JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF OZ

Chambers Pillar rises prominently on the plain, and at the Lambert Centre the Australian flag dances in the wind; the Red Centre presents countless adventures for 4WD tourers

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When explorer John Stuart first sighted the sandstone column in 1860. Towering 50m above the surrounding plain, he decided to name it after a mate who contributed to his travel fund, James Chambers. It has remained a significant landmark on the edge of the Simpson Desert ever since and many passersby have tagged the rockface as a record of their visit. Thankfully, this practice is no longer permitted, as seeing 'Craig & Shazza' carved next to 'WM HAYES' just doesn't look right.

Alice Springs is the hub of the Red Centre and is a great place to fuel up, stock up and wash up. On leaving Alice, follow the signs towards the airport and turn right onto Maryvale Road. The bitumen stretches for 35km now, much more than on my last trip this way, but that doesn't make this adventure any less exciting as Chambers Pillar is an outstanding destination in the Red Centre. It is a spectacular site enjoyed by explorers, pastoralists and graffiti artists since Stuart first discovered it, and I was looking forward to revisiting it.

RAILWAY ROAD

The Maryvale Road follows the old Ghan Railway through low-lying scrubland and rocky outcrops. The first train left Adelaide in 1891, but the railway line didn’t reach Alice Springs until 1929 and Darwin until 2001. You'll find water towers and abandoned buildings along various stretches of the road, and you can almost picture yourself back in the days when riding the Ghan was an epic adventure — quite different from the silver service you would experience today.