Triumphant arrival in Darwin
Day 52: Darwin

This morning we visited Batchelor Area School, about 14 km from the highway, adjacent the Litchfield National Park. We did presentations for 5 enthusiastic class groups, and then packed up ready for the final leg of our journey – the last 100 km into Darwin, and the final few kilometres that the Talbot would drive under its own steam.

We arrived at Winnellie Post Office about 15 minutes ahead of schedule, so we had plenty of time to unload the car and meet the members of the historic cars that were going to follow us into town.

The car started beautifully, and Kym followed the police escort to the front steps of Parliament House, where we were met by NT Minister, Marion Scrymger and a crowd of school children and interested onlookers. Once the media had taken all the photographs and film that they needed to we began the task of shifting the Talbot into the NT Library. We’d done the measurements, so we knew it would fit, but it certainly was close!

Once the exhibition was in place, all that was left to do was to have a shower before the party at the Library in the evening!

A big thanks to everyone who has made this journey happen, and to everyone who has followed our progress on the blog. We’ll miss you!

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We’ve made it from Adelaide to Adelaide River
Day 51: Adelaide River

This morning we visited Adelaide River Primary School. The principal had been doing some work with his students about the journey, but unfortunately he was in Darwin at a meeting and wasn’t able to see the exhibition when we visited. But we did some activities with the senior primary class, who learned a lot more about the Talbot and its journey, and hopefully those students will be able to fill him in on what he missed. The junior class also had time for a good look at the display.

When we had finished with at the school we set up again at the Adelaide River Historic Railway Precinct, and today I had time for a bit of a walk around and some exploration of the site, which is part of the National Trust. There is a museum in the old railway station, and I discovered that the railway line to Adelaide River was built in the 1880s using ‘coolie’ labour. Despite the number of bridges that had to be built on the line, the work was done remarkably quickly. Today, although the railway line still goes right past the front of the old station, there is no longer a stop in Adelaide River.

I wonder if 100 years ago, Dutton and Aunger were as excited as we are today about being so close to their final destination.

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Getting close to Darwin
Day 50: Katherine to Adelaide River

Our first stop this morning was Pine River School. In 1908, Pine River was as far south as the railway came, and it was here that Dutton and Aunger put Angelina (their first car) onto the train for the remainder of the journey to Darwin – she had been struggling with the creek crossings.

The students at Pine Creek had done a wonderful job preparing for our arrival! The students had made two large cardboard Talbots – one freestanding that they had painted and one collage with lots of information about the journey. The students had all prepared questions for us about our journey as well, which we answered as best we could. They had also invited members of the local community to come and have a look at the car and to share morning tea.

We packed up from there and drove on to Adelaide River, where we set up in the grounds of the Railway Museum. We took the Talbot off the trailer to give it a short run with a police escort before the big entrance into Darwin, and many of the locals were surprised and delighted to see it chug by.

Then at 5.30 I presented a short talk about the exhibition before drinks and nibbles.

Before I go can I say a quick hello to the students in the Junior Primary class at Truro Primary who have been following our progress.Thanks for the fantastic comments you left on our previous blog entry. Hopefully we can see you when we get back to the National Motor Museum!

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A visit to Nitmiluk
Day 49: Katherine

We haven’t had much time to go exploring the sites of the places we have visited on this journey because every day we have had the exhibition set up – but Russ and Liz found a breakfast cruise of Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) which would get us back into town before 10 am to set up, so we went for it!

We had to be up early for the half hour drive out of town, and we arrived at Nitmiluk National Park on the traditional lands of the Jaowyn people before the sun had come up. We were greeted by a lively chorus from the fruit bats who were hanging around in the trees along the riverbank. We then boarded our boat for the cruise through the first gorge, just as the sun was coming up. Our skipper and guide, Taffy, was fantastic! So knowledgeable about the plants and animals of the area, and of the river and the geology of the area. He also told us lots about the importance of the area to the Jaowyn people. We then walked about 600 metres along the river to our second boat for the second part of the cruise through the second, narrower gorge. Taffy explained that during dry season (as we are now) the river levels fall, exposing rocks that mean that the boats cannot get through, but that during wet season, they can travel straight through.

On a high from our morning cruise, we went into town and set up the exhibition. Late in the afternoon we were visited by a group of tractors we had been told about, who were travelling on their biennial run – this time they had met in Katherine, a number coming from as far away as WA – and had travelled to Darwin and back.

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Posted by: Natalie Mudge - Truro Primary School
Date: Monday, August 18, 2008 2:37:41 PM

To Allison and the rest of the crew,

At Truro Primary school in the JP class we have been following your trip to Darwin, on our big map of Australia.

These are some of our comments:

We would love to ride in the car.

Our class can't wait to see you and the car when you get back.

We have been looking at where you have been going on our map.

We would like to see the car.

We have been looking at some of the towns you have visted ad we drew pictures of what we thought the outback would have looked like.

We like what you have done.

We liked the pictures of the animals, especially Allison's cat.

We like the pictures of where you have been.

We hope you have a good night's sleep.

You have gone a long way.

Keep up the great work.

We hope you have fun in Darwin.

From Truro Primary School Junior primary class.

Natalie Mudge
Junior Primary Teacher
Truro Primary School

Posted by: Allison Russell

Thanks very much to the students at Truro Primary who have been following our progress. We're only one day away from Darwin now.

We hope you can come and visit us and the car when it is back in the National Motor Museum once the exhibition finishes in Darwin. It should be back on display in early October.

See you soo, I hope!

Best wishes
Allison

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At the Tick Market
Day 48: Katherine

This morning we set up at the Tick Market site at 8 to be ready for the crowds at 9. There weren’t many stalls there – apparently there was a fundraising fete somewhere else, and a number of stall holders had set up there today instead, but its quality not quantity that counts! Cheesecake and coffee, candles, jewellery, fresh veggies and seafood, weaving from East Timor, cakes and cards – it was all there! We were stunned by the number of people who visited between 9 and 12. One visitor, Don, brought some photographs he took in Darwin 49 years ago when the Harry Dutton’s family celebrated the 51st anniversary of the first crossing.

When the Tick Market closed, we moved to the carpark beside the Visitor Information Centre again, and had quite a crowd come to visit when the train pulled into town.

Kym cooked a wonderful seafood BBQ for dinner using produce from the market – I had tofu, but the prawns and bugs smelled great!!

And for the people back at the National Motor Museum who are so cold – I put my air-conditioner on for a while when we got back this afternoon – it was so warm inside!

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Climate change
Day 47: Daly Waters to Katherine

We travelled more than 300 km north today, leaving Daly Waters before 8. It is really obvious now that we have left the desert and are in much wetter country: the trees are much taller and the grass is thicker. The termite mounds are much bigger, too. As we were cruising along the highway at 100kph it was hard not to think about how slowly Dutton and Aunger (and Allchurch, too) must have been travelling in the two Talbots through this landscape 100 years ago, trying to find a safe pathway through the vegetation, avoiding the termite mounds.

Our first stop for the day was Mataranka Primary School, almost 200 km north of Daly Waters. Mataranka Primary is doing some exciting environmental projects at their school, including a project with Victor Harbor School, on the coast of South Australia, near Adelaide.

We showed the car to a group of about 30 students, and after their recess break, the senior primary students talked about what cars might be like in the future. We talked a lot about alternative fuels, and most of their cars used solar technology and battery power. We then did another activity with a very lively bunch of Juniors.

We then drove on to Katherine, where we set up near the Visitor Information Centre, where we will be all day tomorrow and Sunday, hoping to meet lots of Katherine locals and visitors to the area.

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Exploring some history and culture
Day 46: Daly Waters

We set up early this morning because there were a number of travellers who were setting off early who hadn’t seen the display the previous day.

Daly Waters is essentially a pub and associated services – caravan, cabin and motel accommodation. The pub does great food and the area has loads of Australian character, which no doubt leaves many tourists – and probably some locals – a bit perplexed when they read on the menu that they can have bum nuts for breakfast! There is also a sign that proclaims: ‘We don’t serve women. You have to bring your own.’

After lunch I decided to take a short walk. I followed the signs to the Stuart Tree, on which John McDouall Stuart is believed to have carved a large ‘S’ on his successful overland crossing from Adelaide to Darwin in 1862. Not much of the tree left now, but it is interesting to think that it was only 46 years before the first motor car drove through that the first explorers had found the pathway that the Dutton and Aunger would later follow.

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A man with a chicken on his head
Day 45: Elliott to Daly Waters

What a lovely group of students we met at Newcastle Waters School, about 35km from Elliott! It is only a small school, but with such an enthusiastic teacher and students! There is not much left at Newcastle Waters now, although across the road from the school is a memorial to Australia’s drovers and records the story of the 220 km Murranji Stock Route, the most hazardous in Australia.

We then drove on towards Daly Waters, an hour or so down the road. Dutton and Aunger had a fairly dramatic entry into Daly Waters: they discovered that the bush around them was on fire, and so they had to travel as fast as they could. It was on this section of their journey that they sustained their only punctures – hardly surprising, since they were driving over sharp, burnt sticks. We also saw evidence of bushfires in the area.

We pulled into Daly Waters and set up outside the Pub. It really does feel like we have left the cold weather behind now. We all agreed that Daly Waters has a lovely feel – relaxed and friendly, with a uniquely Australian ambiance – but more about that tomorrow. Suffice to say that the entertainment in the evening was provided by a man with a chicken on his head – sorry, I didn’t take my camera to prove it, but its true!

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Finally some warmth!
Day 44: Tennant Creek – Elliott

Soon after leaving Tennant Creek we passed the memorial to the Rev’d John Flynn, who first visited the outback in 1912. He observed the fact that there was no minister of religion and no medical services here, and thanks to his efforts, the Royal Flying Doctor Service was founded in the 1920s to serve the people of the outback.

We took a short detour from the main highway down the old road which was un used until about 1980 to have a look at Churchill’s Head – a rock formation that does look a lot like the former British leader.

We arrived in Elliott about 10.30 and went straight to the school where we met lots of enthusiastic students. We then set up in town for the afternoon before dinner at the Elliott Hotel – great pizzas! The locals were still telling us how cold it was, but today we were finally starting to thaw!

Elliott is another town that was established during the Second World War along the supply line to Darwin. It was the final stop for troops before they reached Darwin, and had a reputation for being clean, comfortable and a welcome rest.

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Unseasonal weather
Day 43: Tennant Creek

We set up this morning at Tennant Creek High School, with the locals all telling us what we already knew – that it was very cold and windy! Although I guess we shouldn’t be complaining about this unseasonal weather, because it is a lot warmer here (19 degrees and sunny) than back home in Adelaide (13 degrees and raining). The school resource centre had put together a great display about the original journey and the tour, and also a quiz for students to answer.

While we were at the school, Russ and Liz went and had a look around the Battery Hill mining centre, and came back full of enthusiasm for what they had seen and learnt about the gold mining operations in Tennant Creek during the depression years.

We did presentations for six groups at the high school, and then we packed up and went on to the primary school. We set up there at lunchtime for people to have a look, and then after lunch classes came to visit the exhibition. School finished at about 2.30, and Kym and I went to see the view from the lookout above the town.

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Quiet Sunday in Tennant Creek
Day 42: Tennant Creek

We had a leisurely beginning to the morning that seemed to set the tone for the rest of the day. After breakfast we set up again in Peko Park, but today was much quieter than yesterday. Not sure whether it was post-election quiet, or the fact that lots of people decided to make the 700 km trip to Mt Isa for the rodeo. Never-the-less, we still had about 70 people come and visit us, including Billy, who told me that he had spent the last few weeks campaigning in remote communities in the Barkley electorate.

The cyclists following Blakely – whom we first met in Marree – have made it to Tennant Creek and had a rest day today, so we saw a number of them exploring the town. I suspect we will see them several more times before we all arrive in Darwin – we are due to arrive 2 days before they do.

It was a windy day in Tennant, which prompted Victorians Geoff and Betty to stay an extra day in town because the strong winds make towing their caravan more difficult and also costs them a lot more in fuel. On the up side, it meant that they had time to stop and visit the Talbot and learn more about Dutton and Aunger’s journey!

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9324 miles from London
Day 41: Wycliffe Well to Tennant Creek

There is a sign in the park where we set up today that tells us that it is 9324 miles from London. But like Dutton and Aunger, we are more interested in how far away we are from Darwin – about 1000km still.

On our drive this morning we stopped for a brief visit to the Devil’s Marbles – an amazing geological formation. Walking around, it is easy to understand why these giant granite tors have such special significance for Aboriginal people. Most of the story relating Karlu Karlu, as the formation is called by the local Aboriginal people, is secret, but a sign explains that it is a site relating to a women’s Dreaming.

We arrived in Tennant Creek and set up in Peko Park, in the centre of town. We are now further north than Dutton and Aunger were on their first journey – Angelina was abandoned just south of here on their first attempt. But it is amazing to realise how far they came on that first attempt.

We met someone today who was very excited to see the Talbot. Local artist, John, painted a mural about the history of Tennant Creek on one of the buildings on the main street, and included an image of the Talbot in the mural. About 3 months ago, the building burnt down, taking the mural with it, but John was amazed to see the car back in town, in the flesh, so to speak.

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The alien capital of the country
Day 40: Wycliffe Well

We started this morning with a big cook-up on the BBQ in the caravan park – eggs, hashbrowns, ,tomatoes, mushrooms and toast, and then set up again out the front of the roadhouse.

During the Second World War, when there were so many soldiers in the north, Wycliffe Well was an important point in the supply chain. So many soldiers needed to be fed. The red soil around this area was found to be good for growing vegetables, and there was plenty of artesian water available.

Today, however, Wycliffe Well is a popular tourist stop-off for people travelling along the Stuart Highway. Wycliffe Well proclaims itself as the alien capital of the country because of the large number of UFO sightings that have occurred here. The theme is carried through the caravan park, which is covered in murals with Australian scenes and aliens – indeed, if you want to go the toilet, you can choose from maliens or femailians!

We had dinner under the stars again this evening, but no close encounters…

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Close encounters
Day 39: Barrow Creek to Wycliffe Well via Neutral Junction and Ali Curung

We left Barrow Creek this morning at about 8 on our way to Neutral Junction School. The School is located on Neutral Junction Station, another extensive cattle property in the area. The school is only small – there were 10 students there today – but everyone seemed pleased to see us and the Talbot.

Our next stop was the school at Ali Curung. Ali Curung (or Alekarenge) is an Aboriginal Community about 20 km off the main road. Since today was a teachers’ strike and the day was a bit unstructured, we just opened the trailer and let the staff and students have a look around. As usual, the touchscreen computers were popular, but some students seemed to be very interested in the car itself and the photographs from 100 years ago.

Our next stop was Wycliffe Well, where we are staying for the next two nights. It advertises itself as the UFO capital of Australia – but more about that tomorrow…

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Willora School and back at Barrow Creek.
Day 38: Barrow Creek

This morning we visited Willora School. Willora is an Aboriginal Community of about 70 people located on Stirling Station, just south of Barrow Creek. Stirling Station is a cattle property of about 2 million acres. The teacher at Willora School, Rosemary had explained to us that there may not be many people to see visit the exhibition, because a member of the community had passed away recently, and people were still involved with the sorry camp. But she thought that it would still be appropriate for us to visit the community with the exhibition, so that is what we did, and a number of local people came to have a look at the old car. The photographs were especially interesting to the people who had lived there all their lives. One of the photos on the touch screen showed the Talbot amongst large anthills, but the people said that they had never seen anthills that big near Barrow Creek – so perhaps the caption is incorrect, or maybe climate change and cattle grazing have changed the landscape in the last 100 years.

We stayed at Willora for an hour or so, and then set up again at Barrow Creek for the rest of the day. I wandered down to the old telegraph station and had a look around. The station itself was closed, but Liz and I had a look around the buildings, which were built in 1872.

When we had packed up we went into the Hotel for a drink before going back outside to cook dinner as the sun was setting – just beautiful!

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Local and international visitors
Day 37: Ti Tree to Barrow Creek

We arrived at Ti Tree School early and were set up before the buses that brought the kids in from the surrounding areas arrived, so we had some time to have a look at the wonderful mural on the front wall of the school, showing all kinds of different activities at the school – including music, sport, cultural education. Once breakfast and roll call had finished the first class group –the junior primary students – began to arrive.

We talked about Dutton and Aunger’s journey and had a look at the photographs. The primary students used the mystery bags we brought with us to find out more about the journey and the older students also had a chance to have look at the exhibition – all up there were about 65 students from students from Ti Tree and the surrounding area that we met.

We then packed up and moved on to Barrow Creek, where we set up in front of the Hotel. Barrow Creek was one of the telegraph stations that Dutton and Aunger visited 100 years ago. It was a fairly quiet afternoon, but we did meet people from around the world, including a family on holiday from the Middle East and three young women from Canada who were travelling between Darwin and Adelaide, who enjoyed seeing an exhibition about the first journey along the same route.

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Posted by: Dorcas Aunger
Date: Friday, August 08, 2008 4:49:38 AM

I just wanted to let you know that you have another international visitor who has been following the comments in your blog with great interest. I just wish I could come along with you.

Dorcas Aunger
Arcadia, California, USA
Third cousin, 2 removed from Murray

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On the road again
Day 36: Alice Springs to Ti Tree

Leaving Alice Springs this morning, we were back on the road – Russ and Liz in front towing the trailer and Kym and I behind in the troop carrier. If anyone is passing us, we are tuned into channel 26, if you want to say hello – or you might be lucky enough to overhear one of our karaoke numbers.

Heading north from Alice Springs we passed over the Tropic of Capricorn, but I have to say, the terrain wasn’t looking very ‘tropical’ yet – still very much in the desert. We also passed the marker telling us that we were at the highest point on the road between Adelaide and Darwin – but at only 700 or so metres, we weren’t troubled by altitude sickness.

We arrived in Ti Tree at about 10, and began to set up the exhibition. It was a busy day with visitors, and we had the satellite set up as well, so we were able to keep in touch with people in the office and on email. We met a group of blokes on motorcycles also travelling between Adelaide and Darwin, but they are planning to finish the journey on only 6 days.

We packed up around 4.45 and in the evening Kym cooked us all a tasty, healthy veggie stir fry.

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Return to the Centre
Day 35: Alice Springs

Kym and I left an Adelaide winter morning and landed two hours later in the warmth of the Alice Springs sunshine. Definitely tee-shirt weather!

Russ and Liz were there at the airport to collect us, and we went straight to the National Road Transport Hall of Fame to meet Catherine and Monica from Imparja Television who were doing a story about the exhibition – watch out for it Friday at 6 pm, either this week or next. They interviewed Kym and me, and then filmed the car and the exhibition from all sorts of different angles. It’s quite a complicated business – all up it took about 2 hours to make what will probably only be about 8 minutes of TV.

We then went and did a whole lot of grocery shopping – trying to encourage ourselves to eat healthily for the next couple of weeks! Then back to the Hall of Fame to pack up the exhibition in preparation for leaving tomorrow on our journey to Darwin.

 

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