Tuesday 27 August: Full Circle to Utopia

In 1978 Gayle visited the indigenous homeland Utopia, also known as Urapuntja and Amengernterneah. It is one of the minority of communities created by autonomous activism in the early stages of the land rights movement. Today, Gayle returned to the Mbantu Gallery, where we had spent some time yesterday, having decided that it would be very personally fulfilling to purchase some works from the women of Utopia. 

Emily Pwerle, Women's Business

In a happy coincidence, Helen and Johan, friends from our Port Fairy Folk Festival Group, were also in Alice Springs. Johan and his friend John had just completed a few days walking on the Larapinta Track in what turned out to be unseasonably hot weather, so congratulations Johan and John.

On the Larapinta Trail (photos by Johann)

We enjoyed a catch-up with them at Todd Mall. And in another coincidence, we discovered that Johan, John and Jeffrey had all been involved in the Franklin River campaign, Johan and John as trainers, Jeffrey as a mere foot-soldier.

Johan and Helen

Frankie and Chops

We also visited The Overland Telegraph site. 

According to the plaque there, the 3178 kilometre line was built in less than two years and joined on 22 August 1872. It linked Australia to an undersea cable from Indonesia that came ashore at Port Darwin and made communication between Australia and the rest of the world possible in hours rather than weeks. The project was under the direction of Sir Charles Todd, Superintendent of Posts and Telegraphs. The first telegraph messages from overseas were relayed through this station which was first linked to Adelaide on 3 January 1872.

The Telegraph Station

We leave Alice Springs tomorrow morning after a most rewarding few days.