Dulcie Ranges National Park - NT

IMPORTANT NOTE: This information has been compiled from a number of different sources and document from various NT Government Departments and publicly available on the various web sites. I cannot vouch for the current accuracy of this information as some documents were as old as 2001. I am attempting to obtain current information from NT Parks and Wildlife and will update this information as it comes to hand.
Sources: http://www.nt.gov.auhttp://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/http://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/parks/find/index.html and the Conservation Commission of the NT (CCNT).

Contact Parks and Wildlife NT on (08) 8951 8211 in Alice Springs prior to travelling to Dulcie NP.

The Dulcie Range National Park is located approximately 220 kilometres north east of Alice Springs. The Park, with an area of 190 square kilometres, takes in the south western section of the Dulcie Range,

Access to the area from Alice Springs is north via the Stuart Highway then east along the Plenty Highway. The Park is then accessed via private station tracks from both the Explorer Territory 4WD Route and from the Plenty Highway at the Huckitta Station Homestead turnoff. According to Parks and Wildlife NT: “To reach the Park visitors have to travel considerable distances on private, unmarked rough tracks to reach areas without facilities and having limited scenic qualities.”

The Dulcie Range’s principal attractions are sheltered gorges, many of which contain permanent rock holes and springs and areas of scenic rock outcrops with the area’s sense of remoteness as an added attraction. Currently the existing Park has limitations as a destination for visitors as the majority of Dulcie Range’s attractions such as gorges and scenic waterholes are outside the Park boundary and on private property. Activities within the Park include sightseeing, bush camping, exploring, bush walking, extended backpacking and Aboriginal cultural appreciation.

The trig point at Mt Ultim marks the north western corner of the Park. Therefore some of the scenic attractions and Aboriginal art sites that surround Mt Ultim are outside the boundary of the Park. The northern section of the Park is characterised by an extensive plateau with relief up to 150 metres often showing a series of parallel joints, steep sided cliffs, scree slopes and deep sheltered gorges. Rocky watercourses are commonly found. The southern section is characterised by dissected plateaux with regionally sloping summits, with relief up to 50 metres and having some very stony and coarse soils.

The first recorded European to visit the Dulcie Range area was Charles Winnecke, in 1878. Others include the South Australian Government Geologist H.Y.L. Brown in 1896 and the Barclay-MacPherson Expedition in 1912. In 1916, T.E. Day, Chief Surveyor of the Northern Territory, surveyed and named the Dulcie Range after his second eldest daughter Edith Dulcie Coates.

A 4WD track accesses the Old Huckitta Homestead and continues onwards for 4 km to a gorge with a chain of small water holes. The Park contains evidence of early pastoral activity with the ruins of Old Huckitta Station Homestead and outbuildings including a wagon shed, blacksmith’s shop, horse yard and stockyard. The Old Huckitta homestead is thought to have been established about 1920 and occupied until the mid 1940s. In the early 1950’s a new Huckitta homestead was established at its present site on the Plenty River and adjacent to the Plenty Highway.

The Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory (CCNT) undertook a broad resource survey of the Dulcie Range in 1989. The survey recorded a large number of rock art and archaeological sites. A major art and engravings site within the Park (Ataperraperre) is centred around Mount Ultim and has been registered as a Sacred Site, with an additional Sacred Site adjacent to the Old Huckitta Homestead ruins. Access to Sacred Sites is not permitted.

Mammals: A number of native mammal and introduced species have been recorded in the Dulcie Range area. These include the Long-tailed Planigale, Chocolate Wattled bat, and the Dusky Horseshoe-bat. Some of the birds found in the region included Spinifex Bird, Dusky Grasswren, Peregrine Falcon and Emu. A variety of frogs, lizards and goannas also inhabit the region.

The Spotted Grunter fish is found in nearly all watercourses and waterholes. The Rainbow Fish is common in some waterholes, while a small amphibious freshwater crab is also found in or near some waterholes. Unfortunately, feral cats also occupy a wide habitat range and are known to have significant impacts on native species.