The largest eagle on earth, the Australian wedge tail eagle, conveys a sense
of power, momentum and purpose.
It is used as a symbol of the freedom and adventure experienced by one of
the world's great rail journeys on the
Indian Pacific
between Sydney and Perth.
But that's jumping ahead - The Ghan runs from Adelaide to Darwin through the middle of Australia.
This work in bronze by Silvio Apponui is a life size replica of the Australian Wedge Tail Eagle.
The train's logo.
A panaroma of the train - some 30+ carriages.
This is The Gap in the MacDonald Ranges on the southern side of Alice Springs. The cameleers used it, the road and rail line go through. And the folding of the rock strata at about 30 degrees shows the enormous forces at work.
The Alice Springs train station, where we left the train for a while to visit places in or around Alice. The statue honours the Afghan cameleers who transported goods around the interior of a harsh country.
There is a narrow gap in the ranges a few km west of Alice. During the wet season the dry river bed flows quite quickly.
Darwin is the destination for this train, but we stop for an "off train excursion" at Katherine 320km south of there. It's population of 6,300 (2016 census) makes it a metropolis by comparison with Marla.
Katherine is the gateway to Nitmiluk National Park, which includes Katherine Gorge. The river level rises significantly during the wet season (summer down south).
Bats everywhere!
Index page
Darwin to Kununurra