Today I left West MacDonnell National Park and had a beautiful drive down towards Finke River National Park and Palm Valley. On the way Istopped and visited the massive crater at Gosse Bluff. This was a beautiful spot with an amazing geological history. I don't think I can accurately explain the geology of the site without some diagrams so I'll just say that it was a really interesting site where a comet crashed into the Earth about 125 million years ago. From there Itraveled the Mareenie Loop to the community of Hermannsburg and then into Palm Valley.
Palm Valley is a little oasis in the middle of Central Australia that is home to the only population of Red Cabbage Palms as well as some beautiful cycad specimens. These lush tropical plants are a remnant of a time when Central Australi was much more tropical and wet. Today, the nearest natural population of palms is in Lawn Hill National Park in Queensland far to the north. It is really rather strange to see big beautiful palms in the middle of a red rock canyon in a very arid environment.
I spent the evening hiking through the gorge and photographing the tropical palms against the red rock and spinifex covered slopes. It was a beautiful place and a lovely hike. On the drive back out Istopped and photographed a small clump of cycads which were some beautiful specimens. Tomorrow morning I will be headed inot King's Canyon where I hope to continue photographing these beautiful canyons of Central Australia.
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