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| Sunset at the Kulgera Pub, first and last pub in the NT. |
Coober Pedy to Alice
Once we had completed being
“dustbusters” (Dallas) in the van and then replaced all of the underfloor van plumbing
pipes together with 4 cabinet catches (Pete) we were ready to move on. We had a
look down the Coober Pedy main street for Dallas’s favourite vanilla slice
(best in Australia?) but the guy had to move out of town quickly, or, so we
were told. Quite disappointing!
We filled the van with
$3.00 worth of fresh water and bought some deep sea flathead from a fish monger
on the side of the road. His fish was from Pt Lincoln and all freshly frozen.
Within about two and half hours were in Marla for lunch. After this we drove on
to Kulgera, the first and last pub in NT, arriving at about 3.30pm. So we
checked into the Pub caravan Park for the night at $25.00. Once settled we went
to the Kulgera Pub for the Happy Hour. The pub was packed out with many travellers
and one group of motor bike riders. A good night before returning to the van
for our lasagne meal. The ceiling of the Pub is adorned with ladies bras in aid
of Breast Cancer, quite an effective piece of décor except that one chap
decided to put up a pair of his undies, they were about size 5XXXXXX large and
in need of a wash!
In the morning we departed
the Kulgera Pub and drove to the Alice. Arrived there about 11.30am and checked
into the Big 4 McDonnel Ranges Caravan Park. Been there before, a little exxy
but worth it for clean and tidy facilities. After setting up camp we went to
town and did some shopping part of which was a small sirloin beef roast which
came up real nice for dinner done with roast vegies in the Z and B barbie. This
was pretty well day one in the Alice done.
Next morning we drove
127 kms to Hermannsberg, Finke River Mission station. This is the home of
Albert Namatjira, famed water colour artist from central Australia. On our last
trip we did not get out to Hermannsberg and were told by quite a few we did not
miss anything. Due to my love for Albert Namatjira’s art I am glad we went. I
would strongly advise all Australians to go to Hermannsberg to see for themselves.
The Lutherans did a good job in most respects except I do not think the
aborigines they cared for were heathens as they put it, they just had a
completely different way with country and the world, which I am sure the
Lutherans, like many others today, still do not understand our first
Australians.
The actual mission is
well worth looking at with lots of memorabilia and 2 beautiful art Galleries
with much of Albert’s work including those of his students from the period of
when he set up the Art School for his mob in Hermannsberg. I still struggle immensely
what our Australian Government of the time did to Albert re his lack of
citizenship and taxes. Regardless, they and many of their cronies ripped Albert
and his family off for his art work all for their own good. Anyhow, he is in my
eyes, one of Australia’s greatest landscape artists.
After being in Hermannsberg
for several hours we decided to drive out to Palm Valley, another spot we did
not get to last trip. Overall, This, was a 22 Kms drive on a 4WD track. All fairly
good track except for the last few river bed crossings over solid rock shelves,
but well worth the drive. The terrain, gorges and rocky outcrops were very similar
to the ranges in Arkaroola. This confirmed our Arkaroola guides comments that
the Central Australian ranges are a result of our platelet movement millions of
years ago with the ridges appearing across central Australia and extending to
SE Asia and China.
Tomorrow we go to the
Alice Beanie Festival where there will be thousands of donated beanies sold for
Aboriginal Women’s Education. A great cause!
After that we are driving to Devils
Marbles and then on to Tennant Creek, Warego Mine, to catch up with Dale and
Ros. Our role will be to transport all the gold they have found safely back to
Tasmania so they can continue mining with their Geiger counters! I am sure they
will trust us with their load?
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Photo of the Mulga Bar in the Kulgera Pub, courtesy
of the Pub web site |
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| Exterior of the Kulgera Pub |
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| On the road to Alice |
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| Solar panels for comms along the Stuart highway |
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The bikers from the Kulgera Pub pass us on the way to Alice
travel safely and head up! |
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| Microwave Comms towers. |
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| A tea and coffee stop on the banks of the Finke River |
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| Enter the gap at the Alice |
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| Approaching the gap |
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| Just as Albert was solid so too is his memorial |
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| Albert's inspiration |
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| Hermannsberg Finke River Mission |
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| Hermannsberg Finke River Mission entrance and sales |
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| Hermannsberg Finke River Mission meat room |
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| an old Hermannsberg Finke River Mission tractor |
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| Hermannsberg Finke River Mission kitchen |
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| German music on the piano |
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| Hermannsberg Finke River Mission |
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| Hermannsberg Finke River Mission |
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| Hermannsberg Finke River Mission meat safe and ice chest |
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| Hermannsberg Finke River Mission verandah |
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| Hermannsberg Finke River Mission blacksmiths shop |
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| Hermannsberg Finke River Mission drill ready for restoration |
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| Hermannsberg Finke River Mission Holden FX ute and an early Dodge ute |
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| Hermannsberg Finke River Mission Lutheran Church |
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| Hermannsberg Finke River Mission tannery |
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Hermannsberg Finke River Mission welcome board,
a Namatjira family sketch |
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| Hermannsberg Finke River Mission tannery |
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| Hermannsberg Finke River Mission tannery guilotine |
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| Hermannsberg Finke River Mission class room work |
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| Hermannsberg Finke River Mission class room work |
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| Hermannsberg Finke River Mission class room work |
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| Hermannsberg Finke River Mission class room work |
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| On the way out to Valley of the Palms |
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| A horse on the road out to the Valley of the Palms |
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| Valley of the Palms rugged ridges |
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| Palms in the Valley |
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| Palms in the Valley |
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| Palms in the Valley |
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| Palms in the Valley |
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| The road in near the beginning of the Valley |
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| A fossil in the river bed |
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| a bird of the Valley of the Palms |
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| another bird of the Valley of the Palms |
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| Where we parked to walk in the last kilometre to the Palms |
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Back in the Alice we pass a goods train travelling
south through the gap |
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