CATA

[Industry]

Thirroul asked if I could think of another old operator that would be interesting to see some photos of is CATA whom operated in Alice Springs and Ayers Rock during the 50-80's and was sold to AAT.

So can anyone dig deep for some old photos, from memory their is an ex CATA coach Freighter Body sitting in the yard opposite the Old Timers mine in Coober Pedy.

[Mr Scania]

Peter Severin at Curtin Springs has got a scrapbook of coach operators that goes back to the beginning of tourism in Central Australia. Having spent all of my school holidays in the "Centre" a list of names comes to mind.
Redline,Carah,Hannafords,Crossways,Delwoods,Pleasure Tours,Wollongong Coaches,Polleys,AAT, Eldreds,Goodes,Loaders and of course Collins.

[Industry]

Mr Scania in the NSW section do you happen to have any photos of yourfather operation yhat you can post

[Mr Scania]

I have plenty of photos but I have to learn how to post them.

[Industry]

That would be great if you can arrange a few shots, as yuor fathers operation was certainly interesting

[Centralian]

Reference to CATA in this AAT brochure of 1980:

1980.2.jpg

1980.3.jpg

1980.4.jpg

[kitkat271]

Was it just not on these pages or were there no tours back then that did the famous Uluru / Kings Canyon tourist circuit then?

[Centralian]

Was it just not on these pages or were there no tours back then that did the famous Uluru / Kings Canyon tourist circuit then?

From what I can find the extended tours ex Sydney/Melbourne (safari/camping style) did the Ayers Rock/Kings Canyon run but doesn't appear as an option on the CATA/AAT brochure above ex Alice Springs. Might be to do with vehicles available to them and road conditions, someone may recall ?

[1whoknows]

I think you are right. I did one of those Ayers Rock tours with Pioneer in the early 1980s and my recollection is that the accomodated touring option was 2 days out and back to the rock and a separate tour out and back to Kings with only the camping based trips doing the circuit.

[Looselion]

Thirroul asked if I could think of another old operator that would be interesting to see some photos of is CATA whom operated in Alice Springs and Ayers Rock during the 50-80's and was sold to AAT.

So can anyone dig deep for some old photos, from memory their is an ex CATA coach Freighter Body sitting in the yard opposite the Old Timers mine in Coober Pedy.

I've uncovered an image that relates to your request from some time back Industry. Although it's been a while I thought this would still be of interest. Looks to be a Freighter body but I'm unable to identify the chassis. I'm assuming the location to be Alice Springs.

I have included a number of appendices in my book about Redline, one of which is a quite detailed history of the beginnings of the post WW2 tourist industry centered on Ayers Rock and The Olgas. Within this account I have recorded the beginnings of CATA and the personalities involved in putting the operation together. I have also listed the founding CATA members in recognition of their contribution to the broader history of the early Centre tourism industry.