RED
CENTRE
CAMPS!
Palm Valley's red cabbage
palms are a drawcard.
WORDS: & IMAGES: GLENN MARSHALL
ADVENTURER GLENN MARSHALL REVEALS THE BEST FREE
AND CHEAP CAMPSITES IN THE RED HEART OF AUSTRALIA.
There’s something about the Red Centre that draws me back time and again. It’s the red dust, the dry
conditions, the friendliness of the people and the spectacular scenery. What makes it even better is
the number of free or low-cost camps that are right on the doorstep of the best sites in the region.
PALM VALLEY
Palm Valley is part of the Finke Gorge National
Park. It is home to a varied range of plant species,
many of which are rare and unique to the area,
including the central Australian red cabbage
palm. This species of palm is restricted to the area,
thanks to a large underground water source. The
tallest of the palms reach 25m and beyond, with
the oldest palms thought to be between 100 and
300 years old.
A couple of walking options from the carpark offer
great views of the palms and the valley: the 5km
Mpulungkinya walk and the 2km Arankala walk.
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The facilities at Palm Val-
ley are surprisingly good.