We’ve Arrived in Alice Springs

We are gradually making progress south down the Stuart HIghway towards Port Augusta and Adelaide. Yesterday’s segment from Tennant Creek to Alice Springs (505 km) was our longest stage yet.

We drove on kilometre after kilometre of dead straight road through largely uninteresting desert country. For much of the way, there was nothing of interest – just the occasional pub, roadhouse or historic site.

We lost count of the millions of termite mounds across the landscape. There were many millions of them. Termites are small, social insects that play a crucial role in ecosystems by breaking down dead plant material, particularly wood and leaves. This recycles nutrients back into the soil, enhancing its fertility and promoting plant growth.

Termites live in highly organized colonies that can number in the millions, and these colonies are structured with a strict caste system, including workers, soldiers, and reproductive individuals. Each caste has specific responsibilities: workers build and maintain the nest, gather food, and care for the queen’s offspring; soldiers protect the colony from predators; and the reproductive caste, consisting of the king and queen, is responsible for producing new members of the colony.

Termites construct complex mounds which can vary in size and shape depending on the species and environmental conditions. These mounds are not just piles of dirt; they are sophisticated structures that provide protection, regulate temperature and humidity, and facilitate the colony’s survival. Termite mounds often have intricate networks of tunnels and chambers that ensure adequate ventilation and the removal of carbon dioxide, effectively acting as natural air-conditioning systems.

World War Two had a profound impact on the Northern Territory. I’ll write a special blog to describe this soon. It impacted the Teritory in major ways such as new roads, new towns and in more subtle ways, the creation of infrastructure to support troop movement and military objectives.

The military took advantage of Bonney Well. 90 kilometres south of Tennant Creek. It now has a rest Area off the Stuart Highway that offers a shelter with a picnic table, wood fire BBQ’s and bins

We passed many road trains along the way –  all travelling at the regulatiion speed of 100 kmh. These ones, we leapfrogged during the day. They came from Cloncurry in Queensland, amost 1000 km away. Transporting cattle is obviously big business.

Ninety six kilometres south of Tennant Creek are the Devils Marbles. These are a collection of massive granite boulders scattered across a wide, shallow valley. The boulders, varying in size from 50 centimeters to over 6 meters across, have been naturally sculpted over millions of years. The combination of erosion, weathering, and the gradual process of cracking and splitting has resulted in their unique, rounded shapes. The contrast of the deep red granite against the blue sky, especially during sunrise and sunset, makes the Devil’s Marbles a breathtaking sight.

Culturally, the Devil’s Marbles hold deep spiritual significance for the Aboriginal people of the region, particularly the Warumungu, Kaytetye, Alyawarra, and Warlpiri communities. These boulders are believed to be the fossilized eggs of the Rainbow Serpent, a powerful ancestral being in Aboriginal creation mythology, and are a place of ancient and ongoing ceremonial activities. The name “Karlu Karlu” itself means “round boulders” in the language of the Warumungu people, and the site is protected under Aboriginal land rights, emphasizing its importance as a sacred site. 

Barrow Creek, further down the road is a small, remote community and one of the places where my father was based in WW2. The transit camp and supply depot here only lasted for a year, or so,  and was then moved about 30 km north. This was partly to avoid problems of the base being too near the pub, as well as the local water supply being unreliable.

The Barrow Creek Telegraph Station, established in 1872, was one of 11 repeater stations along the route of the overland telegraph line, which connected Adelaide to Darwin and, eventually, to London. This station played a crucial role in enabling communication across vast distances, dramatically reducing the time it took to send messages between Australia and the rest of the world.

Today, Barrow Creek is a popular stop for travelers exploring the Northern Territory’s vast landscapes. The historic telegraph station still stands and serves as a museum, offering a glimpse into the region’s past and its role in Australia’s communication history. The town itself is small, with a limited number of residents, and features a roadhouse and pub that provide fuel, food, and basic amenities to travelers.

Barrow Creek is also known for its connection to more recent events, such as the tragic murder of British tourist Peter Falconio in 2001, which brought significant media attention to the area. Despite its small size and remote location, Barrow Creek remains a notable landmark on the journey through the heart of Australia’s outback.

Around 130 km north of Alice Springs are the ruins of Glenmaggie homestead and Ryans Well which was hand-dug in 1889 to supply water to travellers and stock along the Overland Telegraph Line.

The Well and associated remains are a good representative example of a government-built stock well constructed during the late 19th century. First dug in 1878-79 by the expedition overlanding cattle and sheep to Springvale by Arthur and Alfred Giles, Ryans Well was deepened between 1883 and 1884. A stone dump and whip system were added in 1892. The whip system no longer remains but the stone dump, tank stand and evidence of the location of troughing from this era are present. The bore, windmill and tank installed in the late 1930s and a later cement tank provide a good example of that era in the Territory’s industrial heritage when bores replaced wells as the principal means of water supply for stock.

On the eastern side of the highway are the remains of Glen Maggie, the homestead of a sheep and cattle station established in 1914 by Samuel and Elizabeth Nicker and their five children.

The Nicker’s earliest permanent dwelling at Ryan Well was constructed of mulga uprights, with clay filling the gaps between. The doors and prop open window shutters were made of an old iron water trough beaten flat. Nicker named the homestead “Glen Maggie” after his daughter Margaret. A woolshed constructed of bush timber was constructed alongside the house.

In 1918 or 1919 a two room stonework wing comprising a main bedroom and a sitting room with fireplace, was erected alongside the original dwelling. The stone structure iis all that remains of Glen Maggie today.