West MacDonnell Ranges is a stunning chain of mountains that stretches 121 km west of Alice Springs in Australia’s Northern Territory. Over the eons, the Finke River has cut its way through the mountains, forming a number of spectacular gaps and gorges that can be explored via the Mereenie Loop.
All major attractions have campsites that provide a convenient base from which to explore the area. We arrived from the Kings Canyon via the Red Center Way and spent a few days and nights looking for wildlife in West MacDonnell Ranges, and here is what we found.
Glen Helen Gorge
2025 update: The accommodation complex at Glen Helen is currently closed for renovations. Unfortunately, this also means that the access road to the gorge is closed.
Glen Helen gorge is located 132 kilometres from Alice Springs, in the western reaches of the West MacDonnell Ranges. The landscape around Glen Helen is absolutely spectacular – the first thing you see when you arrive is a towering sandstone wall over the tranquil river. This extraordinary landscape is thought to be between 500 and 800 million years old.
Here, the Fink River cuts through the gorge on its way east to the Simpson Desert, providing a permanent water source – quite a rarity in this arid part of Australia. We arrived in the afternoon and spent the night camping by the river.
Glen Helen offers the only accommodation in West MacDonnell Ranges, a Discovery Parks complex that has a motel, a restaurant, and an expansive camp site perched on the riverbank.
We woke up to the jaw-dropping views of pristine waterhole framed by sheer cliffs of quartzite that were bright orange in the morning sun, unlike the darker hues we saw in the afternoon.
The permanent waterhole at Glen Helen provides much needed source of water for wildlife of the West MacDonnell Ranges. We sat on the sandy bank in the morning and watched a flock of noisy Zebra finches fly in for a drink. They were soon joined by a couple of striking Spinifex doves, and even a Great cormorant!
The campsite at Glen Helen offered scenic helicopter flights over the gorge, but as much as we wanted to, we didn’t stay long enough for further exploration. We had to reach the Palm Valley – our next destination in broad daylight since the approach road promised to be quite challenging.
Palm Valley
Palm Valley is one of the less explored destinations of the MacDonnell Ranges, and it requires a high-clearance 4WD to access. But without a doubt, it is absolutely worth it. Nestled inside a deep gorge, it has the feel of a primeval lost world, dominated by large ferns and ancient palm trees – reminders of a much wetter climate in the region.
Part of the remote Finke Gorge National Park, Palm Valley is the only place in Central Australia where Red cabbage palms survive.
To see the palms, follow In Palm Valley, the Arankaia Walk (2 km, 1 hour) or the longer Mpulungkinya Walk (5 km, 2 hrs return) which meander alongside a lush oasis of slender palms across the plateau.
Desert Frogs
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We had the campsite at Palm Valley all to ourselves, and it was where we saw most of the wildlife. Sandy river banks turned up some Red treefrogs as well as some Spencer’s burrowing frogs that would dig themselves right back into the sand when disturbed.
These amazing frogs spend most of the year in the subterranean chambers that they dig for themselves – a perfect adaptation for life in the arid environment.
Dingo at the Campsite
In the morning, a beautiful female Dingo visited the campsite. She looked to be in very good condition – a proficient hunter rather than a campsite scavenger. She lounged around the campsite for about an hour, drinking in the river and relaxing on the grassy lawn.
Of all the dingo encounters we had on our Northern Territory road trip, the encounter with this girl was the most authentic. She wasn’t there because of us, this was her world that we happened to visit.
Busy Babblers
There was a Grey-crowned babblers’ nest near the campsite, and I spent some time watching the birds tending to their nest and defending it from various intruders. These birds are prolific nest builders – they create great big domed nests that they tend to all year round.
They live and breed in cooperative family groups consisting of a dominant breeding pair and a number of related helpers.
The group I was watching put on quite a show of collecting twigs and dry grass, taking it up to their oversized nest and waiting for their turn before hopping up to the nest and weaving the raw material they brought into the existing structure.
They each seemed to be working on different sections of the nest, and I wondered how these duties were delegated amongst the birds.
At one point, a couple of Noisy miners swooped in, dive-bombing some of the babblers and immediately, the rest of the group flew up to stand by the birds that were being attacked.
Like all babblers, these species have a very rich and interesting, almost meowing call consisting of calls and answers of the breeding pair and chats and chirps from the other birds in the group. The call becomes a loud cacophony of sounds when dealing with attackers and intruders.
A Western bowerbird visited the nest tree with alarming frequency, eyeing off the nest on each visit. But the babblers put up a united front each time and warded off the intruder. It was a different story when the crows arrived…
Waterbirds in the Desert
Part of the 4WD track to and from the valley travelles across the rocky bed on the Finke River and abundant waterholes attract some unexpected waterbirds. On the drive back, we spotted Pacific black duck, Black-fronted dotterel, and Australasian pipit swooping in for a drink.
Ormiston Gorge
From Palm Valley, we headed to Ormiston Gorge in hopes of finding some Black-footed rock wallabies and having a swim. The road took us through some open woodlands, where we spotted more Brumbies as well as some Crimson chats and Budgies. As a kid growing up in Moscow, I used to see budges sold at pet markets. It was the most common pet bird in Russia. To see them fly across the vast Australian landscapes almost defied belief. For an arid landscape, West MacDonnell Ranges are absolutely teaming with wildlife.
We found that simply driving between the places of interest was a great way to see a wide variety of wildlife in the West MacDonnell Ranges. The open country on the sides of the road was where we had most of our wildlife sightings.
The aternoon walk at Ormiston Gorge, near the campsite turned up Dusky grasswrens, Brown honeyeater and Grey-headed honeyeater.
The gorge is also a good placce to see Black-footed rock wallabies at night. And we did spot a couple up high on the walls of the gorge. We were not too worried about getting a closer look at them as we knew we’ll the wallabies in day light at Simpson Gap.
A Surprise Encounter with a Perentie
The waterhole at Ormiston Gorge is a tranquil scene of a lost paradise. Surrounded by rugged walls of the gorge with refreshingly cold clear water, it is a perfect place to escape the heat of the day and recuperate before venturing further afield.
It is in fact, it is one of th ebiggest permanent waterholes in Central Australia and a popular swimming spot. It also lies along the Larapinta trail and after walking for a few days in the heat, it must indeed feel like a piece of heaven for the hikers.
The trick to enjoying Ormiston Gorge waterhole is to arrive early, or better yet, stay overnight in the campsite.
The water at Ormiston Gorge is as cold as it is at Glen Helen. But the pool is too inviting to refuse. So i grit my teeth and waded into the water. The pool is quite shallow in most places, but apprently it gets about 12 meters deep at the southern end.
As I was swimming, I noticed some movement in the reeds on the opposite bank, and waded over to investigate. For a while, I couldn’t see the animal, but I was certain it wasn’t a skink – the movement of the reeds suggested that they might be hiding a smallish dinosaur.
Finally, my patience paid off and a large spotted head poked through the reeds. It was the magnificent Perentie – Australia’s largest goanna. I was glad it wasn’t a crocodile, though! In all seriousness, don’t worry, there are no crocodiles in Central Australia.
Ellery Creek Big Hole
Ellery Creek Big Hole is another gorgeous waterhole, just a fine-minute walk from the car park. It is particularly atmospheric in the morning when it is bathed in the golden light.
Being much closer to Alice Springs that Ormiston Gorge, this waterhole gets quite busy with day trippers. So if you are looking for a tranquil swimming experience, leave it until Ormiston Gorge or Glen Helen.
Simpson Gap
Simpson Gap is reportedly one of the best locations in the West Macs to see Black-footed rock wallabies – one of the most iconic species of wildlife of West MacDonnell Ranges. They come down from the steep walls of the gorge to graze in the valley in the early morning and late afternoon.
We opted for the afternoon, and as promised, the wallabies were emerging from their rugged hideaways when we arrived. But as luck would have it, as soon as we settled with our cameras ready to take some once-in-a-lifetime photos of the wallabies, a Wedge-tail eagle appeared overhead and the wallabies scattered in fear.
The eagle seemed to be in the process of sorting out some territorial dispute with a family of Peregrine falcons, which continued until darkness – eliminating any chance of photographing wallabies in the warm afternoon light.
Not all afternoon was affected by bad luck, though – we had a good opportunity to watch some Red-tailed black cockatoo at the park’s headquarters on the way in.
Visiting West MacDonnell Ranges
Getting there
The best way to explore West McDonnell Ranges is via the Mereenie loop – the road that connects the Uluru & the Kings Canyon and Alice Springs. It is one of the most scenic drives in Central Australia, with plenty to see along the way. Palm Valley is the only area where you would need a 4WD.
Staying there
The only accommodation available in the ranges is at Glen Helen Lodge. All the other gorges have camping sites that are well-maintained and conveniently positioned.
More Northern Territory Nature Adventures
- Uluru animals – Weird and wonderful creatures you can spot at Uluru
- 35 Things to Do in the Northern Territory for Nature Enthusiasts
- On the Trail of Hooded Parrots in Pine Creek, Northern Territory
- Corroboree Billabong – Mary River Wetlands Cruise
- 9 Best Places to See Wildlife in Darwin
- Best Place to See Little Kingfisher and Chestnut Rail in Darwin
- Exploring West MacDonnell Ranges: Stunning Gorges and Desert Wildlife
- Guide to Spotting Wildlife in Kakadu National Park
- 5 Best Ways to Experience Nitmiluk / Katherine Gorge
- Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve
