Aus Day 16 - Preservation and Water Holes

Tuesday 5th October Aus Day 16


Well! It managed to rain pretty much all night and it was still at it when I managed to get myself out of bed at 07.30 this morning. Still, it is a little cooler so that’s not bad. The usual shower and breakfast and cleared the caravan by 09.50. I will be moving to a different site this afternoon as this one is rather expensive for my budget which is taking a bit of a hammering at the moment. Still within overall budget but, Mr Micawber would not be happy with the trend.

First stop today is at the Old Ghan Railway Museum which is about 8 kms south of the town centre and features mementoes of the original narrow gauge Ghan Railway which ran from Port Augusta to Alice Springs, via Oodnadatta and strange as it might seem, suffered from significant flood problems. The South Australian Government authorised construction of the line in 1876 and by 1891 had reached Oodnadatta. However, it wasn’t until 1925 that the decision was made to extend the line to Alice Springs and it didn’t reach there until 1929. At that time the town of Alice Springs was known as Stuart and was not renamed as Alice Springs until 1933.

The Ghan Preservation Society has a wealth of information in their little museum and I photographed much of it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t translate to Blog format and so I have just the following few photos of the train which the Society still operates once a week. Unfortunately for me, on a Sunday.

Preserved Commonwealth Railways Locomotive & Train No 58

1st Class Saloon Bar

JB In the Saloon Bar - Damn it's closed!

1st Class Dining Car

Not Indicated but Assume 3rd Class Dining Car

Galley

Naturally, passengers would need somewhere to relieve themselves from time to time to toilets were available but, then as now, not to be used when the train is in the station.

Toilet and Fold Up Wash Basin

On the weekly Preservation Society trips, apparently there is a more modern type of carriage to cater for the photographic ambitions of the tourists. Shown below!!!

Modern Tourist Class??

Finally, tucked away at the back of the yard the Society has an older steam engine (3’ 6” Gauge, 4-8-2) preserved, sadly, not in working order although an entry on the Internet seem to think otherwise.

Narrow Gauge Steam Locomotive "Lou Marks"

JB With Lou Marks

I extracted myself from the museum at about 11.20 and headed to the opposite side of town to the Alice Springs Telegraph Station.

In 1871, William Whitfield Mills, a surveyor for the Overland Telegraph, discovered and named the ‘Alice Springs’ waterhole after Alice Todd, the wife of Charles Todd, the Superintendent of Telegraphs. It isn’t actually a spring at all; it’s a depression in the riverbed where water gets trapped on top of some granite.

I was here in February 2000 and it was pretty much as I remembered it other than, I remember there being more water at that time. However, the photographs from 2000 are resident on my computer back in the UK and not readily available for comparison. On this visit, I took a hike up to the top of Trig Hill which was established as part of the map making process. The following photo was taken at the top and I think you can tell that it was quite windy.

On Top of Trig Hill at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station

The following shots show me ‘posing’ in front of the waterhole where, in the 1920s, men were pictured diving into the water; and then with a view of the river course behind me.

JB at the Water Hole - People used to dive from the rock into the water

JB and The Continuing River Course

Having had a good wander about, including having a quick play with this operational water pump, I decided to call it a day and head for the new caravan site. However, just to complete the story the original Telegraph Station buildings have been preserved on the site and are accessible to tourists for a modest entry fee. I didn’t bother this time as Christine and I had done the complete tour in 2000.


JB Operating the Water Pump - Still from a Video

I called into the town centre to do a bit of shopping and generally have a browse around, taking the following couple of shots of Todd Mall. However, my overall impression is that the area has developed a slight air of seediness and is looking a bit tired. It certainly doesn’t look, to me, as fresh as it did in 2000. However, others will have to make up their own minds.

Todd Mall Sign

Centre of Todd Mall

Having done my shopping in the famous ‘Coles’ supermarket I found my way to the Stuart Caravan and Cabin Park, where I booked in by 15.30 and shortly after was enjoying a refreshing dip in the pool which, I followed with a shower and then got set up for my really welcome Skype session with the very lovely Eileen.

Tea of spaghetti bolognese and then an evening sorting out and labelling the 70 odd photographs and videos I had taken during the day. After which, I felt too tired to daft the Blog {Zebedee sneaked up on me and sent me to bed at about 10.30} which is why I am doing this on Wednesday morning. Well it is raining again and I am not in a hurry to go anywhere.