PARRTJIMA A GHAN WRAP

ONE of Australia’s iconic rail journeys took on new colours last week when three carriages of Journey Beyond’s The Ghan were adorned in some special artwork as part of the NT’s Parrtjima - A Festival in Light 2021.

The initiative is a collaboration by the travel and tourism operator with Tourism NT, NT Major Events Company and AGB Events, which is organising the festival in Alice Springs.

The 09-18 Apr event “activates the desert landscape of Central Australia into a meeting place of old and new,” using the latest technologies courtesy of Novatech which also set up the interior of a special carriage on the train as an immersive sound and light experience for passengers.

The 2021 Ranges Show at Parrtjima, titled Spirit Kultcha, sees massive light shows projected onto the MacDonnell Ranges behind Alice Springs, and this year features a collaboration with Aboriginal electronic duo Electric Fields.

AGB Events CEO Anthony Bastic said the collaboration with Journey Beyond was part of ongoing efforts to expand the reach of the annual Parrtjima program.

“This is a new initiative and particularly significant given the Ghan’s importance to Central Australia,” he said.

“There’s also a great synergy with the artwork Crossroads by Chantelle Mulladad (pictured), which we’ve utilised in this installation and also the Merging Kultcha installation at the Alice Springs Desert Park,” he said.

Journey Beyond Chief Commercial Officer, Peter Egglestone, said “we take great pride in supporting local communities and curating unique experiences, and without hesitation, we were thrilled at the opportunity to support Parrtjima and collaborate for the event”.