Stuart Commemorative Tour

September 1st to 11th 2012

On offer is a great opportunity to explore the real Australian Outback with two highly experienced John McDouall Stuart experts as your guides.

More information

This eleven day Outback tour travels from Adelaide to the centre of the continent – Central Mt Stuart – and returns. It celebrates and commemorates the 150^th anniversary of John McDouall Stuart and his Companions crossing the continent and returning without loss of life. This unique tour will visit exclusive ‘Stuart’ locations not normally available to the public; some of these will be memorable both for their beauty and their relevance to Stuart’s success. However, the tour is not fixated on Stuart, as we want to enjoy all aspects of touring the great Australian Outback.

Chambers Pillar. An overnight camp will be made here.

This trip is available as a fully catered camping tour. Swags are supplied, as are meals. One night will be spent in an Alice Springs motel with a tour members dinner (accommodation included; dinner at own cost) at the Overlander Steakhouse, which has a feature dish called Mr Stuart’s Tuckerbag. Cost for a fully catered passenger is $ 3,700.

The tour is also available as a self-drive tag-along tour, suitable only for high clearance 4WD’s. Self catered Tag-along cost is $1,100 per vehicle. The cost for Tag-alongs who wish to be catered for (two passengers in one vehicle) is $3,100.

Route map

Participants can expect to be immersed in the magnificent outback environment. Recent years of extra-ordinary rainfall in Australia’s interior have created a botanical and wild life extravaganza, unlikely to be seen again in our lifetimes. A deep understanding of the historical environment will compliment the geographical, botanical, ornithological and land use aspects of the trip.

It will be led by Rick Moore, President of the John McDouall Stuart Society, and Dean Harris, the Vice President. Both have travelled this route many times and bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the tour. They will avoid boring bitumen driving wherever possible and take tracks and roads less traveled. You’ll note this means the Stuart Highway is hardly utilised and that hectic, regular tourist haunts are avoided. This means you’ll have a fulfilling experience, understand more of what Stuart really did and feel more relaxed.

Dean Harris on a minor summit, with Central Mt Stuart above his left shoulder.

Registration and expression of interest

Please contact Rick Moore through the Contact section (under the menu heading ‘The Society’ on left hand side of any page).

Alternatively, click here for more details. Stuart Tour pamphlet

You can also visit http://therealoutback.weebly.com/stuart-commemorative-tour-2012.html for a detailed itinerary.

Stuart's fully restored grave, 2011

Until very recently, visitors who paid their respects at the grave of Australia’s greatest inland explorer probably did not know that the grave they were viewing had been incomplete since World War 2. Back then, the 2.7 metre granite needle sitting on top of the grave pedestal was dislodged and went ‘missing’.

For the last 66 years, a lack of funds has prevented the full restoration of his grave. Now the needle on his grave has been replaced with a grey granite needle sourced from India. Financial assistance was received from a Commonwealth Government grant (Commemorating Eminent Australians), the Royal Geographical Society of South Australia, and the John McDouall Stuart Society.

Stuart’s grave is now ready for 2012, when on July 25th a ceremony to recognise the arrival on the north coast of Australia on that day, 150 years ago, will be held. Stuart and his Companions were the first Europeans to cross the continent from south to north, through the centre, and return without loss of life.

Please visit the events calendar in the news section to see what other events will be held.

Join with us on a tour of Stuart’s route north as he left Adelaide on 25th October 1861 – exactly 150 years ago to the day.

We will depart at 10.00 am October 25th 2011, from the Central Bus Station, Franklin St, Adealide, and the Adealide Aquatic Centre (free parking), Jeffcot Rd, North Adealide at 10.15 am; and return there at approximately 3.30 pm.

The bus tour will include a visit to

• Carclew, the site of James Chambers house in Jeffcott St, North Adelaide
• the site of the Heart in Hand Hotel (where Stuart injured his hand)
• the Old Spot Hotel, Salisbury, where the party stayed the first night
• Kingsford, the home of Stephen King junior (and site of McLeods Daughters TV show)
• Gawler, where we will visit the church where a special service was held for the departing men.

Along the way we will have commentary about the relevant locations and we’ll enjoy the camaraderie of a shared interest.

We will have a luncheon in the Gawler Arms Hotel and arrive back in North Adelaide by mid afternoon.

Cost will be approximately $ 30 (depending upon numbers), plus lunch at $ 9.50, plus a guided tour of Gawler for $2.50.

RSVP to the Acting Honorary Secrtetary by 11th October through normal means, or email through this site before 28th September.

The annual Remembrance Ceremony will be held at Stuart’s statue, Victoria Square, Adelaide on July 24th, 2011, at 2.00 pm.

This event is a short function incorporating a few words from a selected guest on matters pertaining to Stuart, his Companions or his sponsors. It is held to mark the day on which Stuart and party reached the north coast of Australia. It is accompanied by bagpipes and seating is available.

The assembly will then walk east a few metres to the Flinders Street Baptist Church Hall, where we will be regaled with a performance of ‘Polly in the Outback’. This musical, crafted by Stuart Partis, is a unique work dedicated to Stuart’s successes.

The day is designed as a social event as well as a mark of respect and accordingly you are invited to join with us for refreshments. Please bring a plate of food to share.

The Stuart Collection contains equipment, books, maps, charts, photographs, portraits, personal items and memorabilia associated with Stuart and his Companions.

The Collection has very recently been relocated to a better site within the Adelaide Masonic Centre – the first floor. With better lighting and more accessions, the Stuart Collection is now in the best shape ever.