Queers of the Desert

Desert Rose Connolly (1989-2006)

Rose Connolly; a.k.a. Desert Rose, moved to Alice Springs to live in 1989. After five years of dealing with the isolation and a lesbian community that she felt could be a bit more organised, Rose determined to do something about it and together with a small group of helpers began producing the newsletter; Desert Dykes, that continued to inform and instruct local women for the better part of a decade.

By the time the second issue came out in April, 1994 it seemed appropriate to put a little of the editor's experience into print for the enlightenment of her readership. This was Rose's coming to Alice story.

WHERE ARE THE LESBIANS?

When I first came to this town of Alice I couldn't see any lesbians for the life of me. I thought rather than ask obvious heterosexuals of the lesbian whereabouts, I should write to a friend in Sydney and ask her to send me any known contacts, if they existed.
Within a short time I received a couple of names and an address, which was exciting. I no longer felt all alone out here. I sat down almost immediately and wrote to the women, Feeling somewhat relieved I waited eagerly for a reply.
As the weeks ticked by, I opened any local mail I received with added enthusiasm, thinking this might be it. My life started taking shape in other forms and I began to explore Alice, Still waiting, hoping for a reply, thinking there has to be other lesbians in this town.
As fortune goes, I chose one Sunday afternoon to go visit one of the local galleries to view some works.
There was plenty of space in the huge car park and seeing there was no competition for a park under a shady tree, I chose the best, thinking it would be cool for my dog while I was inside.
Sometime later I went back to the car to check on my dog and noticed another car parked - it was right next to mine. I thought it a bit odd considering the size of the car park. When I approached the rear of my vehicle, I heard a voice from around the corner asking me if I used to live in the Blue Mountains.
Somewhat surprised, I stepped around the car to see a woman sitting in the passenger side, with her door flung wide open. I didn't recognise the car so I had no clue as to who she might be. I was a little startled, as I did not know any women who lived here.
I walked towards her, but kept close to my car, I answered her, "Yes, I do/did live there". Nothing came to mind as I gazed at her face trying to gain some sort of recognition. "Who are you?" I asked, trying to sort out the puzzle.
 desert dykes
Desert Dykes 2, 2. April 1994, pp9-10.
© used with permission.

She smiled at me, "I stayed at your place when I was an my way to the first Women's Music Fest in Lismore". I continued to look at her until her face became familiar. Something clicked. "You a friend of Sally's?"
She nodded her head.
"Yes I remember something... there were two of you and you stayed a couple of days, yeah?
She nodded again.
"You and your friend travelled by car and Sally went with you on her bike?" She was busy nodding her head saying "Yes"."
"Gee it's a small world isn't it? I recall I wanted to go too but couldn't because I had some interstate visitors arriving", I paused. "Yes I remember that time."
"We tried to talk you into coming with us, but you wouldn't budge. I wondered how you could miss such an event". It felt like she was still paying me out after all these years.
But keeping with the present, we were getting comfortable with each other. "There's a bit of a mystery going on here for me," I told her.
"Oh yeah, what?" she asked, still sitting, perched in her car seat.
"Well, you started talking to me before you saw my face. Did the dyke sticker an the back of my car give me away?" I asked her, curious.
"Oh, yes and no" she laughed. "I remember your old Holden ute. The funny coloured number plates helped and the dyke sticker just confirmed everything."
Six weeks I'd waited to make contact and this meeting was by perchance. I mentioned to Hillary that I had written a letter to some contacts in town and that I hadn't heard back, did she know anything about them.
She said, "Oh yes, they would have got your letter, but wouldn't be bothered to write back to you."
I couldn't believe this attitude and said "Why not? They've got their names down as contact lesbians. They wouldn't know me from a bar of soap, so what's the problem?"
She was busy eating some lunch and after a while said "Oh, they are sick of it."
I went and let my dog out of the car and moved under some shade. "What do you mean? Are they sick of women?"
She handed me a cup of black tea. "Yes, women coming to their place all the time. Eating their food, using the phone, running up bills, sleeping all over the place and never giving any money to pay their way. The contact women feel they have no more privacy, they are sick of it."
"Oh" I said, feeling rather alarmed, But burst out with "I didn't want any of that, I told them I had a place to stay. What I wanted was to know if there were any other lesbians in town. I wanted contact."
She was busy packing up her lunch. "It wouldn't have made any difference to them."
"If that's the case, why don't they take their names off the contact list? It would save women like me a lot of time and trouble. What are their names, I want to meet them?
"Oh" she laughed again, it seemed like she was enjoying herself. "Those names you got aren't real, they belong to some pets."
I couldn't believe my ears. "You for real? Pets names.... I feel I've been had." I noticed she was having a great laugh, I joined her.... what else could I do?
So began my life in Alice...

Desert Rose

(Although the above story is true the names are fictitious.)

Six years later Rose found herself caught up a Canadian Queer TV documentary, adding some local lesbian flavour to a story on the first Spin FX dance party.

EDITORAL
Considering I left town a few days early for my holidays in January, cause I couldn't stand the pollution, overcrowding, high rise buildings, smog, bad drivers, no sun no stars syndrome, I split to the coast. A nice surprise or two greeted me on my return. On Saturday 11th March, I met Adrianna (director) and Lisa (camera woman) from Queer TV Canada, at the airport. Given I had about 24 hours notice, I was really prepared. During their research in coming out to film Mardi Gras in the Outback - Spin-fx Party, they learnt of a lesbian taxi driver in the Outback as well.

Adrianna said she wanted me in uniform, in a taxi, driving them around while they conducted a interview on camera. By the time we got to the Plaza Hotel where they checked in, she had asked me for the third time. I tried to explain to her that taxis don't stand idle, that I wasn't working and I just can't go and get one for 3 hours. In the end, I went off to see what I could arrange, considering the distance they'd come etc.

I managed to convince a driver that he just didn't need to start his shift for another 3 hours, he was considering it and when I pointed out Queer TV were paying for the hire of the vehicle, I knew that he knew it was a different story.

After 3 takes at the Plaza we went all over the place, stopping ... doing ... redoing ... driving this way ... that way etc etc for 3 hours. This included a wander up Reg Harris Lane to take in Didees Cafe of course. They interviewed that same driver about the mysteries of working with a lesbian when we went there to exchange cars, after that I drove them out to the Racecourse so they could film everyone setting up for the Party.

I got that same driver to pick me and the women up at 9.30pm to take us out to the dance where Adrianna & Lisa spent the next couple of hours interviewing lesbians and poofters who were interested in doing such a thing. At the end of their night I bid them adieu and safe travelling.

In asking Adrianna for a copy of the tape, she said yes, as well the tape was coming out on the Net as well as Canadian Queer TV sometime between May and September 2000.

It's a tourist promotion gig, somebody in the tourist world is trying to encourage lesbians & poofters from around the globe to visit the Red Centre, the chances are they will come

The 2nd surprise for me was an invitation to meet Queen Liz and Duke Phil at Madigans Restaurant in the Desert Park on March 30. I went, given the invite was from CM Denis Burke, as my role as secretary to the Labor Party was winding up a 3 year term, I thought it a good way to bow out.

Since I've been looking for the 3rd 'Q' to happen. Things do happen in 3's don't they?

desert rose
editor
Desert Dykes 6, 1. May 2001, pp9-10.
© used with permission.

The following year, after a long career as a local taxi driver, publisher of lesbian literature, political activist, sometime DJ, organiser of dances, and film star Rose again went into print, but this time very publicly in the Alice Springs News. The occasion was the first anniversary of Alice IS Wonderland and the paper wanted to include a little human interest. Rose happily obliged.


'In Alice you can be yourself'

"I'm as out as much as I can be," says Desert Rose Connolly.
"The only way to break homophobia is to be out.
"Who says I can't be here? I'm here and that's that!"
Desert Rose has been putting out a lesbian magazine in Alice Springs for nine years.

CONT. PAGE 4.

Desert Rose Connolly

FROM PAGE 1.
She's also a taxi driver and a former secretary of the local branch of the Labor Party.
The Alice News asked her what it's like, living as a lesbian in this town.
'I'm myself at all times, it's the most powerful thing I can do," she says.
"There's probably been prejudice along the way, but I don't pay any attention, I just get on.
"People ask me how I can live in such a small town as a lesbian.
"But I come from a much smaller place, in Queensland.
"I always knew that I was attracted to women, but I didn't know the world of lesbians existed until I moved to Brisbane. I got on board and it was great,"
When she was 18 Rose was involved in a serious car accident. It was the "healing" property of the land that first attracted her to Alice Springs.
 rose

rose
Alice Springs News, 9, 6. March 13, 2002, p4.
© used with permission.
Alice: most lesbians in Oz per head of population!

She came for a visit in 1985 and came back to live in 1989.
She's packed her boxes four times to leave, unpacking the last lot just recently: "It looks like I'm staying for a while."
In 1989 it took her six weeks to meet another lesbian. It wouldn't happen today.
Alice is reputed to have the highest per capita concentration of lesbians in Australia. There are fewer gay men.
Rose estimates there are 200 to 300 lesbians living here now and part of the growth could be down to her little mag, Desert Dykes.
"Put it this way, five different women from five different states recently came to town and mentioned that they'd heard about Desert Dykes," she says.
Why Alice?
"It's the womb thing, this is the centre of the universe, a women's place. The vibe travels, by word of mouth.
"For some reason, people on the coast are scared of the interior, but this place has broken through that fear. You can be yourself here."
Still, driving a taxi in Alice can be pretty tough going: drunk male passengers are all too plentiful.
Rose recalls picking up a couple from Westies. One of them asked her how long it was since she'd had sex with a man?
She replied, "I dunno, mate, what about you? How long since you've had sex with a man?"
She says that shut him up.
I was the first lesbian taxi driver in town. All the male drivers were pretty curious about me.
"One Sunday I pulled up at the town rank. A couple of the guys came over, they said 'Rose, you should have ago at so and so, he's being going off about gay and lesbian teachers'. I just said to them, 'Why don't you have a go on my behalf?'
"'They must have thought about it because since then the two of them have looked after me."
Rose first started driving taxis in Sydney.
She'd been doing a writer's course and had been told that experience makes the best writers. She took her teacher at her word and went out to get her cabbie's licence.
At present, she's driving just one morning a week.
"But if I don't get that contact, I feel like there's something I'm missing.
"Cabbies are usually the first to find out things."
She says she could sense the backlash building in town last year and deliberately stayed away from the place.
"This year maybe the town has grown up a bit."

In 2006 Rose found herself again acting out her own life as the archetypal desert dyke cab driver in Sonja Dare's film; Destiny in Alicewhich showed at the Opera House that year as part of the Message Stick Indigenous Film Festival. After a long and illustrious career in media, she finally decided to leave town for good on December 1, 2006 and is now living happily in Queensland where she has started publishing a local newsletter; That's Theodore.

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