Palm Valley 18th September The tour to Palm Valley includes a stop at the Albert Namatjira memorial outside Hermannsburg. Mt. Hermannsburg is in the background.

Next stop was morning tea at the restored Hermannsburg Mission. Albert Namatjira was brought up on this mission station. He was the first Aboriginal artist to gain world recognition for his work, thanks to tutelage in water colours from Rex Battarbee, an artist from Victoria who visited the mission in the 1920s. The local name for Hermannsburg is Ntaria.

Getting into Palm Valley involves difficult 4WD-ing up the course of the Finke River, perhaps the oldest river in the world.

When the driving finishes the walking starts, parallel to the river along the cliff top.

No need to hurry. Enjoy the scenery. Do ya' like the new hiking boots - only $55, marked down from $99. This is their first outing.

The scenery is certainly worth the walk. The Ghost Gum is clinging to the very edge of the cliff. Nature's structural engineering ability is phenomenal.

This is Ina's first outback adventure and she is pretty pleased with herself...

...and the view. It should be recorded here that not long after this she accidentally sat in her first Spinifex clump. No photos were taken during the dropping of pants to remove the very sharp needles it implanted.

The first grove of Red Cabbage Palms. There are several groves in the Finke River Gorge.

From the ground it is even more stunning.

Driving out through Cycad Gorge. These plants were present on earth before the age of the dinosaurs.

Looking back along the Finke towards Palm Valley from Kalarranga Lookout.

From the same area looking into the natural Amphitheatre and other hidden valleys beyond.

The view beyond the balancing rock.

The view to the left of where Ina was standing.