If you can, imagine the Experience of travelling through the West MacDonnell Ranges in the early morning light, with the sun creating light and shadows in the crevices of the mountains, you are imagining the Experience of the Caterpillar Dreaming country.
The Arrernte people welcome us to their country. It is alive with stories, such as the Yeperenye, a giant caterpillar that is believed to have carved up this country during its travels. Local artists capture this ancient landscape in an art form that could well be said to represent aerial maps of the country, showing where to find water.
There is a timeless quality to this country. Travelling through you are touched by the pristine environment, the untouched feel to an area that seems as it would have been at the beginning of time. The West Macs provide all manner of plants and vegetation. Experience everything from tropical forests to beautiful old ghost gums, as depicted in so many of Albert Namatjira‘s famous paintings. This country is one of contrasts.
You may be treated to the sight of a flock of budgerigars, well known to this region, the sky alight with colour and sound. Or you may see a single eagle soaring high above the ground, silhouetted against the rock face. Spy lazy lizards sunning themselves on a rock. Keep your eyes open for a thorny devil, well camouflaged as it changes colour to match its environment. As you travel back to Alice Springs in the changing colours of the afternoon, you are aware of being part of a watercolour canvas tinged with muted pinks and mauves. There are so many adjectives one could use to describe this awe-inspiring, spectacular country. Once you have Experienced the majestic grandeur of the West MacDonnell Ranges, you will have your own personal reflections that will remain with you for a long time.
