Mereenie Loop

Loki · Senior Member

Mereenie Loop

Gerty Dancer · Guru

I'm sure you'll be fine Loki, theres about 40k's gravel road which was in good condition when we were there last year. We spent the night at Ormiston Gorge campground, it was excellent, less than $15 a night for 2 people, clean toilets, solar-heated showers.

The 4WD part is the road into Palm Valley, and if you really want to see this, would suggest you take a tourist bus.

You can get up to date info on local roads from the Tourist Info place in Alice Springs. Enjoy!!!

jonathan · Senior Member

As has been stated .. 2WD is fine on the loop road right around to Kings Canyon ..

Towed a small trailer with the Subaru Forester right out to Palm Valley onto the rocks on the river bed without a problem, but 4wd only on this section ..

Jon

Loki · Senior Member

Thanks Gerty and Jon! It sounds like a terrific area and I am looking forward to seeing it - everyone who has tells me how great it is.

Cheers,
Anton

Gerty Dancer · Guru

It takes longer than you think to visit all those gorges Loki, plan at least one overnight stop. And yes, absolutely fantastic country!!!

gordon_adl · Senior Member

just traveled it friday and is fairly good. few corrugations but nothing too bad. they are grading parts of it currently

Loki · Senior Member

Thanks Gerty, I have allowed plenty of time for my trip so I am able to see all I want to. It is mainly the shortcut from western end of McDonnel Ranges to Kings Canyon that I was worried about; apparently you can't camp overnight on it as it is Aboriginal land. I'll certainly check with the Alice Springs Tourist Bureau when I get there.

And Thanks also to Gordon - as long as it is solid it should be OK for my 2WD HiAce. I'm looking forward to the journey!

Cheers,
Anton

rod56 · Veteran Member

The Mereenie can be very rough and corrugated at times, make sure you do check at info centre and possibly Glen Helen before you take a 2WD on it. Fair bit more than 40 km of gravel, more like 240 km and if bad it can shake your car to pieces or make it a very long and unpleasant trip. You are correct, no camping allowed plus you need a permit to travel it, available at Alice info centre.

Rod

Gerty Dancer · Guru

I thought the road to Kings canyon was called Larapinta Drive, and you're right Rod its not a good road .

To clear the confusion, ...the "Mereenie Loop tourist drive" I was referring to goes West from Alice, past many gorge turn-offs in the East Macdonnells, turns South after Redbank gorge, past Gross Bluff then goes East ,(40km dirt road) back to Alice past the Palm valley turn-off and Hermansberg. Our memory is that we inquired about a permit at the Alice Springs tourist info place, but cant remember actually getting a permit for that section of road.

As you said, check first before going on any roads out there.

jonathan · Senior Member

Hermannsburg .. yes .. brings back early memories ..

.. photo taken from the top of Mt Hermannsburg looking back at Hermannsburg and another of the Finke after Flood at the former river crossing at Hermannsburg and with yours truly in the foreground ..

Both taken around 1958 ..

Jon

-- Edited by jonathan on Thursday 26th of April 2012 08:15:51 PM

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Mereenie Loop Road starts at the end of Larapinta Drive and terminates at about Kings Canyon.
Luritj Road (all bitumen) starts at about Kings Canyon and ends at the junction with the Lasseter Highway.
The Ernest Giles Road connects the Luritja Road to the Stuart Highway near the Henbury metiorite craters and can be very corrugated indeed.

Cheers,
Peter