Map of Australia's Mereenie Loop on the Red Centre Way from Alice
Springs
West MacDonnell Ranges tourist selfdrive tourist hire
guide
The
East and West MacDonnell Ranges stretch out for hundreds of kilometres
on both sides of Alice Springs. The traditional owners of the
Alice Springs area, the Arrernte people, believe giant caterpillars
called the Yeperenye became the Ranges - they entered this world
through one of the dramatic gaps in the escarpments of the area.
See
our map above for the Mereenie Loop on the Red Centre Way from
Alice Springs
West
MacDonnell National Park | West MacDonnell National Park is a
vast and spectacular section of the MacDonnell Ranges and an outstanding
example of an ancient landscape sculptured over time by climatic
elements. The West MacDonnell (Tyurretye) National Park stretches
some 161 km due west of Alice Springs. There are cool scenic gorges
being mportant refuges for plants and animals, many of which are
found only here and some are relicts of a bygone era of tropical
forests such as Palm Valley.
West MacDonnell National Park access | is accessible nearly all
year round. The cooler months (April to September) are the most
pleasant. All roads can be impassible for short periods after
heavy rain.