Places
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Alice Springs |
National Parks
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Tracks
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Chamber's Pillar Historical Reserve
| The Chamber's Pillar Historical
Reserve is located about only 160 km South of Alice Springs, but it takes
nearly four hours to get there. The Old Sout Road from Alice Springs to
Maryvale Homestead is unsealed but easy to drive on. After the turnoff at
Maryvale Homestead the road becomes rough and sandy. This section of the
route is strictly 4WD only. The extraordinary sandstone
pillar, which towers about 50 m above the surronding plane, can be seen
already from the distance In the past Chamber's Pillar was an important landmark for European explorers first and later for travellers heading north to Alice Springs. Many of the early visitors carved their names into the Sandstone Pillar, where they still can be seen. Chamber's Pillar is a site of Aboriginal Significance. In the Dreamtime it's said that the powerful gecko Itirkawara killed some of his ancestors and took a girl of the the wrong skin group. They were banished to the desert were both turned into stone. Itirkawara became the pillar and the girl became Castle Rock, about 500 m away. The camping ground at Chamber's Pillar Historical Reserve is a very pleasant one. Fireplaces, an information shelter and a pit toilett are provided. There's a wonderful view of Castle Rock. You have to bring your own water and to take your rubbish with you.
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 Chamber's Pillar at Sunrise |
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 Castle
Rock at Sunset |
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 Track
to Chamber's Pillar |
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© Jörg-Jost Michaelis. Last Updated: 20.09.2006