Alice Springs

Alice Springs embodies the hardy outback of the Northern Territory’s Red Centre, and is a travel hub for sights and hikes in the region, such as Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock), Kata Tjuta (formerly known as the Olgas) and Kings Canyon.

Since the start of the tourist boom in the early eighties, the population of Alice Springs has substantially grown to about 24,000. Water is a scarce commodity in the region, and so restrictions are common.

Alice Springs Attractions

Alice Springs has quite a few interesting things to see; one of them happens every night.

If you don’t get out of town and watch a sunset, even just sitting off the main highway, you’ve missed something special. Other than that:

Nature

• Stargazing – Alice Springs is located in the middle of the largest land area without lights on earth, so the view of the Milky Way is unmatched unless you’re on a dark boat in the middle of the ocean.
• Desert Wildlife Park located outside of Alice Springs, it is truly memorable in its examples of local flora and fauna. They give a number of interesting lectures, such as aboriginal use of local plants for food.
• Reptile Centre. Examples of the local reptiles and one NT croc
• Olive Pink Botanical Garden – A desert botanical garden.

History

• Adelaide House – the first stone building in Alice Springs with a display of old communications technology, like the bike-powered communications radio.
• Old Timer’s Museum – history of the outback.
• Pioneer Women’s Hall of Fame – devoted to the women of the outback.
• Alice Springs Telegraph Station
• Old Courthouse and Residency
• Hartley Street School

Aviation

• Royal Flying Doctor Service, with School of the Air – a museum and cafe.
• Aviation Museum – a number of older planes, showing the history of aviation in a town which relies on it to survive.

Recreation

• Alice Springs Markets,  Fresh food, jewellery, books, clothing, art, hand-made crafts and other neat merchandise.
• Outback Ballooning – Take a balloon ride and see the sunrise above Alice Springs, have a champagne breakfast in the middle of the desert. Alice Springs has ideal weather for ballooning and the tour operators run almost every day of the year.
• Golf Course – For the incurable golfer, the Alice Springs golf course is rated one of the best desert golf courses .
• Lassiter’s Casino – If you like to gamble.

Active Life

• Quads & Motorcycles – Some tour groups do quading through the spinifex, and Harley rides through remote Central Australia
• Camel Rides – Ride a camel to breakfast or dinner
• Horseback riding – Some local groups offer horseback riding tour of the local bush, to scenic lookout points, for all skill levels.
• Helicopter Flights – Helicopter flights around all sorts of local attractions, from seeing town from the air to along the mountains to the gaps and gorges.
• Hiking – The Larapinta Trail is a long distance walking trail that runs 223 kilometres through the West MacDonnell National Park.
• Cycle hire – You can hire a bicycle and tour around town the healthy way.

Events

• Alice Springs Show – the annual festival with shopping, fair ground rides, animal displays, fireworks, art and crafts, races and performances.
• Bass in the Dust – music festival
• Henley On Todd – river sand race poking fun at the British tradition of boat racing
• Camel Cup – Camel race day
• Beanie Festival – knitting festival including mostly beanie hats knit from every conceivable material in every conceivable pattern, all for sale. Also afternoon teas and art displays and music.
• Finke Desert Race – motorcycles or 4wd buggies racing over the Finke river track.
• Alice Masters Games – sports cup for people of all ages, showing the lifelong commitment to sport on the part of many athletes.