HEART OF AUSTRALIA

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 143, 18 June 1924, Page 8

HEART OF AUSTRALIA

a'Vigorous defence GREAT MOTORING RESORT.. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) • . . ' ' .SYDNEY,. 12th June. After two months' motoring in Central Australia, with the object particularly of investigating the country to the west and north of Barrow Creek, Mr. Harry Ma'nderson and Mr. J. T. ivßeckett, ex-chief inspector of aborigines in the .Northern Territory, have returned to Adelaide with a most glowing- account of the country, and sharp condemnation of those who describe, as -desert the vast area that they traversed. Mr.,.Manderson, who has travelled in many parts, of the world, said he knew, of no country which possessed, a more delightful winter season than Central Australia. The South of France and Palm Beach. (Florida, U.S.A.) were only ' make-believe" winter resorts in campanson. The contention that the North was not a white, man's country was utterly groundless. One of the chief troubles. about the Northern Territory > was that most of its maligners had either never visited it or possessed only nalf-.baked . experience of limited -areas of its widespread expanse. "One tiling, perhaps more than any other," Mr Manderson stated, "continues to keep the mass of Australians in almost complete ignorance about the centre of the" continent, and that is the alleged difficulty in. getting there. Any trip to Central Australia, especially by motor-car is almost invariably . dubbed an - 'expedition,' which is going to ''penetrate' the miscalled 'dead heart; of the country llie programme customarily calls for stripped' car's, petrol supplies sent out .along the track by camels weeks ahead and other inspiring touches to an overlanding, hazard into the supposed say-l-age and sandy 'wastes' of the interior. J-ins is all wrong and unjust, and havriiiui to a magnificent zone, which would assuredly be better understood and. appreciated lfc-more frequently visited by southern dwellers, who at present are prevented from even contemplating the trip by reason of „ the supposed rigours oi the road. '

. Ihe 300 -miles or so to Alice Springs f™} Odnadatta - (638 miles north of Adelaide), are, of course, by no means1 a motor speedway," Mr. Manderson added. The definite obstacles to be surmounted are the six or. seven crossings of the Finko River. With sand-grips however these crossings are made with comparative ease, and on the lonstretches of more or less level sand alon? the -overland telegraph line, any motorcar will travel without undue strain if grips are used. With no knowledge of the track into the North, other than it vra« said to .be . 'rather ' rough' and *ut or'special contrivances of that sort, mv nartv e\neH enced little or .no trouble T'reaX^ fust Alicei Springs, in ordinary mototfurther north and later considerable d stances to the north, east, and west of Barrow Creek. And our outfit consisted merely,of a Ford one^ton truck, v.h,ch instead of being 'stripped' wns loaded down with a.ton and a-half of petrol and other paraphernalia. We carried our own petrol throughout the trip. Being without'sand-urips tl-ere were t.mes, of course, when we had to get qnt and push.' But- with the new deviation to the east of the Depot Sandhills, the route' to Central. Australia; while not exactly ideal for cars, is not such as to debar any experienced motorist from reaching there in comparative comfort, and' enjoying a holiday of fascinating interest and variety "