Wednesday, Jun 04, 2003 at 15:40
NT history
Darwin became a strategic defence post after 220
Darwin people were killed in the only major Japanese bombing raid on an Australian city. At the peak of defence activity in the north, there were 120,000 troops and, since shipping was no longer safe, the railway became essential for supplies. Unfortunately, the rail and rolling stock had run down and the first troops arrived in converted cattle trucks, dubbing their northward ride the 'Spirit of Protest'. A unique carriage was made for short trips by placing a Leyland truck chassis on rail wheels. The contraption looked odd, but necessity was the mother of a useful invention!
The need to move troops and supplies led to suggestions of closing the 1000 kilometre gap between Birdum, where the northern line had reached in 1929, and
Alice Springs. In the end, the Stuart Highway was sealed between
Alice Springs and
Darwin, leaving the legacy of a major
infrastructure project to the Territory.
Colin - Subaru Forester
- size isn't everything - weight is ! -
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