Address & Contact
West Macdonnell National Park
Northern Territory 0872
Phone: N/A
Email: N/A
Web: N/A
The
Simpsons Gap Tjoritja /
West MacDonnell National Park was originally a pastoral lease (called
Simpsons Gap Station). Like most stations in the area, this was a cattle station, with
Simpsons Gap being used for fattening cattle on their way to market.
The
Simpsons Gap Station was run by Robert (Bob) Darken, former head of Harts Range Police Station and his wife Vicki from about 1950. Here are two little historical clips showing Bob and his wife Vicki in 1947 during which time Bob was commissioned to Harts Range police patrol and was head of the station, whilst Vicki looked after the Harts Range station mostly on her own.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVhpgbprOTU&t=11shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkOfXUYapMYHere is some further information on Vicki Darken -
https://www.churchilltrust.com.au/fellows/detail/1938/Vicki+DARKEN
Simpsons Gap Station was eventually taken over in 1970 by Parks & Wildlife.