Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[roverdriver]

If you have missed Part 1 of this tale, it can be found here-

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=14196&highlight=red+center+centre

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Beatrix, our 1959 Rover 90, had brought us to the center of Australia. 1,615 miles in four days travel. Part 1 of the story is here-

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=14196

We stayed in Alice Springs for two days. Unfortunately there was little in the way of old car activity to see, but we thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful scenery.

Many of the things that I mention can be researched on the internet, so please be my guest and seek out more information.

On the first day we looked around the town of Alice Springs. It owed its origin to being firstly a repeater station on the Overland Telegraph line. The last undersea connection reached Australia at Darwin in 1872 and the overland line ran nearly 2,000 miles to Adelaide through some of the least hospitable country for any such construction. The story of the line makes for interesting reading. Suffice to say that there were 11 repeater stations, the one nearest the centre of the continent was built near a permanent water supply- Alice Springs. The repeater station made it a focus for the scattered property owners, then gold and saphires were found nearby and so a town grew up. When the minerals ran out the town remained. It developed a hospital, became the terminus for a railway in 1929, and became the center for the Flying Doctor service.

We drove to Anzac Hill, a war memorial lookout near the middle of the town.



Alice Springs is surrounded by the ancient hills of the McDonald Ranges.





We visited the Pioneer Womens Museum. One can only wonder at the strength of character, to say nothing of strength of body that the women who ventured onto station properties in the 1800's and early 1900's needed.







We felt that the museum was a fitting tribute to the ladies that were some of the real pioneers.

Opposite the museum, on private property, we spied these rather forlorn vehicles. I do hope that they will one day be made whole again.



Later in the day we visited an art gallery where we were able to enjoy some original paintings by the famous Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira. As we were now able to both see the paintings, and typical countryside that was his subjects, we could see how skilled he was and how cleverly he captured the reality of what we could see.

From the gallery we visited the Aircraft Museum.



The DC3 in this photo was owned by Connellan Airways, a company that not only helped to open up this part of the country, but also chartered its aircraft to the Flying Doctor Service right up until 1965.

Another interesting plane is this Wackett.



I'll let the plaque tell the story.



Next day we set off on a short tour alongside the ranges. It was a very pleasant and moving surprise to come across something that we had not seen mentioned in any of the tourist brochures.



The grave of "Flynn of the Inland". The man behind the Australian Inland Mission, founder of hospitals in remote areas and the 'father' of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.





We continued on, amazed by the scenery.





Then turned towards the mountains to see Simpson's Gap. The approach was interesting.



But nothing could prepare us for the awe inspiring sight that was the gap itself. Unfortunately no camera could do it justice.



My wife, Noreen is dwarfed by ancient rocks.





After leaving Simpson's Gap, we regained the main road for a while and again turned of towards the ranges. Once more, breathtaking rock formations and scenery.









We spent quite some time photographing. It is just as well that digital film is cheap because we would have used many rolls of the older style product.

There were lots of wonderful scenes to see just from the roadside, so it took a while to get back to Alice. It was a shame that our time was limited, there was so much natural beauty to enjoy, and quite a few man-made attractions still to be visited, but alas, next day we had to set off to the South.

We did not go straight home but visited some other fascinating places on the way, so if you can tolerate some more, I'll try to post about Beatrix taking us back to Port Augusta and then on into the Flinders Ranges.

Part 3 can now be found here-

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=103610#103610
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Dane- roverdriver but not a Viking.

[Keith D]

Dane,
What a terrific write-up! I don't know what your career was, but it should have been in journalism! You have certainly given a wonderful picture and description of The Alice!
I'm definitely looking forward to reading about the rest of your holiday.
Keith

[peter scott]

Hi Dane,

Great stuff! I also look forward to further installments.

When I was a nipper I had a Boy's Book of Trains, well actually "The Railway Album" by E.S. Wolff, and one photo always fascinated me. Well just recently I spotted another copy of the book in a charity shop so, in best reliving your youth vain I bought it (just for this photo).

More relevant to one of your earlier expeditions, but your mention of railways and telegraphs over miles of desert just reminded me of this...

Peter


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http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[Ashley]

Great stuff keep it coming!

[rjt10/4]

thanks so much for pt 2 really interesting i hope we see some more pics of Beatrix enjoying the scenery as well fantastic photos by the way more please

[roverdriver]

Thank you all very much for your comments. They give me courage to work on, but please be patient, it does take a while to sort the photos and then write up the story. I am working on Part 3 now.

Keith, I have always enjoyed writing, but only for a short time did I manage to do it for money. I was a freelance writer for a very short-lived country newspaper. In more recent times I have written factual stories and then taught myself book binding so made the tales into two books which I have given to family and friends. One book is about some of my motoring experiences, starting in the late 1950's. I sometimes dream that a publisher might like it, but somehow I think the market for it would be rather limited.

Peter, yes you are right, the Trans-Australian railway was also an amazing feat, however many years before that was built, a telegraph line was strung from Perth to Adelaide, within a few years of the Darwin to Adelaide line, and was another great feat of man over the obstacles provided by nature. So dry is that countryside that camels were the main means of transport. We studied the remains of that telegraph line on our 1975 trip in the Model A Ford.

Now, for me enough of chatting, there are photos to be sorted out.
_________________
Dane- roverdriver but not a Viking.

[Rick]