Alice Springs to Wycliffe well

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I was excited about heading off this morning as I was keen to stop for the night at Wycliffe Well – The UFO Capital of Australia. Last year we stopped for fuel, bought a couple of souvenirs and took some touristy photos but this time it was stay material!

The drive was pretty uneventful but the landscape does change a bit along this section with some nice hills of exposed rock at various points, created many millions of years ago. We did pass some more cattle along the way as we had yesterday but these were not the least bit phased, I think the heat had dulled their senses it was pretty warm out there and they were taking refuge under some small trees. They were very content for us to drive by without incident.

One thing the Stuart Highway does have plenty of is historical monuments and markers etc. Not far out of Alice is a marker to indicate the highest point in the Northern Territory and a little further along from this is a sign notifying us that we are now crossing the Tropic of Capricorn. Another monument was dedicated to a teamster who had died in 1871 during the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line. In another location you can see the remains of one of Ned Ryan’s wells and across the road from this are the ruins of Glen Maggie homestead. All definitely worth a look but not to be missed is the Barrow Creek Telegraph Station, when you travel out to these parts you can truly appreciate the heroic efforts of our early pioneers - They were fair dinkum Legends!

Considerably different to the “legends” that have played 5 years of good football, or run a great 100 metres or swum fast in the pool or rode some good waves, or acted in a couple of good movies etc etc etc. Some things need to be put in perspective I think the Outback does that magnificently!

We have decided to stop at Wycliffe after 6 hours on the road and I am sitting outside enjoying a cold beer it has been another warm day, out here at this time of year you expect nothing less. The sun has just set but it is a cloudless sky so no photos tonight, well not yet anyway. It is tucker time and as I mentioned earlier we are in “The UFO Capital of Australia”, soon it will be dark and the sky above will be filled with Alien aircraft I had best go and charge the battery for my camera. Yeehaa how exciting.

Take care travel safe and Remember it’s nice to be important but it’s important to be nice.

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