Australian travellers living on the road to escape Covid lockdowns are stopping at a spectacular gorge that looks like a water colour painting at sunset.
Sitting 135 kilometres west of Alice Springs in Tjoritja West MacDonnell National Park, NT, Ormiston Gorge has been hailed as the ‘heart of Australia’, captivating visitors with its majestic red cliffs that loom large over a sparkling waterhole.
The miniature lake, which is there year round despite the region’s famously dry climate, is a great place to swim, while its banks provide the perfect perch to admire plants and native animals.
Travellers have raved about the unusual destination on social media, with bloggers Luke and Jess, who run the As We Wander Instagram page, calling it their ‘favourite waterhole’ in Australia.
Australian travellers living on the road to escape Covid lockdowns are stopping at a spectacular gorge that looks like a water colour painting at sunset
Sitting 135 kilometres west of Alice Springs in Tjoritja West MacDonnell National Park, NT, Ormiston Gorge has been hailed as the ‘heart of Australia
Photos of the breathtaking scenery have caused jaws to drop online, with many saying they can’t wait to visit the gorge once lockdown is lifted in New South Wales and Victoria.
‘Wow, be there soon,’ one person wrote
‘Adding this amazing spot to my list,’ said a second, while a third added: ‘So dreamy, there are so many gems in Central Australia!’
Another called Ormiston a ‘must-visit’ for anyone exploring the Northern Territory.
The gorge is the latest in a line of quirky locations drawing record numbers of tourists while Australia’s international border remains closed.
Further east in Outback Queensland, an abandoned nuclear site has become one of the country’s most unlikely Instagram hotspots.
The gorge captivates visitors with its majestic red cliffs that loom large over a sparkling waterhole
The miniature lake, which is there year round despite the region’s famously dry climate, is a great place to swim
The town of Mary Kathleen and a uranium mine of the same name were officially opened in 1958 by then-Prime Minister Robert Menzies and Queensland Premier Frank Nicklin.
At the time, the town boasted a population of 1,000 living less than 10 kilometres from its lifeblood – the mine – but today, all that remains are memories.
In a tale eerily reminiscent of the Oscar-winning Nomadland, Mary Kathleen is now a ghost town occupied by empty slabs where houses once stood and a town square abandoned save for a sign pointing to the foundations of the old post office and grocery store.
It sounds depressing and desolate, but tourists now flock there in 4WDs to capture Instagram shots of the old mine pit that is now a sparkling turquoise – and slightly radioactive – dam.
This abandoned nuclear site in Outback Queensland has become one of Australia’s most unlikely Instagram hotspots
Concrete slabs that stand where shops and houses used to be play host to campers who pitch tents and spend a night in the deserted township so they can snap photos the next morning.
So alluring is the dam that several tours are now running in the area that served as a booming uranium plant for 24 years, before it became Australia’s first major uranium mine rehabilitation project, completed in 1985 at a cost of roughly $19million (AUD).
There has been much speculation about what gives the lake its brilliant blue colour, but it is believed to be caused by rusted mining equipment which has oxidised the water.
Photographer couple Kurt and Carly (pictured) drew stunned responses when they shared this photo of Mary Kathleen mine pit on Instagram
Mary Kathleen is now a ghost town occupied by empty slabs where houses once stood and a town square abandoned save for a sign pointing to the foundations of the old post office
The mine has recorded ‘non acute’ levels of radiation, which means it is safe to visit.
But while the water looks inviting, visitors are advised not to swim.
The dam has put Mary Kathleen back on the map, with tourists from across the country stopping there for a taste of something different.
Hundreds of Instagram photos are linked to the mine’s location tag on Instagram, with travel bloggers and ‘van-lifers’ calling it one of the most striking sights in Outback Queensland.
Hundreds of Instagram photos are linked to the mine’s location tag on Instagram
Photographer couple Kurt and Carly, who run Instagram page ‘Let’s Get Outta Here’, stumbled across the lake and drew dozens of stunned responses after they posted a photo of themselves gazing out over the water.
Many visitors said the ‘beautiful’ colour of the dam took their breath away.
Others said the township feels so ‘truly deserted’, it sends a shiver down your spine.