Serpentine Gorge
Encyclopedia
Serpentine Gorge is one of the gorges in the West MacDonnell Ranges in Australia
's Northern Territory
. It is located approximately 100 kilometres west of Alice Springs along the Larapinta Trail
.
It comprises two gorges created by a south flowing creek which has cut through two ridges of Heavitree Quarzite. The gorge is home to some rare Central Australian plants such as the Centralian flannel-flower and cycads (the Macrozamia macdonnellii
). There is a semi-permanent waterhole guarding the entrance to the gorge.
Section 7 of the Larrapinta Trail starts at Ellery Creek Big Hole and ends here. Section 8 of the trail goes from here to Serpentine Chalet Dam.
Nearby are the ruins of Serpentine Chalet which was a late 1950s/early 1960s Ansett-Pioneer tourist venture. Lack of water and the remote location on an unsealed road brought about its demise. All that remains now are a concrete slab and other floor foundations.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
. It is located approximately 100 kilometres west of Alice Springs along the Larapinta Trail
Larapinta Trail
The Larapinta Trail is an extended walking track in the Northern Territory, Australia. Its total length covers from East to West, with one end at Alice Springs and the other at Mount Sonder, one of the territory's highest mountains...
.
It comprises two gorges created by a south flowing creek which has cut through two ridges of Heavitree Quarzite. The gorge is home to some rare Central Australian plants such as the Centralian flannel-flower and cycads (the Macrozamia macdonnellii
Macrozamia macdonnellii
Macrozamia macdonnellii is a species of plant in the Zamiaceae family. It is endemic to Australia.Macrozamia macdonnellii is not eaten by the Arrernte people of the Macdonnell Ranges due to the extensive process of toxin leaching that is required....
). There is a semi-permanent waterhole guarding the entrance to the gorge.
Tourism
There is a 1.3 kilometre walk along a service road, or alternatively along the creek bed, to the gorge, and a short steep climb to a lookout.Section 7 of the Larrapinta Trail starts at Ellery Creek Big Hole and ends here. Section 8 of the trail goes from here to Serpentine Chalet Dam.
Nearby are the ruins of Serpentine Chalet which was a late 1950s/early 1960s Ansett-Pioneer tourist venture. Lack of water and the remote location on an unsealed road brought about its demise. All that remains now are a concrete slab and other floor foundations.