Interesting Sites on the Ghan Train Route

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Finke River - World's oldest river
The Iron Man - monument to 1,000,000 concrete sleeper
Coober Pedy - 80-90% of world's opals mined here

Finke River
 About 150km out from Alice Springs, The Ghan Train crosses the Finke River, which was named by John McDoull Stuart after his patron, William Finke.  The Finke River extends over 1000 km from the MacDonnell Ranges in the north into Lake Eyre in South Australia.  The river only runs its entire course a couple of times every year.  The Finke River remains a popular meeting place for Aboriginal people who call it "Larapinta," meaning "serpent."  The River is dotted with permanent water holes, many of which hold cultural significance to the Aboriginal people.  The Ghan crosses the river over the Finke River Bridge, which was constructed in 15 spans of 30 metres each.

The Finke River is listed in "The Guinness Book of Records" as the oldest river in the world.

The Iron Man 

After passing the Finke River, The Iron Man is a unique monument marking the site of the one-millionth concrete sleeper laid on the stretch of railway line between Tarcoola and Alice Springs.  This track section was one of the most difficult to construct due, in part, to the harsh and unforgiving climate of Central Australia.  The new line was completed in 1980, replacing the old wooden sleeper line which was continually ravaged by white ants and floods.

Coober Pedy

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Underground house

One of the train stops is close to Coober Pedy, the Opal capital of the world.  A 15-year old boy named Willie Hutchinson first discovered opals in Coober Pedy in February 1915.  The town produces 80-90% of the world's opals.  Following World War I, numerous returning soldiers came to Coober Pedy to stake a claim, and it was they that introduced the "dugouts" as a means of living in relative comfort underground.  Even today, most of the population of Coober Pedy live and work underground to escape the scorching summer heat, which can reach 52 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) for 3-4 months of the year.  Many of the motels in Coober Pedy also feature underground rooms.  Coober Pedy's high quality water comes from an underground source 24km north of town.

Coober Pedy comes from the Aboriginal words "Kupi piti" which means, "White man's burrow."  Given that most of the town's population live underground in dugouts, the words are very apt.

Approximately 3,500 people live in Coober Pedy, and it is estimated that this population comprises 45 different nationalities making it one of Australia's most multicultural towns.

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