Arriving in the Outback

An early morning call alerts me to the stop at Marla to watch the sun rise over the Outback. I clamber off the train and set foot on the rust coloured sand for the first time in temperatures somewhat cooler than I was expecting! We huddle together to witness an unforgettable Outback sunrise and munch on bacon and egg sliders. 

Back on the train, brunch is served on the train and soon we are crossing the state border and into the Northern Territory. North of Kulgera is the Iron Man sculpture to commemorate the millionth track sleeper and the workers who laid them and built the line during the 1970s. As the train rumbles over the Finke River bridge, it is roughly as close as the railway gets to Uluru. The train continues northwards across this barren landscape with the odd sign of life being a welcome distraction from the otherwise stoney desert.

The approach to Alice is unmistakable. Ahead lie the tall MacDonnell Ranges, and the train heads for a gap so narrow that there is room only for the railway, the Todd River and a two-lane road. From a distance it looks as though a giant angle-grinder has been taken to the mountains. 

Alice Springs serves as the gateway to Central Australia's most famous landscapes. For some of us, Alice is the end of the line. Others stop long enough for tours of the town, variously visiting the Flying Doctor Service Museum, Anzac Hill, the Women Pioneers’ hall of fame, a reptile centre and the Telegraph Station.

Me? I find my hostel, dump my luggage and wander around the town. Alice would not win a beauty contest, but it could possibly be the CCTV Capital of the World! On this first encounter, I am beginning to witness first hand the complexities of Aboriginal Australia and the present-day challenges. I also visit the stunning gallery of Papunya Tula Artists, which showcases magnificent artworks from the Western Desert communities.