Australia, beyond its immaculate beaches and crystal clear waters, conceals many unexpected treasures. From Adelaide, in the south, to Darwin, in the extreme north, the red continent is crossed by the Explorers Way, a mythical road far from the beaten track. An extraordinary journey where culture, gastronomy, natural wonders and legends of the Australian Outback are combined
Adelaide: cultural stopover
Our journey begins in the heart of South Australia's capital, Adelaide. With its quality of life, fine dining, Victorian buildings and new contemporary neighbourhoods, it attracts more and more visitors every year. Walking along the grand boulevard of North Terrace, lined with prestigious buildings, a visit to the iconic South Australian Museum is a must, with its impressive collection of the country's diverse Aboriginal cultures. With its 4 million objects, it is the largest Aboriginal collection in the world! Strolling along the streets, on foot or by bike, we head for one of the city's must-see places: the Botanical Gardens and the Central Market, the largest covered market in the southern hemisphere. Finally, the beaches of Glenelg, West Beach or Brighton Beach are located less than 30 minutes from the city centre
To leave the city,the Ghan train links Adelaide to Darwin. It is the longest line in the world linking one continent from south to north, through bush and desert as far as the eye can see. The line, started in 1877, was not completed until 1929. There is nothing like travelling through the Australian desert in the comfort and luxury of this legendary train. The full journey takes 48 hours, but you can also take a 24-hour half-trip from Adelaide to Alice Springs, or from Alice Springs to Darwin
Kangaroo Island: nature getaway
A wildlife haven, Kangaroo Island offers a sample of Australia's incredible diversity of wildlife: kangaroos, sea lions, penguins and koalas live peacefully together on this land off the coast of South Australia. At 150 kilometres long and 60 kilometres wide, Australia's third largest island is well worth a visit! The 74,000-hectare wilderness of Flinders Chase National Park offers a succession of trails, including the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail, a 61-kilometre walk with breathtaking views. Magical!
Fleurieu Peninsula, between vineyards and ocean
Renowned for its local produce, the Fleurieu Peninsula stretches 110km south of Adelaide. Its rugged coastline, long sandy beaches and swimmable coves stretch as far as the eye can see. The peninsula is home to many walking trails and nature reserves such as Deep Creek Conservation Park. Further along the coast, Victor Harbor, Port Elliot and Goolwa are all seaside resorts with pine-lined beaches and shores alive with the migratory whales, easily seen from the coast from May to October. A few hundred meters from the shore, Granite Island is connected to Victor Harbor by a pier built in 1875. The island is reached to discover the Oceanic Victor Marine Aquarium and a penguin colony. Goolwa is an ideal base to discover the lagoons of the Coorong National Park. A paradise for thousands of migratory birds, this 140km long salt lagoon meanders between land and sea
Then,in the north-western part of the Fleurieu Peninsula, the McLaren Vale region is known for the quality of its wines, which are among the most renowned in the country. The food scene is not to be outdone, with local specialities such as barbecued squid and stuffed lamb with seaweed
Barossa and Clare Valley: vineyard bliss
The Barossa Valley, 65 kilometres from Adelaide, is the country's most famous wine region. Food tours offer the opportunity to stop at vineyards and producers, renowned for their specialities: pâtés, olives, jams, cheeses... with no less than 135 estates supplying half of Australia's wine production. On foot or by bike, you can discover the local terroir both in the glass and on the plate. Although the Clare Valley accounts for only 2.5% of Australia's wine production, it is renowned for its wineries, including Knappstein, Pikes and Skillogalee.
Ikara - Flinders Ranges, at the gateway to the Outback
A special taste of the Outback, the Flinders Ranges is on the horizon. More than 800 million years old, it's home to the vast natural amphitheatre of Wilpena Pound, abundant wildlife and Aboriginal legends - just some of its riches. It was in the northern part of the range, in the Ediacara Hills, that the oldest animal fossils ever found were discovered in 1946. Adapted to the semi-desert conditions, the typical animals of the Outback swarm in this landscape. Kangaroos, emus, birds, but also echidnas, bats or the fierce yellow-legged rock wallaby have long shared their land with the Adnyamathanha Aborigines "the people of the hills". A human occupation attested by rock paintings and engravings dating back tens of thousands of years
Coober Pedy, the opal fever
With its lunar landscapes, its arid lands and its buried treasures, Cooper Pedy leaves no one indifferent to its enigmatic charm. A particular atmosphere, between Far West and science fiction, plunges us into an Australia out of time. As early as 1916, the town welcomed the first rush of miners before becoming the world capital of opals: today, Australia produces more than 95% of the world's opals. This rare mineral takes 70 million years to form. As you walk through Coober Pedy, another curiosity catches your eye: the town is largely underground, so as not to suffer from the extreme temperatures (sometimes over 50°C). Restaurants, hotels and churches are also excavated, and tourists can even spend a night underground! The landscapes and unusual history of Coober Pedy have attracted Hollywood studios: films such as Red Planet, Priscilla, Madwoman of the Desert and Mad Max 3 have been shot here.
Uluru and Kata Tjuta, the spiritual heart of the Red Desert and the Aboriginal world
An exceptional oasis and the spiritual heart of the country, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is one of Australia's main natural attractions. A World Heritage Site, it is home to the Aboriginal people's most sacred symbol: Uluru, rising 350 metres from the desert. Guardians of their land and the secret of creation, the Aborigines believe that the Earth was shaped by their ancestors in the Dreamtime: to explore Uluru is to retrace the history of this original people. Whether on foot, bike, helicopter or camel, Uluru is a sight to behold at sunrise or sunset. At dusk, the stars come out and the sky is filled with constellations. It's easy to spot the famous Southern Cross, which is only seen in the southern hemisphere and on the Australian flag.
Kata Tjuta, a neighbour of Uluru, is more intimate, but no less spectacular. A World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, Kata Tjuta is a collection of 36 red sandstone domes dating back 500 million years. To grasp the spiritual and cultural dimension of Kata Tjuta, there's nothing like a tour of the Valley of the Winds trail with an Aboriginal guide. Head to Kata Tjuta at dawn to watch the sunrise. With a 360-degree view of the site, the silhouettes of the rocks are transformed by a firework display of colour.
Alice Springs, Outback legend
Authentic and unspoilt, the town is the focal point of the Red Centre for both Aboriginal people and tourists looking to experience the Australian desert. From the refreshing waterholes of the East and West McDonnell Ranges to the towering Kings Canyon and its giant rock formation, Alice Springs is surrounded by many remarkable sights Not far from the city, a hospital is worth a visit. Since his childhood, Chris Barnes has been passionate about Australia's most emblematic animal, the kangaroo. As the founder of the Kangaroo Sanctuary, he now dedicates his life to saving and raising orphaned baby kangaroos.
Karlu Karlu, the eggs of the rainbow snake
A hundred kilometres south of Tennant Creek, the "Devil's Marbles" are the subject of Aboriginal legends that are as intriguing as they are poetic: Karlu Karlu means "rounded boulders" in the Warumungu Aboriginal language and these enormous granite rocks, shaped by millions of years of erosion, measure between 50 cm and 6 m in diameter. According to local beliefs, these heavy rocks that seem to defy the law of gravity are the fossilized eggs deposited by the Rainbow Serpent. A major character in Aboriginal mythology, he is considered the permanent inhabitant of wells, rivers and water bodies and thus controls water, the most precious source of life.
Explorers, UFOs and gold diggers
Continuing north, the Stuart Highway crosses the vastness of the Australian desert, punctuated by famous Road Houses, which often announce unusual encounters, former gold diggers or Aboriginal cowboys. Encounters of the third kind will attract the most daring to Wycliffe Well. Famous for its flying saucer sightings, this town is ranked among the five places in the world where UFOs regularly pass through!
For a trip back in time, go 130 km further north to Tennant Creek. A former gold mining town founded in 1935, Tennant Creek is known as the "golden heart" of the Northern Territory. Each October, a major festival is held to bring back the glory days of the gold rush. The rest of the year, you can visit the old gold warehouses and abandoned mines.
Heading north again, Daly Waters is a good place to pay tribute to explorer John McDouall Stuart. In 1862, the explorer carved his initials here as a symbol of his transcontinental journey
Katherine, from desert to tropics
Just over 300km south of Darwin, Katherine is known for the beauty of its gorges in Nitmiluk National Park. Here, the tropics emerge and the desert fades away, little by little, in front of the waterfalls and the majestic silhouettes of the eucalyptus trees. The thirteen gorges of the national park are crossed by the Katherine River. It is by boat that the visit is exceptional.
Kakadu, nature in majesty
Kakadu National Park, Australia's largest, is also the one with the greatest variety of ecosystems on the continent. Listed as a World Heritage Site for its natural and cultural riches, Kakadu changes with the seasons and offers an incredible array of biodiversity. Crocodiles abound in the mangroves, rivers and billabongs, pink lotus flowers bloom in the backwaters of the rivers that fill up during the monsoons. Between the eucalyptus trees, the cliffs and the marshes, it is the well-kept paradise of a fauna that has been present for tens of thousands of years: Aboriginal paintings representing wallabies, goannas, turtles or fishes testify to the unique richness of the region for thousands of years.
From Litchfield to Darwin: tropical beauty
Litchfield National Park is famous for its crystal clear waterfalls. These masterpieces are first-class natural pools in which to bask in the company of goannas (giant lizards that can grow up to 1.5 metres)
Darwin is home to no less than 70 different nationalities and to feel the multicultural atmosphere of the city, there is nothing like the Darwin Festival which takes place every year in August. During a stroll on the colourful Mindil Beach Sunset Market, a real crossroads between Asia and the Pacific, you will enjoy yourself. Darwin is therefore one of those cities with a seductive lifestyle. Happy ending!
Useful information
When to visit? With the exception of Adelaide, which has a temperate climate, the Explorers Way travels through high temperature regions all year round. The best time to visit the Northern Territory is from April to October. South Australia can be visited all year round, with the best times being the Southern Spring (September to November) and Southern Autumn (March to May).
Getting there. To get to Australia from France, it takes about 24 hours of flight, with a stopover
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