Essential Alice Springs Tour
3 to 3.5 hours. $84 adult. $66 child.
The tour includes coach travel around Alice Springs and guided tours around the Royal Flying Doctor Service (an organisation that I donate to regularly), the Telegraph Station (in the olden days sending a telegram was the safest way to transmit a message quickly), a choice of the National Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame or the Reptile Centre and the views from Anzac Hill.
The RFDS, Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame and the Reptile Centre are all close neighbours. The Reptile Centre (entry charge applies if not on a tour) was very interesting, and the young and able guide explained everything well. He also gave some excellent first aid advice concerning snakebite, including how to use a compression bandage and the use of the venom detection kit. The attractions include snakes, lizards and crocodiles. A couple of us were fortunate to have the opportunity to hold a young olive python. The softness of the snakeskin was amazing.
The next stop was the new RFDS Tourist Facility. There was a short film on the history of the RFDS, including testimonials from some of the people who had benefited from its care, and a talk by one of the tour guides, who had a personal testimonial. The centre includes a souvenir shop with a cut-down model of a RFDS Pilatus 'plane which it is possible to climb through ($2 coin required) and a small museum (entry charge applies if not on a tour) with models of earlier aircraft, a flight simulator, historical displays of medical chest contents and old radio equipment, including one using 'pedal power'. Iconic outdoor clothing supplier RM Williams has recently combined with the RFDS to produce a range of souvenir clothing, which is bound to be popular. This visit served to reinforce what an important and remarkable service the RFDS provides, not only to the people of the outback but many other people all around Australia. I was surprised to find out that there are 61 aircraft in all. Apparently government provides 80% of the funding, but the remainder is raised through fundraising and donations. A very worthwhile cause and a unique (and living) part of Australian history.
We paid a quick visit to the war memorial at the top of Anzac Hill, overlooking Alice Springs, and enjoyed the panoramic view and interesting hills, mountain and rock formations in the distance.
Our final stop was the Alice Springs Telegraph Station, which operated between 1895 and 1905. The whole story of the early explorers, construction of the trans-continental telegraph line and the maintenance of the remote repeater stations by hardy souls is quite fascinating. The town of Alice Springs came into being as a result of the telegraph station, and it is indeed fortunate that many of the original buildings have been preserved, along with some equipment and artefacts. I was able to recognise some of them as similar to those which could be found at the old family farm (of my grandparents' generation) at Wodonga West in Victoria before it was bulldozed to make way for the Hume Freeway. Things like the old wood stove, metal mesh food cupboards, brass beds, a treadle Singer sewing machine and a grape vine growing on the veranda of the homestead were great reminders of childhood nostalgia.
The Todd River is located immediately behind the Telegraph Station, and our guide explained to us that Alice Springs was named after the bubbling spring that appeared to be present at this location. It was in fact an illusion created by the combination of a waterhole and a cave, but we were fortunate to see some water in the waterhole at the present time. The Todd River is normally dry and is famous for the Todd River Regatta, where people race all manner of imaginatively created boats on foot down the dry watercourse.
A cool glass of water was provided at the end of the tour prior to returning to the train.
No comments:
Post a Comment