Journey Beyond — the company behind iconic Australian tourism experiences including train expeditions on The Gahn and the Indian Pacific as well as cruises to the Whitsundays and Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures in the Kimberley — has announced that it has added the Alice Springs Telegraph Station into its extensive portfolio.
The Alice Springs Telegraph Station was established in 1872 to relay messages between Darwin and Adelaide. It is the best preserved of the 12 stations along the Overland Telegraph Line, and it was protected as a Historical Reserve in 1963.
It is the original site of the first European settlement in Central Australia, and the site has several beautiful heritage-listed buildings housing fascinating museum-style displays and artefacts from the 1900s that offer a glimpse of a bygone era.
Visitors can try out their Morse code skills or take guided tours that give deeper insight into the sometimes difficult history of the area, including acknowledgement of the traditional owners and the period when the buildings were used to accommodate children of the Stolen Generation.
As well as attracting international and domestic visitors to Central Australia, the Alice Springs Telegraph Station is a popular destination for locals, who use the surrounding walking trails, bike paths and picnic areas, and drop into the Telegraph Station Cafe. Hikers setting out on the Larapinta Trail, or finishing their hike, also frequent the cafe.
“The Alice Springs Telegraph Station is a poignant historical reminder of how communications and passage through the heart of Australia were established. It continues to evoke that pioneering spirit, which is why it makes such an impactful venue for the signature dinner on The Ghan Expedition,” says Chris Tallent, CEO of Journey Beyond. “We are delighted to be the custodians of this significant slice of Australian history.”
