Gosse's Bluff is an impact crater from a comet 140m years ago. The crater is 5km wide, the material from the crater was spread up to 20 km away but this has been eroded about 20m years ago, so not important now. An added benefit was being able to be drive into! Bonus say the boys who were beginning to get a little tired of the walks to things!
A shot of the bluff from a view point 10km away. Stunning outcrop on the landscape.
The boys were a little mistified as to how a crater could cause mountains. Dad's inventive mind went to work explaining a rock dropping into soft sand and showing how things spread when it hit. Think that it worked but not 100%. Not sure if they grasped it till we drove off above 20 km and then looked back to say rocks from way back there travelled all the way here!
The drive into Palm Valley was a little on the bumpy side, pretty smooth for severe 4wd road as per the sign but we got there in one piece.
The camp was overlooking a lovely bit of the Palm Creek. It had had a recent rain event in June and so was fullish of water and the surround hills were alive with greenery, making the most of the recent wetness.
This of course meant the setting for perfect sunset was stunning. Dad was in his element taking lots of shots!
Just two of the best ones of sunset.
The next morning we took a ranger guided walk up the valley, it was still another 4km past the camp site on a more severe track. Andi and Dad loved the drive up there. It was a beaut 4wd track with step ups, water crossings and even the odd dingo sighting!
The valley itself was stunning with cycads growing in the shade of he northern valley walls and palms growing a bit further up steam.
Cycad corner
We ended up staying two nights there after meeting two other lovely families both with similar aged kids. Both the families were from South Austtralia, one was heading for home after 4 months on the road, the other just enjoying a three week trip up from Port Lincoln. If you can get to places like this in three weeks maybe South Aus isn't a bad place to be!
The kids had a ball playing together, so much so that ours forgot about happy hour one evening! Yip shock horror.
The campsite had a communal fire which just worked a treat bringing all sorts of campers together. There was a fantastic demo of how to do lasagne In the camp oven that made us all very jealous, and then this was bettered by nachos the next evening! Many things to try out in the oven we get home now.
As per usual we needed to keep moving and we all heading in different directions. Maybe we will catch up again on the road.
Overall a great campsite, great company and fantastic scenery. Throw in a touch of isolation and it has been a big highlight for us so far.
And one more sunset picture for good measure.
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