Photos from the Real AUSTRALIA

Hermannsburg Region of Central Australia

Since the Lutheran Church handed control of Hermannsburg back to the traditional Western Arrarnta owners in 1982, many residents have since left the old mission to establish Homeland Centres or outstations on their traditional clan countries. There are around 35 of these small communities, some with their own school. Traditional life is still strong here, although there are now modern houses, solar-powered telephones and there are plenty of four-wheel drives to go hunting in.

Little Palm Creek is an example of a stand of Red Cabbage Palms near Hermannsburg and a great place to hike into. It is another branch of the Finke River and it is possible to drive (four wheel drive only, of course) north from here to Glen Helen, following the dry riverbed, but as it is usually very soft sand it is easy to get bogged here, so don't try this on your own: there won't be much traffic here. Another similar trip would be to Boggy Hole, about 30 km south of Hermannsburg, along a rough sandy track, passing Junction Waterhole where Ellery Creek flows into the Finke River. Following Finke Gorge, Boggy Hole is reached about 8 km further on. It is a permanent waterhole and has many waterbirds, including pelicans and swans. In the 1880s there was a police camp here from where a constable called William Willshire mounted punitive expeditions with his Aboriginal trackers and troopers, shooting Aboriginal people who resisted being driven off their lands by white settlers. The missionaries at Hermannsburg campaigned against this and eventually Willshire was put on trial, but, as was usual in those days, acquitted.

About 55 km west of Hermannsburg is Gosse Bluff, an ancient impact crater. It was created 140 million years ago when a meteor crashed here. The outer crater rim has a diameter of 22 km and has eroded away and is barely visible today. The inner ring of 250 m high hills has a diameter of about 5 km. To the Western Arrarnta people, the place is known as Tnorala, and represents a wooden dish that fell from the sky in the "Dreamtime". The traditional owners live at Ipolera, a small community belonging to the Malbunka family 12 km off the Larapinta Drive to the south. Further along Larapinta Drive and about 90 km by road from Hermannsburg, is Areyonga, a small Aboriginal community in a spectacular location, nestled between towering hills.

If you like to see a photo full size, just click on it;
you can then send it as a postcard by filling in the form underneath it.