Wednesday 4th July. Alice Springs

Quite a few Ringneck parrots around the park - drinking from the taps etc.  Cute!!

Alex was up early to go with Arthur (to bring him back) who was taking their vehicle in for a service.  Later it was off to town.  First stop for Jill was a haircut - Yes!! she says.  Apparently there used to be 3 hairdressers in Alice but the other 2 have closed down so this one is very busy.

Ran into ex-student Justin Fenwick in the shopping Centre.  He was on his lunch break from ABC radio where he does the breakfast session.  Was nice to chat.

In the afternoon we drove out to the Old Telegraph Station - had coffee and banana bread and Jill bought a Bilby Trilogy she thought Nate might like to read (and a pewter bilby). 

The Telegraph Station Historical Reserve marks the original site of the first European settlement in Alice Springs. It was stablished in 1871 to relay messages between Darwin and Adelaide along Australia’s Overland Telegraph Line.  This not only connected Australia’s population centres with the north of the country, but it also connected Australia up with the undersea telegraph network of the British Empire.  Prior to 1872, a message back to England would travel by boat and take 3 to 4 months each way.  However, after the telegraph line was built, morse code messages travelling through Alice Springs could reach London in as little as 5 hours – slow by today’s standards, but revolutionary for people of the 19th century!  

Alice Springs Telegraph Station

The reason we chose to stay in this particular caravan park is that Jill's cousin, Barry Skipsey, performs his Reds Centre Show here on Wednesday nights.  Was nice to catch up and to once again meet his daughter, Molly (and her boyfriend), who were there assisting.  He puts on a great show, accompanied by his photography and should not be missed by anyone visiting Alice.

Barry Skipsey's Red Centre Show

"Local Australian Geographic Photographer and Singer-Songwriter, Barry Skipsey presents his unique audio visual, The Red Centre Show every Wednesday night. Great Australian songs accompany the projection of over 400 images of Central Australia on the BIG Screen. Barry is a must for all visitors to the park. Every picture is a song in itself.

Barry has been a resident of Central Australia for more than three decades. The lyrics in many of his songs portray the colour and character of this diverse nation. Barry is a powerful singer and very engaging performer and is probably described as being a contemporary folk singer."