Re: Expectations of the Ghan going further north

[telljb@ozemail.com.au (Tell)]

"ian bryson" <ibryson@pactok.net> wrote:
>Hi Everybody
>Has anybody out there got any idea what the expectations are of the owners
>of the Ghan with regard going further north than Alice Springs.  I know
>that the proposed line from Alice to Darwin will be strictly freight only
>at this stage but I was just wondering what the potentialities for tourist
>and traveller trade were.


It will be interesting if it does, because way back in
1981 when there was great expectations of the line from
Alice to Darwin being pushed through.  
The NT Government at the time ran a competition to find
a name for the train and "The Maluka" was the winner.
Anybody who has read Aneas Gunn's book "We of the Never
Never" will know this word, which means friend.
The Ghan and it's alleged association with camels would
not be that appropriate because camels were rarely used
North of Alice Springs.

However we need a line first and then maybe GSR will
decide if a pass train to Darwin is viable.  

Cheers

----Terry Burton
Alice Springs NT