Still on the Ghan

I  hope you slept well. ….no one scrambling up or down the ladder to the top bunk or thumping on the door as they went past. Oh you were on the top bunk.  Today you stop in Alice Springs. It was called Stuart-town until 1932. Alice Springs was actually where the original Telegraph Station was located on the Todd River. Alice Springs is now a sprawling township made up of 12 suburbs. Our train is down there somewhere. Can you spot the red engine?.

Anzac Hill is the highest point of the town.

Australian children all learnt by booklets, internet  activities and zoom classes in 2020. For many children this is a normal situation. At present 92 children attend the School of the Air situated in Alice Springs. They see their teacher in person twice a year  at their home and their class mates 3 times a  year in Alice . Each child is equipped with everything they need by the school for $18,000. This includes a computer, printer, camera and satellite dish. Once the child no longer need it , all the equipment goes back to the school for the next child..

School of the Air made it possible for children to speak to other people and children. They could compare  their lives as well as learn school lessons. Radio and lesson packs would have made a welcome change to their routines. Computers have made learning much more fun and corrections are quickly made rather than waiting months.

Radio used to deliver lessons. Mum, dad or a paid tutor would help the children  .

Two weeks work in a postal pack.

Australia is a country of vast distances so communication has always been an obstacle. Mail and news was distributed in the outback by camel train.When the telegraph was invented, this slow delivery of news improved . However there were still complications caused by distance. Telegraph lines were installed from Darwin to Adelaide. Copper wire wasn’t used so transfer of the signal was only over a limited distance.

As the signals were weak, repeater stations were also built to send the message on to the next station. All of these used a liquid battery..

Life in the stations was isolated. At the original station in Alice Springs, women would make a shopping list twice a year , to be delivered by camel train. I don’t know about you, but I am sure I would forget to add something. You would have to work out what clothes the children would grow into and , imagine working out how much soap,sugar, flour or tea you would need. At the end of 6 months, things would be a bit lean. Fresh fruit would be a novelty if there wasn’t enough water for growing any fruit or vegetables. All the families belongings were carried by camel to the station, including a piano
 

The telegraph and post office . This was manned day and night so all messages were transmitted.

The sun is setting. Time for dinner.
You can get up at 1.00am for a drink under the stars. It is at the other end of the train , sorry but I think I will give it a miss.

Off to the airport. See you soon