The town called Alice Tour- definitely a highlight

Again pictures will be posted later when I get back to broadband.

Today we went on a four hour tour of Alice Springs.  Now when you think of cities in Canada that are less than 28,000 people you might wonder what you could possibly look at for four hours but this tour could have lasted much longer.

Our first stop was the school of the Air.  I remember hearing about this as a child in Moose Jaw and thinking- wow that would be quite something.  The school was really impressive.  Started in 1951, the School of the Air was a way for education to be brought to children who grow up in the massive cattle stations in the area.  Each student used to get a radio receiver and used post to deliver tests to teachers in Alice Springs.  In 2005 this system was updated.  Now at the expense of $10-15k per student, computers, web cams, internet access is provided to 118 students from preschool to Grade 9 over a 1.3 million kilometre area (Ontario is just over 1 million square kilometres).

Then we went to the Telegraph station- site of the first location of the town of Alice Springs, 5 kms. north of town.  Alice Springs began as a repeater station on the 5000 km. plus cross country telegraph line.  Here we saw kangaroo, learned about how wildlife find water in the midst of a dry desert, and saw what life was like in the 1870's in central Australia.

The third stop was off to the Flying Doctor museum.  Started in the 1920's, by the Rev. Dr. John Flynn, this service provides medical access to 80% of Australia even still.  Each cattle station is provided with a kit with medicines that are numbered.  If someone needs medical attention, they can contact doctors using pump action radio transmitters in early days or by telephone now.  Symptoms will be described to the doctor over the radio.  The doctor will make a diagnosis and if the problem is not too serious, they might say that the patient might 2 pills three times a day from bottle 172.  If the problem is more serious, a fully equipped medical plane with a trained nurse will be flown out to the remote stations and will take the patient to a hospital.  This service is also used today to make medical transfers for city dwellers (if I need a liver transplant and I am in Melbourne, I might be flown to Adelaide if needed).  The Flying Doctor makes living in isolated parts of this large country much easier.  It is funded 60% by the government, and 40% is funded by private donations.  Very impressive.  Again I had heard about this service when I was a child in Moose Jaw.

Our fourth stop was to a place I didn't want to go to.  Not really.  I am not petrified of snakes.  I don't like them, but I am not totally paralyzed with fear when I see one.  I am not scared of lizards.  Again I don't like them.  But our fourth stop was to the Reptile House.  The guide was very informative and told us what to do in case of snake bite.  And none of us on the tour got to touch any lizards or reptiles or snakes so I did not have to feel embarrassed by not touching the pretty snake.

The last stop was to Anzac Hill.  A large war memorial is placed on top of a hill, which overlooks the town of Alice, the gap in the McDonnell mountains, and the whole area.  Truly a magical day in this tiny jewel in the midst of a desert.