Central Australia, July–August 2007

Photos from my tour of Outback Central Australia (south of Alice Springs), including Rainbow Valley, Ayers’ Rock, The Olgas, King’s Canyon, and the Finke Gorge National Park.

Boggy Hole sunset • The sun sets over Boggy Hole, in the Finke Gorge National Park (Northern Territory).

[Six different exposures blended together by Photomatix to produce a High Dynamic Range (HDR) image, which was then re-sampled as an 8- or 16-bit image.]
HDR multipleexposure Reflection Sunset Trees Water Winter rhjf 20070731 8227 hdr
Rainbow Valley by day • Rainbow Valley, about 70km south-east of Alice Springs, consists of a rocky outcrop and a couple of claypans.

Here the rock is seen in the daylight across the spinifex-covered sand.
Rock Shrubs Trees Winter rhjf 20070727 7620
A lonely shrub • A shrub pokes out of the clay pan at Rainbow Valley, about 70km south-east of Alice Springs.
Clouds Rock Trees Winter rhjf 20070727 7630
Rainbow Valley panorama • Rainbow Valley, about 70km south-east of Alice Springs, consists of a rocky outcrop and a couple of claypans.

Here the rock is seen in the daylight across one of the claypans.

[Panorama from multiple exposures stitched together.]
Clouds Moon Photostitch Panorama Rock Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070727 7632 stitch
Rainbow Valley • The moon appears overhead the rock at Rainbow Valley, about 70km south-east of Alice Springs.
Moon Rock Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070727 7641
Rainbow Valley sunset • Rainbow Valley, about 70km south-east of Alice Springs, consists of a rocky outcrop and a couple of claypans.

Here the rock is seen in the sunset light, which, by emphasizing the rock’s colours, helps to demonstrate how the valley came to be known as ‘Rainbow’
Clouds Rock Shrubs Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070727 7673
Rainbow Valley sunset panorama • Rainbow Valley, about 70km south-east of Alice Springs, consists of a rocky outcrop and a couple of claypans.

Here the rock is seen in the sunset light, which, by emphasizing the rock’s colours, helps to demonstrate how the valley came to be known as ‘Rainbow’

[Panorama from multiple exposures stitched together.]
Clouds Photostitch Panorama Rock Shrubs Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070727 7680 stitch featured
Sunset • The sun sets over Rainbow Valley in the Northern Territory, tinting the underside of the clouds pink.
Clouds Silhouette Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070727 7693
Sunrise at Rainbow Valley
Silhouette Sunrise Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7723
Sunrise over the Claypan • Rainbow Valley, about 70km south-east of Alice Springs, consists of a rocky outcrop and a couple of claypans.

Here the rock is seen in the rising sunlight, behind a shrub which has grown into a claypan.
Bush Clay pan Clouds Rock Sunrise Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7755
A dry lake • A dry lake just south of the Lasseter Highway in the Northern Territory, surrounded by desert shrubs and grasses.
Clouds Grass Sand Shrubs Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7765
A dry lake • A dry lake just south of the Lasseter Highway in the Northern Territory, surrounded by desert shrubs and grasses.
Clouds Grass Sand Shrubs Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7766
Mount Conner • Mount Conner, east of Ayers’ Rock, as seen from the lookout along the Lasseter Highway in the Northern Territory.
Clouds Desert Rock Shrubs Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7784
Mount Conner • Mount Conner, east of Ayers’ Rock, as seen from the lookout along the Lasseter Highway in the Northern Territory. The mountain is easily confused with Ayers’ Rock, and forms part of the same geological substrate.
Clouds Desert Rock Shrubs Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7785
The Lasseter Highway • The Lasseter Highway (Northern Territory) stretches off into the distance.

As seen from the Mt Conner lookout.
Clouds Desert Road train Shrubs Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7789
The changing face of Ayers’ Rock 1 • It is frequently said that Ayers’ Rock changes colour as the sun sets. This series of photos demonstrates how true that assertion is.
Bush Clouds Rock Shrubs Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7794
The changing face of Ayers’ Rock 2 • It is frequently said that Ayers’ Rock changes colour as the sun sets. This series of photos demonstrates how true that assertion is.

The clouds passing overhead helped to add effect to the photo not only by occupying the sky, but also by casting shadows over the Rock.
Bush Clouds Rock Shrubs Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7796
The changing face of Ayers’ Rock 3 • It is frequently said that Ayers’ Rock changes colour as the sun sets. This series of photos demonstrates how true that assertion is.

The clouds passing overhead helped to add effect to the photo not only by occupying the sky, but also by casting shadows over the Rock.
Clouds Rock Shrubs Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7797
The changing face of Ayers’ Rock 4 • It is frequently said that Ayers’ Rock changes colour as the sun sets. This series of photos demonstrates how true that assertion is.
Bush Clouds Rock Shrubs Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7799
The changing face of Ayers’ Rock 5 • It is frequently said that Ayers’ Rock changes colour as the sun sets. This series of photos demonstrates how true that assertion is.
Bush Clouds Rock Shrubs Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7809
The changing face of Ayers’ Rock 6 • It is frequently said that Ayers’ Rock changes colour as the sun sets. This series of photos demonstrates how true that assertion is.
Clouds Rock Shrubs Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7825
The changing face of Ayers’ Rock 7 • It is frequently said that Ayers’ Rock changes colour as the sun sets. This series of photos demonstrates how true that assertion is.
Clouds Rock Shrubs Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7830
The changing face of Ayers’ Rock 8 • It is frequently said that Ayers’ Rock changes colour as the sun sets. This series of photos demonstrates how true that assertion is.
Clouds Rock Shrubs Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7831 featured
The changing face of Ayers’ Rock 9 • It is frequently said that Ayers’ Rock changes colour as the sun sets. This series of photos demonstrates how true that assertion is.
Bush Clouds Rock Shrubs Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7833 featured
The changing face of Ayers’ Rock 10 • It is frequently said that Ayers’ Rock changes colour as the sun sets. This series of photos demonstrates how true that assertion is.
Bush Clouds Rock Shrubs Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7835
The changing face of Ayers’ Rock 11 • It is frequently said that Ayers’ Rock changes colour as the sun sets. This series of photos demonstrates how true that assertion is.
Bush Clouds Rock Shrubs Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7836
The changing face of Ayers’ Rock 15 • It is frequently said that Ayers’ Rock changes colour as the sun sets. This series of photos demonstrates how true that assertion is.

Just before the sun disappears from the sky, the Rock appears to glow a deep red colour.
Clouds Rock Shrubs Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7848
The changing face of Ayers’ Rock 16 • It is frequently said that Ayers’ Rock changes colour as the sun sets. This series of photos demonstrates how true that assertion is.

Even after the sun has disappeared behind the horizon, it continues to leave colour in the clouds overhead.
Clouds Rock Shrubs Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070728 7855
The Olgas at Sunrise
Clouds Desert Shrubs Sunrise Trees Winter rhjf 20070729 7885
The Olgas at Sunrise
Clouds Desert Shrubs Sunrise Trees Winter rhjf 20070729 7888 version
The Olgas at Sunrise
Clouds Desert Shrubs Sunrise Trees Winter rhjf 20070729 7894
The Olgas • Two of the Olgas’ domes as seen at the start of the ‘Valley of the Winds’ walk among the domes of The Olgas.

[Panorama from multiple exposures stitched together.]
Clouds Desert Photostitch Panorama Rock Trees Winter rhjf 20070729 7906 stitch
Among the Olgas • A view of some of the Olgas’ domes on the ‘Valley of the Winds’ walk.
Clouds Desert Rock Shrubs Trees Winter rhjf 20070729 7921
The Valley of the Winds • A view of some of the Olgas’ domes on the ‘Valley of the Winds’ walk.
Desert Rock Trees Winter rhjf 20070729 7966
The Valley of the Winds • A view of some of the Olgas’ domes on the ‘Valley of the Winds’ walk.
Desert Rock Trees Winter rhjf 20070729 7977
Shadow on the Rock • A gum tree casts its shadow on Ayers’ Rock
Shadow Trees Winter rhjf 20070729 7991
Old Angas Downs cattle station • The remains of the homestead at Old Angas Downs cattle station, in the Liddle Hills, about 220km south-west of Alice Springs.
Farm Fence Grass Sand Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070729 7999
Rusty barbs • Remnants of barbed wire among the remains of the homestead at Old Angas Downs cattle station, in the Liddle Hills, about 220km south-west of Alice Springs.
Farm Grass Machine Sand Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070729 8001
Sunset over Old Angas Downs • The sun sets and the moon rises over Old Angas Downs cattle station, about 220km south-west of Alice Springs.
Farm Grass Machine Moon Sunset Trees Winter rhjf 20070729 8042
Old stockyards • The sun rises over the disused stockyards at Old Angas Downs cattle station, about 220km south-west of Alice Springs.
Farm Fence Sand Sunrise Trees Winter rhjf 20070730 8059
Sunrise in the Outback • The rising sun tints the gum trees and hills orange at Old Angas Downs cattle station, about 220km south-west of Alice Springs.
Farm Grass Sand Sunrise Trees Winter rhjf 20070730 8075
Sunrise in the Outback • The rising sun tints the gum trees and hills orange at Old Angas Downs cattle station, about 220km south-west of Alice Springs.
Farm Grass Sand Sunrise Trees Winter rhjf 20070730 8077
Sunrise in the Outback • The rising sun tints the gum trees and hills orange at Old Angas Downs cattle station, about 220km south-west of Alice Springs.
Farm Grass Sunrise Trees Winter rhjf 20070730 8078
Homestead remains • The cooker of the homestead at Old Angas Downs cattle station, about 220km south-west of Alice Springs, has been rusting since the desertion of the station.
Farm Fence Grass Sunrise Trees Winter rhjf 20070730 8081
Homestead remains • The cooker of the homestead at Old Angas Downs cattle station, about 220km south-west of Alice Springs, has been rusting since the desertion of the station.
Farm Fence Grass Sunrise Trees Winter rhjf 20070730 8086
Old Angas Downs catttle station
Farm Fence Grass Rock Sand Sunrise Trees Winter rhjf 20070730 8099
Kathleen Springs • The rocks along the path to Kathleen Springs, in the Watarrka National Park (Northern Territory).
Grass Rock Shrubs Trees Winter rhjf 20070730 8102
Flowers • Flowers in the late-afternoon sunlight below King’s Canyon in the Watarrka National Park (Northern Territory).
Flower Grass Trees Winter rhjf 20070730 8110