October 2006
|
|
Well this month has been spent doing the
things that we have missed doing in the time that we have been in Alice. We have
been for a drive to Tennant Creek which is about 506 kilometers north of Alice
Springs. On our way we called into some of the roadhouses,
Aileron, Wauchope and Ti Tree, took some photo's and talked to the locals about what happens in their area. Then onto Devils Marbels which is a great array of large rounded boulders, balanced precariously are the eggs of the Rainbow Serpent, according to Aboriginal Dreamtime legend. On arriving at Tennant Creek we took a drive around the town and out to the Battery Hill Mining Centre. At the centre you can go on a guided tour of the underground mine experiencing what it was like when they were mining gold. Tennant Creek has a high population of Aboriginals. One place of great interest was the area called Ti Tree a small fruit and vegetable growing area, not something people expect to see in a desert. They grow table grapes, wine grapes, make their own wine and also grow mangoes and watermelon. Their little shop carries a good variety of food items that supports five Aboriginal community's in the near by area. From Ti Tree we then traveled back down to the Plenty Highway where we turned and traveled onto Gemtree. Gemtree has a bush setting caravan park and camp area where you can set up camp and go on one of their organised gem fossicking tours. Helen was able to find some Zircon which were able to be cut and made into earrings or rings, she was very happy with her find.. It was extremely hot when we were sifting through the dirt and washing the gravel and sorting out your find on a flat board. We had a visit to Jessie's Gap and Emily Gap which are both in the east Macdonald Ranges, and are both close to Alice Springs and a great location for a barbecue and get together. Our last outing in Alice Springs was going to the Alice Springs Master Games. The Master Games are held in Alice Springs every two years, and competitors come from all over Australia, all 4,500 of them in 2006. The Alice Springs town council has supported the Alice Springs Master Games since it began in 1986. The great Dawn Fraser is the Patron of the Alice Springs Master Games and been the last 20 years. The opening of the games was held at Anzac Oval on the 21st October with entertainment by Glenn Shorrock & Band, Queen- It's a KINDA MAGIC and the closing will be held at Anzac Oval on Saturday 28th October With entertainment coming from JO CAMILLERI & THE BLACK SORROWS, MOTOWN & SOUL HEATWAVE. Competitors when arriving in Alice Springs were booking their accommodation for the next games in 2008 as Alice Springs is completely booked out when the games are held each two years. Helen and I had to say hooray to the many friends that we had made whilst in Alice especially Barry at Stuart Caravan Park, Mark & Breeta, Colin and Greg who we met back in April at Copley, I spent a lot of time at Colin's place, usually while Helen was shopping or whatever. We are going to miss their company and friendship greatly, we have had so many good times with them since being in Alice. We have learnt so much from Barry and his friends about the Alice Springs area. We watched many Super Bike races with Mark & Breeta, and were neighbours for six months. This photo of a vehicle wedged under a tree was taken in the built up area of Alice Springs. Apparently the person who was driving was doing burn outs when he lost control and wedged the car under the tree. Helen and I are about to take on our biggest challenge so far, when we leave Alice on Saturday 28th and venture across the Great Central Highway to Laverton in Western Australia. Then onto Perth to see Benjamin before he fly's out for France on the 16th November. We are hoping we can reach Perth in time to see him off. We have to cover just under 2700km's to Perth and approximately 1200km's of very poor road conditions with a few Roadhouses along the way and no phone service for most of the way except at some of the roadhouses. We filled up our tanks with diesel and also our extra containers a couple of days before we left Alice Springs. the service station attendant reckoned we were his best customer he had had all day, our fuel bill came to $370.00 and we weren't completely empty, not a bad sale for the servo. |
|
 |
|
