings Canyon
- Spot the wildlife
Explore the rock art
There are rock art sites within the national park by the Luritja and Arrerntre people. The rock art includes paintings, drawings, and some carvings that are thought to be thousands of years old.
Kings Canyon
Kings Canyon is the most popular attraction in Watarrka National Park. Kings Canyon has sandstone walls that are 300 metres high and great views across the red desert.
The Garden of Eden is not what you’d expect to see in the middle of the Red Centre. The garden consists of a rock hole with rare plants surrounding the water. Take a dip in this canyon pool for a unique swim in a natural gorge surrounded by chalky red rocks.
Rock formations
The Lost City has heaps of red dunes. These dunes were created by water and wind erosion over thousands of years.
Priscilla’s Crack only received a name and became well-known when it was in the movie Priscilla Queen of the Desert in 1994. Priscilla’s Crack is two rocks that sit close together with a narrow gap between them.
There is also the six-kilometre Kings Canyon Rim walk, which takes around three to four hours to complete. It’s best to do this walk earlier in the morning before it gets too hot. During your walking journey, you’ll see all these highlights like the Garden of Eden, the Lost City, and Prisicilla’s Crack.
Spot wildlife
There are different types of species found thriving in the Watarrka National Park. You can expect to find a variety of different animals, from reptiles to birds and mammals.
- Keep your eyes out for the Centralian green frog or the desert tree frog.
- Lizards are also found in the national park, like the long-nosed dragon or the ring-tailed dragon.
- The wildlife and the native plants are unique to the Watarraka National Park. There are over 200 species that are native and unique to Uluru.
Join a tour, and explore!
Come see Watarrka National Park yourself on a three-day tour! The tour will take you to see Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Kings Canyon, and so much more through the Red Centre. This is a once-in-a-lifetime trip that you don’t want to miss!