Travel Guide East Macdonnell Ranges

The "East Macs" can be visited for their magnificent, rugged landscapes, their rich biodiversity and their history, both Aboriginal and colonial. The red of the steep cliffs contrasts with the blue sky, the lush green environment - especially after the rains - and the magnificent white "ghost" eucalyptus trees. The colors are even more impressive at sunrise and sunset. The gorges form waterholes that attract budgerigars, green and yellow birds. The Arrernte have a strong spiritual association with the East Macs, who they believe were formed by the Yeperenye caterpillar. Their ancestral art is represented here, with the paintings of Emily Gap and the petroglyphs of N'Dhala Gorge. The tranquility of Ruby Gap was disrupted by the arrival of gold miners in 1886, who then moved to Arltunga, then the first town in the Red Centre.