1/9/2024 0 Comments Pichi richi![]() Gallipoli, The Shiralee, The Water Diviner, Wolf Creek, Sundowners, The Tourist, to name just a few. Many movies have used Quorn and this train in their scenes. He told us that the carriage we were in named Warana was the one Mel Gibson sat in for the scene for the movie Gallipoli. We settled into our bench seats with other train buffs on this sellout Sunday morning short run through the Pichi Richi pass to Woolshed Flats.ĭavid gave us a run down on the train and it’s history, speaking faster than the train was moving ! David looked the part – covered in train badges ![]() And what a variety of train enthusiasts offer their services to keep this historic train ride operating.ĭavid, one such enthusiast met us at our assigned carriage to clip our ticket and welcome us aboard. The local women would feed the men in the local hall during a break in the trip. At one point 43 trains came through a day. The name “Pichi Richi” came from the section of track between Port Augusta and Quorn, through the Pichi Richi Pass, which was first opened back in 1879.ĭuring the war years this was a major junction for trains carrying troops. This historic train bring back the romance of train travel, as it was in its heyday a century ago. Such a pity the Ghan doesn’t stop here now ut would be a great place to break the journey. The famous Ghan passenger train travelled this way from 1923 to 1956, and on the northern part of this route until 1980. The line was extended to Oodnadatta in 1891 and further to Alice Springs in 1929, establishing an important rail link to Central Australia. In 1878, construction commenced on the Port Augusta and Government Gums Railway. Our priority is to re-open the William Ricketts Sculpture Garden at the Southern end of the property. .įor enquiries, contact the office of Heritage Alice Springs.My last post for this trip is about another train journey. Restoration work to date has been made possible mainly through the NT Government’s Heritage Grants program and generous donations from local businesses.įundraising for Pitchi Richi has enabled us to commission a landscape plan. Research into grants for this is underway. ![]() Today, the place is managed by Heritage Alice Springs Inc., and is occasionally open for special public events and is also made available to groups by appointment only.Ĭurrently restoration work is on hold because the Committee has made a decision not to work on Chapman House until asbestos has been removed. The sanctuary boasts over twenty William Ricketts sculptures, set amongst the native “bush” garden, and represents the largest known collection outside of Ricketts’ own Sanctuary in the Dandenongs, Victoria. It still holds very fond memories for the many Australians who first visited the place in the 1970s whilst on popular interstate school trips. The heritage-listed Pitchi Richi Sanctuary, located approximately 4km south of the Town Centre on Palm Circuit, was established in the early 1950s by Leo Corbet, who is considered by many as one of central Australia’s earliest conservationists.īuilt as the town’s first man-made tourist attraction, the sanctuary was listed as one of The Centre’s four “must-see” attractions during the 1960s.
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