Tennant Creek – Sunday

Our first little expedition today had to be to the “Michelangelo Exhibition”. Why? Because of the sheer insanity of being in a small mining town at least a thousand kms from the nearest big population centre where survival seems to be the first priority and Renaissance art a totally alien concept.

Exhibition flyer

I’ve decided I prefer Leonardo after reading this.

A Michelangelo creation

Marble columns in Tennant Creek?

My favourites were the carvings created for families.

Michelangelo -his appearance

Michelangelo – the bust certainly matches the written description of the man.

Second excursion for the day was to Lake Maryanne created when a wall was built damming the river. It’s a recreation area and also seems to be a place people abandon domestic fowls. Who knows where the Peacocks came from?

Guinea Fowl

Domestic rooster

Domestic duck

Peacock

Natural watercourse beyond the dam wall

Spoonbill and Ibis

After the lake we went to see the display at the Mine Battery. I found the photos and displays really interesting because there were lots of personal stories. In 1925 a linesman working on the Overland Telegraph Line found gold in the ranges and along with a couple of pastoralists, one a woman, he staked the first claim. Lack of water made things very difficult and it wasn’t until the 30s when the government decided it was worth setting up a town and providing bores and basic services that Australia’s last gold rush really started.

Early accomodation

Termite mounds were also used for house floors

Personal accounts

“Aspro” was simply aspirin

I can see a young boy doing this

Tomorrow we leave Tennant Creek and continue south, probably to Aileron and once again expect to be out of internet range.