Finke Gorge - Palm Valley

The road

Finke Gorge National Park sits in the West MacDonnell Ranges, 140 kilometres west of Alice Springs. The park's centrepiece is Palm Valley - a sheltered gorge containing a population of Red Cabbage Palms (Livistona mariae) that exist nowhere else on earth. These palms are relics of a time when central Australia had a tropical climate and permanent water. As the continent dried over millions of years, this single gorge retained enough groundwater to sustain the palms while their relatives disappeared from the landscape. The 16-kilometre access track from the Hermannsburg turnoff drives directly up the bed of the Finke River. The Finke is one of the oldest river systems in the world - its course has been established for over 300 million years, though it now flows only after significant rain events. In the dry season the river bed is a wide corridor of red sand, river stones and bulldust. The driving is slow and demanding. The sand is deep in places and the bulldust pockets can swallow a wheel without warning. Where the river narrows between the gorge walls the surface becomes rocky and the clearance tightens. Low-range is not optional. The gorge walls are red sandstone and quartzite, layered and folded by the same geological forces that created the MacDonnell Ranges. The colours in late afternoon light are extraordinary - deep reds, purples and orange against the green of the palms in the valley above. Palm Valley itself is reached by a short walk from the campground at the end of the track. The palms grow in clusters along the creek line, their fronds catching the gorge wind and the trunks marked with the distinctive cabbage-like leaf scars that give them their name. There are walking tracks through the valley and up to the rim of the gorge where the view extends across the surrounding desert.

The region

The West MacDonnell Ranges extend 200 kilometres west of Alice Springs. Hermannsburg (Ntaria) is an Aboriginal community and historic Lutheran mission at the eastern end of the ranges. The community was founded in 1877 and is the birthplace of Albert Namatjira, whose watercolour paintings of the MacDonnell Ranges are among the most recognised artworks in Australian history. The Hermannsburg Historic Precinct is open to visitors and includes the original mission buildings, a gallery of Namatjira's work and a tea room.

Before you go

Fuel at Alice Springs or Hermannsburg community store (limited, confirm availability). The track is open April to October only - wet season rains flood the Finke River bed and make the track impassable. Carry extra water and food as the track is slow and breakdowns require a walk out. No phone coverage. The campground at Palm Valley has basic facilities - pit toilets and fire rings. Park entry fees apply. The walking tracks in Palm Valley are well-marked and reward an early morning start before the heat builds.

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