Red Centre Travel

The Red Centre is the colloquial name given to the southern desert region of the Northern Territory in Australia.

The Red Centre is the place where you will find the most famous monolith of Australia, Uluru and it is where the heart of the outback beats. The only town of sizable population is Alice Springs, the remainder of the population being scattered in smaller communities. The oxidized iron in the soil gives the whole area its distinctive and immediately recognizable reddish glow.

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is a park in the southern portion of the Northern Territory of Australia, part of the so-called Red Centre of the continent. The National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage area. It is best known for Uluru (formerly known as “Ayers Rock”), a single massive rock formation, and also for Kata Tjuta (formerly known as “The Olgas”), a range of rock domes.

Both Uluru and Kata Tjuta are considered sacred places by the Anangu people, the Aboriginal tribes that have lived there for thousands of years.

Things to See at Red Centre

• Alice Springs, an oasis in the middle of nowhere, and the link to the outer world for locals, and the natural choice to start your exploration of the region.
• The Finke River Track is the site of the annual Finke Desert Races, and is a really lovely 4WD track – but should definitely only be used by experienced four-wheel drivers, as there’s every hazard you can imagine for a four wheel drive vehicle. The track is NOT MARKED!
• Palm Valley, a somewhat more tropical greener place, Southwest of Alice
• Glen Helen Gorge – end of the sealed road, literally. All after this is 4WD. Glen Helen Resort is located there and has a Cafe, restaurant, camping, accommodation.
• Redbank Gorge
• Roma Gorge – Aboriginal rock art
• Tnorala, the remnants of a gigantic comet impact.
• Hermannsburg is a small aboriginal art community, famous for their pottery and painting, for being the home of Albert Namatjira. A community of 500, founded by Lutheran missionaries, with several historical buildings.
• Arltunga Gold Mining ghost town, 4WD track only, hotel, a camp area and a tourist center, hands on display about the area and gold mining. You can visit the old township and surrounds.
• Fossicking – A few hours out of Alice are gem fields with Garnet, Zircon, Tourmaline, Apatite and various kinds of Quartz. Contact the Gem Tree for details. Garnet is the easiest to go for on your first try, as the garnet chips are easy to find on the surface and require no digging or special equipment.
• Ewaninga – petroglyphs
• Rainbow Valley and Chambers Pillar Historical Reserve both daytrips from Alice Springs require a 4WD.

• Mount Conner – a plateau frequently mistaken for Ayre’s Rock by travelers…
• Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, where you will see Uluru, formerly called Ayers Rock, and Kata Tjuta, formerly known as The Olgas. These two are the two most prominent features of Central Australia. You can take camping trips from Alice Springs out to Uluru, sleeping in swags (waterproof sleeping bags) under the stars and cooking on a barbie. Uluru at sunrise and sunset is absolutely amazing.
• The Henbury Meteorites craters.
• Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park. This is a lovely canyon walk; it’s also available as a scenic helicopter flight. It is close to Uluru, and is included on may of the tours.
• Tnorala aka Gosse Bluff aka Gosses Bluff Crater is registered sacred ground, a premit is required (available at King’s Canyon) and overnighting is NOT permitted. It is actually the remnant of a gigantic comet impact. It is not on the direct road from Alice to Uluru, but on the unsealed Merenee loop road. There are 4WD tracks, picnic tables, and walking tracks. The dreamtime story told is worth a read.
• Ormiston Gorge, a permanent water hole, has a serviced camping area and a permanant ranger station. It’s a permanant waterhole.

• Tennant Creek – small town, home base for seeing the Devil’s Marbles
• Katherine – small town, the entrance to the tropical North