Deals > Experience > The Outback > The Ghan
Whenever you brake, it should be done in a way that won't upset the passenger's glass of champagne. (Dennis Allmond)
There's a lot of skill involved for the driver. And of course a bit to do with the tracks as well. (Charlie Poole)
Five generations of my family have lived in Alice and many of them have made a living on and around the legendary train.
My uncle was the first porter here in 1929 and my other uncle was the first ever train examiner. My dad was a train driver and now my son works on trains too.
The Afghan camel handlers rode the line in the Ghan's early days, alighting at stations breaks throughout their journey to kneel on the platform and pray towards Mecca.
The guards at the railway called it the 'Afghan trip'. Seems the name stuck, over the years it was shortened to 'The Ghan'.
The whole idea of The Ghan takes me back to a time when people looked out for each other and the world was a really innocent place.
The Ghan - History Continues
The families of Ghan train driver Dennis Allmond and track maintenance engineer Charlie Poole have been living in Alice Springs for generations.
Following the route laid by early pioneers, construction on the railway began in 1878. Completed from Adelaide to Darwin in 2003, the Ghan is one of Australia's greatest train journeys.
Now, the passenger train runs twice per week in each direction, stopping in Alice Springs and Katherine along the way. Travellers can enjoy the changing landscapes that the Territory offers, from the red desert to the outback to the tropical top end in the north.
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