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Prior to 1929 and pre-railroad, Afghan camel train drivers and their single humped camels provided life-line necessities for Alice Springs residents. The railroad took its name from these predecessors. Once the railroad was established, there was no longer a need for the waterless tolerant dromedaries. They were turned loose in the wild. Today 60,000 camels run wild through the Alice Springs environs, a larger population than that of the human persuasion. The rail line has been revised several times to increase the likelihood of on time arrivals. In the past, the tracks could be washed out in a flash after a heavy rain. Reliability has markedly improved with the relocation of track to higher ground. The trip has been reduced from 2 days to 20 hours. Accommodations for cars and passengers of all economic levels include First Class Sleepers, Holiday-Class Sleepers and Coach Class seats. Each level of sleeping accommodations includes a corresponding dining facility – from plush Club cars, Queen Adelaide Restaurant, Café Matilda, and the Coach appointed Buffet. We choose the Red Kangaroo Daynighter – which provided roomy leg and overhead luggage space, comfortable plush tilt-back seats, an adequate club car with tables and booths to relax, read or play cards, and the dining car. Two communal showers, bathrooms, on-board drinking water, soap and complimentary towels completed the services. This budget package proved more than adequate for our needs. When I compared it to the cramped airplane quarters on the 20 grueling hours flight to Alice Springs from the US, this train set-up seemed like pure luxury. Just the ability to move from one carriage to another seemed divine. Meals in our dining car were adequate and extremely reasonably priced. My advice – take the Coach Class service and use the money you save to stay in a 5-star apartment hotel, such as the Grand Medina Treasury, once you arrive in Adelaide. Just minutes before the “All Aboard” bellow for departure, an elderly Aboriginal gentleman boarded our car, his weathered face showing signs of apprehension. I wondered if the lateness of his boarding was by design or by chance, as the status of the Aboriginal people in Alice is cloudy at best. He carried a small pillow and a separate pillowcase to tote his meager personal belongings. Glancing above my seat, at the luggage storage rack, I saw two bulging back packs filled with goodies, water, books, changes of clothing and toiletries – everything one might need for a 20-hour train ride and also everything one might not need! I felt slightly ashamed, knowing that in the luggage car, both my husband and I each had an additional 50 kilos allowance of “stuff”. We nestled in for the journey and
found the orange red hues of the landscape rushing by; it was mesmerizing.
An occasional lone steer meandered through the bush, dazed by the intense
afternoon sun and the obvious absence of watering holes. I wondered – where
did that steer come from, how will the rancher ever find it, did it get
separated from the herd, what will his fate be? Several kilometers along
the way, a carcass of cattle bones, picked clean by vultures answered those
questions. Adaptations to the environment are necessary for survival in
this land, and the cliché, “survival of the fittest”, must have
had its origins here. The Australian Outback is not a place for mercy.
The repetitive clickety-clack lulled us to sleep easily, as the rocking motion provided a sense of comfort and security. As the hours passed, we traversed through one of the world’s most inhospitable places. Salt lakes, arid mountain ranges and scrubs abounded. The desert heat is so unbearable, that the opal mining town of Cooper Pedy is actually built underground. Looking at the harshness beyond the glass of the air-conditioned, comfy carriage, I was so thankful that we were safely on the Ghan instead of on the paralleled Stuart Highway, wary and hypervigilant of an automobile’s ability to handle this environment. The Ghan’s first stop, after 17 hours of travel, was Port Augusta at 5:30AM. Here, the Aborigine quietly carried his small sack and deboarded. He disappeared into the darkness. As we pulled away from the station. I wondered what stories he could tell. At first light, a change in landscape suggested that our journey was nearly complete. Vast sheep farms and cattle stations stretched on for interminable acres. It reminded me of the Draquida Ranch in “The Thorn Birds”, and I fantasized about Maggie and her faithful priest rounding up sheep on horseback. Gum trees stood taller, vegetation actually had a green hue to it, and signs of human habitation all indicated that water must be a more abundant resource here and the temperatures less oppressive. Small towns and outcroppings emerged, as the port of Adelaide and Kestwick Station lured us on to our next adventure. We were refreshed by the journey and eager for whatever lied ahead. The conductor made the final sweep through the carriages to alert the Ghan’s protected travelers that it was time to move on, either to explore Adelaide or continue on to Melbourne – or perhaps change to the Indian-Pacific Line to Sydney. Rail service throughout the vast continent of Australia is a fantastic way to view the changing landscapes of this varied land and to get a sense of how its inhabitants deal with the isolation of a continent, barren in its center and populated along its edges. The Ghan Train and its clip through the Outback, with kangaroos racing alongside, will remain in my memory as a favorite among our amazing travelogue experiences. IF YOU GO: THE Ghan departs Alice Springs for Adelaide every Thursday and Saturday, arriving in Adelaide Friday and Sunday respectively. Returns from Adelaide to Alice Springs depart each Friday and Sunday from the Kestwick Station in Adelaide. Travel time in each direction is 20 hours. Reservations can be made at Great Southern Railroad Office, 80 Williams St., 2nd Floor, suite 206, Sydney; Phone (02) 9332 5133; reservations 13 22 32. Far easier, is to book through Travelonline.com – an Australian Tour Agency that can make all reservations for you. Phone: 07 3512 8100; Fax 07 3876 4645. Their service and efficiency was impeccable, particularly the efforts of Julie Wilson. The cost for the Red Kangaroo Daynighter Package for 2 Adults from Alice Springs to Adelaide totaled $ 430.00 Australian. Confirmations of seat assignments can be made at the Alice Springs Railway Office at 08 8213 4592. You must arrive at the railway station at either starting point at least one hour before departure. 50 Kilos of baggage per passenger is allowed without additional fee, and is stored on the luggage car for the duration of the trip. Everything you need during travel time must be carried in hand luggage. Food served in the Buffet dining car ranges from an evening meal with 2 entrees, to snacks, soft drinks, beer, and fruit. A hot breakfast or cold cereal, buns coffee, tea, juice or hot chocolate is offered around 6:30AM. There is no table service in the Coach Class service. Items purchased can be eaten either in the dining car or taken to your seat. To contact Carol Click Here If you
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