Hermannsburg to Alice Springs

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We spent a long time at the historic mission in Hermannsburg eating scones and learning about Albert Namatjira, an Aboriginal who grew up in the area and with the help of the now closed mission learned how to paint western style watercolours of the local landscape in the 30’s and 40’s, but died in 1959 disillusioned trying to bridge the two cultures. Sadly reminded of the cultural divide ourselves by the screaming of car tires and women from several houses in the fenced off neighbourhood beyond our campsite in the early morning, where the amazingly racist Howard Government will start its Aboriginal land grab today under the guise of “protecting” local children from molestation, believe it or not. There may be a problem, but I cannot believe further disembowelment of the Aboriginal culture will solve anything. Limped into Alice Springs nursing a sore shoulder I somehow managed to strain picking up our bikes during our outback ordeal. We’re hoping a few days rest here will bring it right. After 10 nights (near or below freezing) on ground mats in our tent, it’s nice to sleep in a bed again.

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