The Cairns Post

It's Ghan-tastic! Alice Springs icon on track for glory

Daniel Burdon

06Feb09

TOURISTS coming to Central Australia could be savouring a unique cup of tea while rolling along on the Old Ghan before August next year.

The Old Ghan, once a tourist attraction, sat dormant for more than two-and-a-half years before the Old Ghan Redevelopment Group began working hard to get the Heritage train back on track.
The group consists of passionate Central Australian tourism advocates Liz Martin, Kel Davis, Chris Vaughan, Peter Grigg, Kez Hall and Wayne Thompson.
Since taking over from the Old Ghan Society, the group has renovated the genuine diesel-electric NSU58 Locomotive, powered by a 900 horsepower Sulzer engine; brought the Old Ghan Tea Rooms back to profitability, and started work on fixing the wide-gauge line itself.
Ms Martin said the plan was to get the train up and running as a "commercially viable business" by August 2010 at the latest, capitalising on some 5000 truck drivers who will be in town for the industry's annual conference.
She said: "The Old Ghan is such an integral part of our heritage that we as a community need to ensure that we preserve and protect our heritage asset but also promote its historical significance to the development of Central Australia.
"And what better way to do that than to offer a range of experiential adventures on the Old Ghan itself."
She and redevelopment group members agreed they needed to take it slowly, with a first step of reinstating the first seven kilometres of track from the MacDonnell siding to Mt Ertiva.
And if all goes to plan, the Old Ghan could be taking conference-goers from the MacDonnell siding all the way to Ooraminna Homestead for gala dinners and similar events.
Ms Martin said: "There are obstacles to overcome, like training suitable staff to drive, observe and guard, but we could hire them on a fly-in, fly-out basis for six weeks.
"And of course, we will need some in-kind support from the NT Government to put up boom-gates where the train-line crosses the Highway.
"If we didn't need that accreditation, we could have it running already."
Ms Martin said while getting the Old Ghan rolling again is a goal, she would like to create a centre of heritage transport at the site south of Alice Springs.
She said: "The road transport hall of fame has already been the most successful in Australia five years running -- and I think we could have an Alice Springs Transport Heritage Centre.
"It could be a whole precinct for Australian transport heritage of all forms."