Kings Canyon

What a spectacular area!  The Canyon Rim walk takes you into visual treasures you could never imagine:  The scope and scale of the phenomena that is Kings Canyon just cannot be captured on camera!  The landforms are many and varied along this track, the views of the Canyon outstanding and the Garden of Eden an ancient relict of millions of years ago.  The walk is moderately difficult but the track is good and you are rewarded with a fascinating myriad of features and landforms in this area.  Best to avoid the heat and start earlier in the day, as you can spend 4-5 hours easily basking in the glory of the landscape:  I've subsequently recommended to others undertaking this walk to pack their lunch - I wish I had done so myself!  Interestingly, the upper layer is white sandstone, but the eroded surfaces get covered with iron oxide blown about and clinging to the surfaces to give them the red colour:  Apparently the oxide is affixed by a fungus which binds it to the surface.  The rare spinifex pigeon lives in the area - look for the photo.

Kathleen Springs is 20 odd km down the road from Kings Canyon, well worth a visit.  The track in is very easy being designed for wheelchair access.  This is a large box canyon with plenty of plant growth and a spring at the end which attracts wildlife.  It was a favoured dry season camping area for Aboriginals, though they never camped too close to the spring so as not to deter game from coming to have a drink.  They did hunt game tho, being relatively plentiful and easily trapped in the canyon.  They also gathered plant foods which abounded in the area.  During the wet season when food & water was available in the broader plains, they would leave the area to 'rest' and venture out into them. 

Waterholes are found at the base of some of the sandstone outcrops, as the sandstone stores water and it seeps out slowly.  Thus these waterholes will contain water in all but severe drought.  They are found around Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Kings Canyon etc.  They are also often sheltered so contain plant & animal species unique to the damper environment.