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heritage-listed homestead is a living museum in itself; having changed
little since Molly and her husband lived there during the 1950s, or
even since 1939 when Dr Cecil Madigan set out from there by camel
on his famous scientific expedition across the Simpson Desert.
Robert
McDill built the old homestead for his new wife Eleanor Lucy in
1922, having established the station before WW1 with his brother
George.
Consisting
of a kitchen and a couple of rooms with a central breezeway, it
is a typical Central Australian desert homestead made of corrugated
iron and timber.
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kitchen
range
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Molly's
Kitchen
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Molly
lived there alone from 1984, relying on the Royal Flying Doctor
Service radio for contact with the outside world until the telephone
was installed in the late 1990s.
While
Molly now lives in Alice Springs the homestead can still be visited.
The road is suitable for 4 WD vehicles but visitors are advised
to check road conditions. Camping sites are available.
Molly
Clarke talks about isolation at Old Andado.
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To
play the following video clip you will need to have a copy of the
Realvideo Player installed on your system. If you need to you can
click on the button to download this player. 
You
can purchase a unique souvenir of Old Andado and the Simpson Desert
– “Molly’s Place” as well as other stunning
images of Central Australia by award winning Australian Geographic
photographer, Barry Skipsey. Now an Honorary Life Member of the
NPWHF for his tireless contribution as photographer and Molly’s
Bash organizer over the years, the majority of the images on this
website are his work.
Contact
us
also if you are interested in becoming a “Friend of Old Andado”
and help preserve this unique part of our pioneering heritage. Work
parties are needed throughout the year to keep the building and
environs in tiptop order.
You can visit and camp at Old Andado Homestead at other times of
the year. An interesting way is via the Outback
Camel Company or with Big
Country Outback Safaris.
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