Arrived in Alice Springs early this morning and transferred to our hotel and later in the day went for a short tour of Alice Springs. We started at Anzac Hill which gave us a great overview of Alice - was windy as anything on the top of that hill, practically tearing the flad of the Northern Territories to shreds. The flag had the Sturt Desert Rose and the Southern Cross on it.
Next we went to the Flying Doctor headquarters where we saw a video telling us about their work, and then wandered through their museum. It was amazing the work they do, the distances they travel, and the equipment they have on board their airplanes. Basically they were like flying ambulances with all the modern medical equipment on board. In the past they gave each family a box of medicines, and a chart to tell the doctor over the radio where it hurt. That way the doctors could receive an accurate description of the pain without seeing the patient, and tell them which medicine to use. Clever!
Our next stop was the School of the Air, which was equally interesting. The building had a beautiful mural on it, depicting children and all kinds of Australian birds and animals. In days gone by, the schooling to children in isolated areas was done by two way radio - with the teacher being able to talk to each child, and the child could talk to the teacher, but the children did not have communication with each other. Today they are gradually changing over to satellite internet so the children can see as well as hear the teachers, and can be in contact with each other. Each child has either a tutor or a supervisor (most times one of the parents) who assist with the schoolwork. At the end of a semester the children are brough into Alice for a week of socializing, sports events, sightseeing, etc. This helps the children to develop some social skills as well.
We visited the old Telegraph Station - which was basically the reason for Alice Springs to exist - they were bringing the telegraph from Adelaide to Darwin. It is now a museum, and it was a very interesting place to explore. Took a picture of George standing in the middle of the river where the "spring" is supposed to be - and he didn't get wet! Although Alice Springs is in the centre of the continent - it does not have a water shortage or water rationing - you just cannot see any water as it's all underground. The guide showed us this by digging a shallow hole in the river near the "Alice" spring, and sure enough, the sand was damp and pretty soon water started to seep in.
Our next stop was the School of the Air, which was equally interesting. The building had a beautiful mural on it, depicting children and all kinds of Australian birds and animals. In days gone by, the schooling to children in isolated areas was done by two way radio - with the teacher being able to talk to each child, and the child could talk to the teacher, but the children did not have communication with each other. Today they are gradually changing over to satellite internet so the children can see as well as hear the teachers, and can be in contact with each other. Each child has either a tutor or a supervisor (most times one of the parents) who assist with the schoolwork. At the end of a semester the children are brough into Alice for a week of socializing, sports events, sightseeing, etc. This helps the children to develop some social skills as well.
We visited the old Telegraph Station - which was basically the reason for Alice Springs to exist - they were bringing the telegraph from Adelaide to Darwin. It is now a museum, and it was a very interesting place to explore. Took a picture of George standing in the middle of the river where the "spring" is supposed to be - and he didn't get wet! Although Alice Springs is in the centre of the continent - it does not have a water shortage or water rationing - you just cannot see any water as it's all underground. The guide showed us this by digging a shallow hole in the river near the "Alice" spring, and sure enough, the sand was damp and pretty soon water started to seep in.
We also were quite entertained by the tour driver, who was quite a wag - and we had a laugh at their Charles River, which was a "gushing torrent of sand". Actually there are two rivers running through Alice Springs. One is ful of gum trees, and the other needed a lawn mower. The have a boat race each year - no bottom in the boats - just step in, pick up the boat and run like hell. The guide told us their wet sesason is usually on a Tuesday - just no telling which one - in other words, the rains are very few and far between.
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