Almanac Travel: In the footsteps of Burke and Wills

 

 

 

 

I have been playing old blokes footy (master rules) for twenty years or so …which means that each year I travel to participate in the annual carnival…..2000 or so competitors (men and women), officials and partners …for the host city it is a bit like winning the Olympics.

 

You get to wear the Big V (a very real thrill) and play against other states in your respective age group (from over 35 to over 65!).

 

State against state …mate against mate …. always a wonderful experience and my very patient life partner will invariably accompany me, as long as the venue is attractive (Darwin and anywhere in Queensland) while boycotting colder climes (Canberra, Tassie , Geelong).

 

Imagine my surprise when said partner declared that the annual footy trip does not in fact constitute an officially gazetted holiday and as we hurtle towards retirement we would henceforth be taking an actual holiday…. regardless of my disposition.

 

That is how we end up flying to Adelaide to board the Ghan headed for Darwin.

 

 

 

 

The Ghan

 

The Ghan is described as one of the world’s great train journeys .

 

My most recent rail experience has been the very enjoyable Q Train on the Bellarine Peninsular. The Q Train is testament to the love and devotion of volunteer rail enthusiasts who have painstakingly restored the old Sunlander (formerly Brisbane to Cairns rail service). The Q Train showcases the very best Bellarine produce and wines – providing an epicurean rail treat from Queenscliff to Drysdale – a distance of 18 kilometres over a very leisurely three hours.

 

The Ghan will take us across our searing desert continent, a distance of 3000 kilometres taking three days (two nights)

 

It is the world’s longest passenger train, an average length of 800 metres and is hauled by two Pacific NR class locomotives each delivering some 4000 horsepower …. none of this makes much sense to me other than the fact that the complete set up is a most imposing feat of rail engineering.

 

As we embark one quickly realises that this experience attracts a certain demographic …. Boomers one and all. While me and my partner are senior citizens in our mid 60s (and we have the requisite senior citizens discount card as evidence) this gathering made us feel like veritable spring chickens.

 

The narrow carriage passageway is crowded with aged bent bodies and an impressive assortment of mobility aids.

 

And we are off …. we locate our cosy cabin …. comfortable fold down bunks (your humble narrator is assigned the top bunk which requires a hefty ladder …. a public service warning about blokes over 60 clambering up ladders seems to register but is dispensed with).

 

There is also a very squeezy though serviceable ensuite….you know the type – an all in one toilet, shower, basin combination  with a slivery nylon shower curtain that wraps and clings to you.

 

Having unpacked we then head off and explore our conveyance, quickly locating the lounge car (with Bar and our very chatty host young Tom, recently arrived from Ireland…surely the bartender from central casting) and the dining car replete with starched linen and silver service .

 

We will be very, very comfortable.

 

Burke and Wills

 

Discovering a transcontinental route was a major fixation for colonial Australia in the 1850s. The gold rush had generated untold wealth and a population explosion. ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ rapidly expanded to become the second largest city in the empire. A key strategic obsession became the need to establish an overland telegraph line to connect Australia to Europe via the whizz-bang undersea communications cable terminating in Java. Such a connection would unlock untold economic and social wealth for the colonies and unparalleled fame and opportunity for the brave heroes who accomplished such an extraordinary feat.

 

A land route across the searing, unknown dead centre was desperately required – a key strategic necessity.

 

I have downloaded Peter Fitzsimons excellent book Burke and Wills to tell this story of bravery, incompetence, misfortune and success.

 

 

As I become utterly absorbed in the drama unfolding in Fitzsimons narrative, the Ghan threads its way out of suburban Adelaide, across verdant, agricultural land –  by day two the view from our cabin has changed to an endless vista of hot red sand, sprinkled with defiant salt bush….mile after weary mile

 

 

Burke and Wills set off from Melbourne, headed for the Gulf of Carpentaria some 3250 kilometres distant, on 20^th August 1860

 

Burke with almost no bush skills and no exploration experience would prove to be a disastrous choice as expedition leader – his style being bluff, bluster and bullying as opposed to people management, celestial navigation and arid climate survival skills.

 

The party that departed wintry Melbourne was of truly epic proportions, 19 men, 23 horses, 26 camels, 6 wagons, food for two years and 20 tonnes of equipment including an oak dining table.

 

On the first day three wagons broke down and or become bogged as they made their first camp at Essendon a distance of some 10 kilometres ….it was very slow progress with an overloaded caravan across the muddy Victorian landscape.

 

In November the party reached Coopers Creek, the very outer limits of European exploration. The party had suffered insurrection and desertion/dismissal by senior officers, rat plagues, hostile Aboriginal encounters, death of livestock including a number of the very precious camels.

 

Burke realised to proceed they would need to jettison non-essential supplies (dining tables etc) and strike out for the Gulf with a small party (Burke, Wills, King and Gray)

 

Brahe was left in charge of the Cooper depot and instructed to wait three months for the exploration party to return.

 

The dining car

 

After pre-prandial refreshments served by the charming and very chatty Tom we are guided to our table in the dining car …all crisp white linen, silver service and perfectly uniformed wait staff , hovering to take our orders and make us comfortable.

 

The menu is extensive, and we enjoy.

• Kangaroo fillet entre.
• Twice baked Adelaide hills cheese souffle
• Murray bridge pork loin
• Finished with an assorted berry compote, meringue clotted cream and a cheese platter.

Accompanied by a selection of the finest wines from the Coonawarra.

 

 

Each dining session we share a table with other guests …this is an interesting and at times challenging experience.

 

The boomer conversation seemingly revolves around two main themes – grandchildren and preferred retirement accommodation models/offerings.

 

There are  strongly contested and irreconcilable  factions when it comes to retirement living: own your own unit whereby you retain equity rights and are required to meet insurance, rates and other charges or the 99 year lease option whereby one forfeits  a large whack of  equity in return for lower holding costs ……this all plays out when it comes time to redeem (which is very polite language for death in situ/departing this mortal coil).

 

This was a conversation where I was out of my depth. I felt like this is an issue for lawyers, financial planners and a steely exchange with assorted heirs and dependents.

 

When it comes to grandchildren however, I can compete with the best, with an inexhaustible supply of incredibly interesting, engaging and humorous anecdotes regarding my three beautiful rascals …. a repeated elbow to my ribs from my travelling companion is a sure sign to wrap up my monologue – however riveting.

 

 

Burke and Wills return to Coopers Creek.

 

Six months after setting out the party reaches what they assumed to be close to the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria – their further progress blocked by impenetrable mangroves and deep mud.

 

On the 13^th February 1861 Burke commences the return to Coopers Creek. The return journey sees the arrival of the wet season and monsoonal rain making difficult conditions treacherous. The remaining camels and the very loyal pack horse Billy were either abandoned due to severe illness or butchered to feed the now starving and rapidly deteriorating party.

Gray dies of dysentery, scurvy and starvation in early April and Burke, Wills and King finally reached Coopers Creek on 17 April – barely alive.

 

The party had arrived at Coopers Creek nine hours after Brahe, in charge of the relief contingent had departed for Melbourne. Brahe had been instructed to wait 13 weeks for Burke to return from the Gulf expedition – instead he waited 18 weeks until severely depleted stores and sickness forced his return to Melbourne .

 

Their last campfire at the deserted camp was still warm to Burke’s touch.

 

The gulf party was very weak and despite following instructions on the ‘Dig’ tree to recover stores hidden by Brahe – Burke and Wills soon died in utter desperation of starvation.

 

King was the only member of the party to survive having been taken in by the local Yandruwandha and was rescued by one of half a dozen rescue parties sent out by the Melbourne organising committee when they realised the dire straits confronted by the expedition.

 

King regained sufficient strength to make the two month return trek to Melbourne – though he never fully recovered and remained emotionally and physically fragile and distraught at the frenzied public attention he attracted. King died 11 years after surviving his ordeal aged 33.

 

 

Arriving in Darwin

 

Our journey continues day and night, and the vast scale of the outback virtually defies comprehension -the endless desert sands assume an almost mystical dimension. Progressively of course the landscape does change, and we now observe a more tropical outlook and we stop at Katherine to explore the gorges.

 

Now there are plentiful water courses (imagine the scale of roaring water in the wet season) carving deep incisions through an ancient landscape. Our local indigenous guide highlights an extraordinary array flora and fauna – we are assured that the freshwaters crocs are basically harmless. We admire sacred Indigenous art high in the sandstone cliffs …the contrast with the red centre could not be greater.

 

We reboard the Ghan and roll into Darwin the next morning …..we farewell the staff who have been amazing , friendly , professional and courteous.

 

I reflect on the beauty and deep and abiding spirituality of our journey, and how we owe such a debt to the bravery of Burke and Wills and their comrades.

 

Burke , before embarking boldly proclaimed he would reach the Gulf or die ….and he did.

 

 

 

 

To return to our Footy Almanac home page click HERE.

Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?

And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help things keep ticking over please consider making your own contribution.

Become an Almanac (annual) member – click HERE.