Alice Springs

Tennant Creek telegraph station

Rob enjoying Devil's Mables

The Devil's Marbles - amazing rock formations & my photos don't do it justice

Barrow Creek Telegraph station

Cementry at Alice Springs Telegraph Station

Photo showing cementry in 

1902Just before Tennant Creek is the beautiful Telegraph Station & out building. This is to become a feature of our travels but it is wonderful to see them still standing and show casing European history.

We didn't stop in Tennant Creek itself. As the 5 largest town in NT we just didn't find it appealing. However 50km south are the Devils Marbles and we enjoyed walking around and viewing the different formations and learning about the rock. It has huge aboriginal significance as a meeting ground between numerous tribes and sitting in the cool beside one of the rocks we could see why. Sadly I don't think my photos do it justice.

Our next stop was Barrow Creek and apart from Peter Falcioni's murder in recent times, this small town (pub & telegraph station) has a gruesome history with regards to the Telegraph Station and in 2 separate incidents over 150 aboriginals were murdered by Europeans with no consequence. Buildings have been nicely kept and lots of information on the area.

Our next stop was Aileron which has 2 large statues - 1 on the top of the hill of an aboriginal man and 1 near the service station of an aboriginal women with a child & a Goanna. All very well done. But don't buy fuel here -$2.00/litre. Like most towns along the Stuart Highway this town is an aboriginal community and they are certainly ripping them off.
We also stopped at Ryan's Well and Glen Maggie Homestead.

Then finally Alice Springs!
Yesterday we spent the day looking around town and searching for the YWCA where I used to work. Ironically after a few hours walking around I realized that the vacant block we had parked on was all that was left of the building - so much for memory lane. We also checked out the AS Telegraph Station. Fantastically restored. Towards the end of its days as a Telegraph Station it became a home for aboriginal children and then when on to become a aboriginal settlement before being restored to its original state. They certainly built them to last. And so cool inside. Check out cemetery against photo from 1920's.
Local schools take the kids (around 10) on overnight stays to experience life as it was in the 1920's. Talking to a 20ish girl working in cafe and she said she had done it when she was little and loved the experience.

And we saw this gorgeous parrot - Lovely yellow ring around its neck.