Tuesday 16th November - Friday 19th November 2004

Alice Springs, with a population of 25,000, is going to be a sprawling metropolis after some of the towns we've recently been to. 'The Alice' was simply a telegraph repeater station back in the 1880's and has grown to a modern town since then.

It's name comes from a permanent waterhole next to the station, in the bed of the dry Todd River - Alice was the wife of Charles Todd, the superintendant of telegraphs.




The legendary Ghan train was in Alice Springs whilst we there. It takes it's name from the Afghani cameleers who pioneered transport in the outback.

Whilst in Alice, we visited the School of the Air and watched a lesson being broadcast. The school has the world's biggest classroom - 100,000 square km's!

We also visited the original Telegraph Station, where you can see just how harsh life was out there many years ago. Apparently in 1899, the fifth postmaster there was Thomas Bradshaw......no relation!

After taking a few pix from Anzac Hill - the local Arrentre tribe call it 'Untyeyetweleye' (we prefer Anzac Hill too!) - we were on the road again for the 500kms drive to Uluru (Ayers Rock).