Why Erldunda Should Be Your Next Travel Destination

Posted on July 15, 2015 | Posted by: SAuserER

Erldunda: the centre of the centre. Placed smack dab in the middle of Australia, and perfectly so: it has a little bit of everything that makes Australia the exciting destination that it is. Culture, history, wildlife, and activities — in Erldunda, these are experiences that would make for a lifetime’s worth of memories.

At the core of anyone who wants to visit the Outback is an adventurer on the lookout for a new experience – and in Erldunda, there is something in store for every kind of traveller.

A Cultural Excursion

Erldunda is a hodgepodge of culture, home to a lot of different aboriginal cultures. Some of the groups that reside close to Erldunda are the speakers of the Luritja dialect otherwise known as the Matuntara. They live in the parallel sand dune county by Palmer River south of the Levi Range, east to Erldunda. The aboriginal boundaries between the different groups in the area is a relative, colourful blur of traditions, beliefs, and cultures interweaved. “The history of the Matuntara is complicated by their absorption of much of the Maiulatara horde of the Pitjandara who shuffled east from north of the Petermann Range to Tempe Downs in the early years of the century,” according to the South Australian Museum.

This interweaving of cultures resulted to a beautiful array of artworks and lore — one that would excite someone who’s looking to learn more about history through culture. The aboriginal groups of Erldunda have some pretty wonderful stories to tell: stories of dreaming, creation and adventure.

Erldunda: Picture Perfect

Looking for sceneries that would take your breath away and places that would make for beautiful pictures regardless of where you point your camera?

Erldunda is in close proximity to the home of Uluru and Kuta Tjuta, a picturesque sandstone monolith 348 metres high — and Australia’s most recognizable natural icon.

Take a picture of it in its entirety and capture the feeling of smallness. In its vastness, it bears various inscriptions made by ancestral indigenous peoples. It is a beautiful sight that is worth capturing both in panorama and close up — a literal wall on which people of the past have left their marks saying “I was here”.

Another picture perfect scenery close to Erldunda is the Devil’s Marbles. The “marbles” are stones — varying in size, from 50 centimetres up to six metres across — balanced precariously on top of one another: one of nature’s longest-standing gravity defying stunt.

Watch the rocks change colour at sunset — a glowing play of pink, orange and bright red. It’s mesmerizing, but don’t forget to take a photo!

Onsite at the roadhouse we have a brand new Sunset Viewing Platform! Located next to our caravan park this platform allows you to take in amazing sunset views in the heart of the desert!

Wildlife Wonders

Australia’s Northern Territory is home to about 400 species of birds, 150 mammals, 300 reptiles, 50 frogs, 60 species of freshwater fish and several hundred species of marine fish. One of the most unique species of wildlife in the area are the crocodiles that live in the rivers and billabongs in the Top End or at wildlife parks across Darwin.

Stop by Erldunda to rest, then drive on north for a cruise in Yellow Water in Kakadu National Park. See crocodiles, wild horses, and other wildlife in their natural habitat!

A proof of the diversity of the wildlife in Erldunda? We at Erldunda Roadhouse have an Emu Reserve right in our own backyard. Get up close and personal with these adorable birds. They’re so friendly, you might even get to take a selfie!

Get Going — Boat Race

A boat race that happens on land? It exists. The Henley-on-Todd Regatta is an annual “boat” race held in the very dry, sandy bed of the Todd River in Alice Springs. The “boats” are made from metal frames and hung with banners and advertisements, and teams of “rowers” run their boats in races through the hot sand. “Rowers” also compete in washtubs, hamster wheels and modified trucks with flour bombs and water cannons aimed at their opponents, and at the (ostensibly laughing and shrieking) audience.

Erldunda has plenty to offer travelers of all sorts – it’s a place filled with surprises, if one knows where to look.

Erldunda Roadhouse is the perfect stay-in place for adventurers seeking to explore Erldunda and nearby places. The place is a convenient base for adventurers to wind down after a long day of travel. If you want to know more about the experiences that Erldunda has to offer, contact us. We’ll be more than happy to show you around!