Kings Canyon (Northern Territory)
Kings Canyon, also known as Watarrka, is a canyon in the Northern Territory of Australia located at the western end of the George Gill Range about southwest of Alice Springs and about south of Darwin, within the Watarrka National Park.
History
Luritja people have inhabited the area for at least 20,000 years.Ernest Giles was an early European explorer, who reached the canyon in 1872.
Name
Kings Creek runs along the bottom of the canyon, and gives it its name. The creek was named by Giles in 1872. He wrote in his book Geographic Travels in Central Australia from 1872 to 1874: "I called King's Creek after Mr. Fielder King... an old and kind friend of mine".The Aboriginal name for the creek and canyon is "Watarrka", which is the Luritja word for the local umbrella bush that grows in the vicinity. The national park thus gets its name from this landform.
Location, access, and description
Kings Canyon is located southwest of Alice Springs via Larapinta Drive, or along the Stuart Highway, Lasseter Highway, and the Red Centre Way, which are all sealed.In 1986, Kings Canyon was listed on the Register of the National Estate, when it was described by the Department of Environment as follows:
One of the most spectacular canyons in Central Australia. Kings Canyon contains some 60 rare or relict plant species and a total of 572 different plant species and 80 species of birds. It is a 'living plant museum' and is notable for its stands of cycads & permanent rock pools. There are some well-preserved Aboriginal paintings and engravings in the area...
The walls of Kings Canyon are over high, with Kings Creek at the bottom, with several Aboriginal sacred sites. Part of the gorge is an Aboriginal sacred site. The Garden of Eden is a permanent waterhole surrounded by plant life, and while visitors are permitted on the walking track, the waterhole is an important men's sacred place for the traditional owners, with particular Dreaming stories associated with it, so visitors are not allowed to swim in it. There are some distinctive rock formations known as the "Lost City".
Walks
There are four short walks for visitors:- The Kings Canyon Rim Walk traces the top of the canyon and takes three to four hours to complete. It is graded "Grade 4 - moderate to difficult".
- The and approximately one-hour Kings Creek Walk traces the bottom of the gorge.
- The South Wall return takes around two hours to complete. A steep climb at the beginning of the walk takes visitors up to the top, with views of the gorge below. It ends at a one-way gate. Grade 3 - moderate.
- Kathleen Springs is an easy walk on a sealed track and suitable for wheelchairs. At around, allow around 1.5 hours for the return trip.
Geology
According to geologists, the valley was formed more than 400 million years ago. It cuts through a layer of Mereenie Sandstone, which was deposited here 400 million years ago. The sandstone can be viewed in the form of 30-m high cliffs, and as you go deeper, you can witness the softer Carmichael Sandstone, which has been present here for 440 million years. These two layers of sandstone are divided by a thin layer of purple shale or mudstone which depicts the environmental changes between the two formations.Flora and fauna
Birds in the canyon area include the spinifex pigeon, zebra finch, several species of honeyeater, purple-backed fairywren, budgerigar, rufous grasswren, nankeen kestrel, and many more.Other animals include:
- Blistered pyrgomorph
- Centralian Green Frog
- Desert tree frog
- Dingo
- Long-nosed dragon
- Perentie
- Ring-tailed dragon
- Termites
- Rock wallaby