Kings Canyon in central Australia is a sacred gorge for the local aboriginal people. The walls of the canyon are more than 100 metres high. Photo / Getty Images
Kings Canyon in central Australia is a sacred gorge for the local aboriginal people. The walls of the canyon are more than 100 metres high. Photo / Getty Images
Tom Dillane stays at Kings Creek Station, in Australia's remote Outback
Location: 36km from Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park in the southwest corner of the Northern Territory, which is 300km from Alice Springs.
Getting there: It was a 2.5-hour drive from Uluru (admittedly speeding), where I'd flown to fromAlice Springs. Nice drive though. It was scheduled as a 3-4 hour highway journey and our quick time was achieved despite being stuck behind two immense carry trays for those huge yellow mining trucks being transported on road trains. The delay was worth it though, it's pretty remarkable to see the size of the things. Their width hung over the entire length of the highway and oncoming traffic had to park well down into the road side ditch to avoid them.
Location: It is actually a working cattle station and farm hands scoot by on quad bikes, around the main base, which has a petrol station and cafe. It is the largest exporter of wild camels in Australia selling them for live export, live domestic sales and meat. The entrance has a wide gravel drive with veranda and a beer garden shaded by huge overhanging desert oak trees. No-frills outback beauty. The wider station itself spans 1800sq km, within which are various tent accommodations of varying luxury.
Food: Bread and meat based - I managed to eat both kangaroo and camel. I'd ridden a camel earlier that day near Uluru so it was a nice full-circle culinary experience. I ended up having four meals there and that definitely was right on the tipping point of monotony. But on the major upside their booze was really quite cheap. Bottles of red wine and sparkling white were around $20. Their beer fridge was perfectly chilled, and there is no judgement placed on excess in the outback.
Facade of the Safari Cabin at King's Creek Station.
Check-in: Canvas cabins weren't free until 2pm, and arriving there two hours before that there isn't a great deal to occupy your time.
Service: As far as I saw both the cabin reception and the cafe were exclusively staffed by young overseas tourists from vastly different regions of the globe. Extremely friendly and accommodating all round.
The room: Well, the safari cabin that is - permanent canvas cabins constructed of steel frames, tiled floors and lockable doors. There are shared toilet and shower facilities, kitchen, grassed picnic area and swimming pool.
Kings Canyon is located over 300 km from Alice Springs and is a sacred gorge for the local aboriginal people. Tee walls of the canyon are over 100 metres high.
What's in the neighbourhood: King's Canyon, a sacred gorge for the local aboriginal people. The walls of the canyon are more than 100 metres high. Karrke Aboriginal Cultural Experience just 5 minutes away.
The bottomline: If what you're looking for is a rugged outback experience without the actual effort of having to pitch a tent, check it for snakes in the morning, cook with a Bunsen burner, and tramp the damp dirt for midnight bathroom trips, then this is ideal.
Kings Creek Station is a remote Outback getaway in Australia's Northern Territory. Photo / Supplied
