We left Simpson’s Gap in less than an hour and arrived at Standley Chasm soon. The Standley Chasm measures 80 meters in height and 5 meters in width. To the Western Arrernte aborigines, who are its original occupiers, Stanley Chasm is known as Angkerle Atwatye, meaning “the Gap of Water.”

As the natural formation’s English name, Standley Chasm is named after Mrs. Ida Standley, who was the first schoolteacher in Alice Springs. It is the effort to recognize her contribution to the welfare of the children of Alice Springs during 1914 and 1929. Mrs. Standley taught both European and aboriginal children. She was an important figure serving in the then difficult circumstances of the Alice Springs community.

As a cultural site for the Arrernte aborigines, Stanley Chasm was the community venue for the women of the tribe. There is an abundance of red gum trees in this area. The other plants are used for medicinal and artistic purposes. For example, the special Bat-leaved Coral Tree called Inarnta Beantree is uniquely native to Australia. It has medicinal use for the native peoples.

Today, Standley Chasm is privately held by the Iwupataka Land Trust. In other words, the aborigines remain the actual owners of the land in this area. They are responsible for the maintenance of both the land and the businesses there. I will say more about the wonderful Standley Chasm Angkerle Café there — it is wholly owned, run and operated by the aborigines.

Itinerary

When we were dropped off we were told that we had maybe a little over an hour at the Standley Chasm. Those who could walk would take the trail and reach the Standley Chasm in a little more than half an hour. Those who were not able to walk could opt to sit at the café for wonderful coffee and light breakfast. The trail is accessible by wheelchair, although it may be a little bumpy at certain sections. There is a way to connect to Section 3 of the Larapinta Trail on this short trail.

The walk was exceedingly pleasant in the morning hours. There was no climb at all, and we reached the Standley Chasm in about 35 minutes or so. The experience of approaching the Standley Chasm was somewhat similar to that of Simpson’s Gap, as our visuals narrowed when we walked toward the final stretch of the Chasm. There was also a pool at the end of the journey.

Views at Standley Chasm

The views were beautiful at Standley Chasm. The hills that formed the walls of the Chasm are also rusted in red earth. “Quartzite walls were formed by ancient seabeds approximately 2.2 billion years ago, making them some of the earliest mineral formations on the planet” (Our Dusty Backroads). It was a long process of oxidation that turned these naturally cool-colored quartz into the warm hue of red now.

The chasm created a narrow tunnel view through the open air. There was perhaps just one iconic shot to be taken here, and people had to line up a little to take turns. But don’t be fooled, the geology of the Outback will surprise you with things hiding in plain sight.

Beneath the chasm’s rocky surface is a river that flows continuously beyond the passage of time. There is no visible water to be seen, for sure, but if you spend a day digging, you will eventually find the underground water that serves as the ever-erosive force that shapes the face of the desert in unimaginable ways. I will explore this aspect of the geology in a later entry on East Macdonnell.

The Dreamtime

Perhaps the first course in appreciating the indigenous cultures of Australia is the idea of the Dreamtime. In the broadest sense, the Dreamtime is the name given to the Aussie aborigines’ understanding of their world. Be it myths or traditions, the Dreamtime informs the aborigines in the imaginative ways they understand the origins of nature, the concept of time and the relationships between them and the forces of nature that shape their cultural practices and social norms. It is passed down through generations of aboriginal descendants. A lot of such ideas are expressed in their art and oral traditions, which often come with fused artistic and pragmatic purposes.

The Dreamtime at Standley Chasm is an exemplary of the aboriginal Dreamtime. Suffice it is to say that the European proposal of the idea originated from their study of the Arrernte aborigines in Central Australia. Although the use of the word Dreamtime has been subject to scholarly criticism, the word does convey a positive expression for aboriginal myths, worldviews and culture. I think it inspires interests in their stories.

The story that explains the formation of the Standley Chasm is passed down by the descendants of the Mukaringa Country. Two euros (a smaller kind of kangaroo called wallaroo) were traveling from the west to Angkerle Atwatye. Before they arrived, the Standley Chasm did not exist. They got into a huge fight. Their tails were hung in the air. One of the euros fell hard onto the mountain range, and its tail broke the mountain into half. That was how the Angkerle Atwatye came into being.

In the aboriginal cultures, there is a clear division of labor between men and women members of the tribes. Women and men grew up receiving distinct trainings, including the versions of stories that are told to them. Only the public versions of Dreamtime can be shared with us.

The Standley Chasm Angkerle Café

After admiring the Standley Chasm, I made my way back to the meeting point, which is the Standley Chasm Angkerle Café. I ordered a cappuccino with buttered raisin toast and the combo was delightful.

Seated at my table was a British couple and a man from Texas, all of whom are members of the Autopia tour. We started discussing the war in Israel and I had some really stimulating discussions with them about the affairs of the world. They took keen interest in Hong Kong politics, especially after the 2019 incidents. Being American, I became immediate friends with the man from Fort Worth. We would then be having many good conversations for the rest of this tour.

Sources

Common Ground, Two Euros at Angkerle Atwatye.

Our Dusty Backroads, Standley Chasm: Billions of Years in the Making.

The Wikipedia on Standley Chasm.

The Wikipedia on Ida Standley.

The Wikipedia on The Dreaming.