Lyndhurst, Talc Alf & Elsewhere Hotel,: In the Outback region of South Australia

Stay awhile at Lyndhurst's Elsewhere Hotel and you realise that it's aptly named. Most who've set up shop here are either from somewhere else or are serving those bound for other parts on the Strzelecki Track. The signs warn of conditions ahead but nothing prepares you for the bloke just round the corner - a desert blow-in who's been here a mere 28 years preaching his gospel of the alphabet. His name is Cornelius Alerfink or "Talc Alf”, as he's known to his bush disciples.

He spends his days exploring the many permutations of the alphabet and carving some remarkable sculptures from blocks of the local talc deposits. In this chiseled chalk, this loveable eccentric brings a mix of eastern mysticism, staunch Republicanism, touches of a classical education gathered during his years in the bush and a love of geography.

It all started many years ago when he first whittled away on his travels in Western Australia.

“It started from there just with a pocket knife. I got a Land Rover and thought I would go around Australia and check out all the talc deposits and if I found a lot I would settle down and make a living out of it. That’s how I ended up at Lyndhurst. They used to mine about ton of talc a day.”

Talc Alf’s Gallery is two kilometres from the Elsewhere Hotel on the start of the Strzelecki Track.

The Hotel offers outback pub style accommodation ranging from single rooms at $35 to $70 for a family room. For details contact (08) 8675 7781.