On our way back from Uluru towards Alice Springs, we called in to see the craters left by the Henbury Meteorites around 4,700 years ago. The site is just 15kms off the Stuart Highway. There are 12 craters altogether and we wandered around to have a look.

I find it staggering that in this day and age we know what happened so long ago. And the evidence is here.

• 

• 

• 

As if finding out about meteorites hitting earth 4,700 years ago wasn’t exciting enough, the next day we drove out to Gosse Bluff to see a crater caused by a comet falling to earth about 142.5 MILLION years ago! Incredible! Apparently the crater used to be 20 kms wide but it has eroded over the years and is now just 2 kms wide. Still impressive though!

We moved on to Hermannsburg to find out about a more recent history. Hermannsburg Mission was set up by German Lutheran missionaries in 1877 to introduce religion to First Nations People. I expected to learn that the the locals were not treated well and perhaps their children were taken away. However, the opposite seems to be true. The Lutherans learned the language of the Arrarnta people and school was taught in both languages. Times were very hard; the environment was harsh and there were long periods of drought. But the missionaries took care of the Aboriginal people, feeding them, giving them shelter and protecting them from the violence of the frontier. They educated them and taught them trades such as tanning. They also introduced them to the arts, offering art lessons to those who were interested. One person who was interested was famous Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira. He was born at the mission.

John and I wandered around and learned a lot about life here from old photos, information boards and old relics that have been retained. Albert Namatjira was prominent in many of the stories and photos on display. I didn’t know some of his children became artists too. I was very impressed with his son, Oscar Namatjira’s work.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

We were reluctant to leave the mission as we found it so interesting. We spent some time in the shop which had some beautiful indigenous paintings. We were disappointed that we did not get to see Albert Namatjira’s paintings at the Cultural Centre in Alice Springs but we learned a lot about his life here and we were at least able to see some prints of his work. The two original works they had here previously had to be returned to their owners when covid19 hit.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

We left Hermannsburg to check out Albert Namatjira’s house. He built this tiny, two room home from the proceeds of 38 paintings! He, his wife and seven children lived there.

Before we left Alice Springs, we went to the cemetery to see Namatjira’s grave. It seemed a fitting way to end the day.