Sights in Alice Springs
-
A
Telegraph Station Historical Reserve
The old Telegraph Station, which used to relay messages between Darwin and Adelaide, offers a fascinating glimpse of the town's European beginnings. Built along the Overland Telegraph Line (OTL) in the 1870s, the station continued to operate until 1932. It later served as a welfare home for Aboriginal children of mixed ancestry until 1963. The building has been faithfully restored and guided tours operate roughly on the hour between 9am and 4.30pm (April to October). Nearby is the original 'Alice' spring (Thereyurre to the Arrernte Aboriginal people), a semipermanent waterhole in the Todd River after which the town is named.
It's all set in 450 hectares of shady parkland w…
reviewed
-
B
Alice Springs Memorial Cemetery
The cemetery is adjacent to the aviation museum and contains the graves of some prominent locals including Albert Namatjira (1902–59) and Harold Lasseter (1880–1931), the eccentric prospector whose fervent search for a folkloric reef of gold (Lasseter's Reef) claimed his life. Anthropologist Olive Pink (1884–1975), who campaigned for Aboriginal rights, is buried facing the opposite direction to the others – a rebel to the end.
reviewed
-
C
Museum of Central Australia
The natural history collection at this compact museum recalls the days of megafauna − when hippo-sized wombats and 3m-tall flightless birds roamed the land. Among the geological displays are meteorite fragments and fossils. There's a free audio tour, narrated by a palaeontologist, which helps bring the exhibition to life.
There's also a display on the work of Professor TGH Strehlow, a linguist and anthropologist born at the Hermannsburg Mission among the Arrernte people. During his lifetime he gathered one of the world's most documented collections of Australian Aboriginal artefacts, songs, genealogies, film and sound recordings. It's upstairs in the Strehlow Research Ce…
reviewed
-
D
School of the Air
Started in 1951, this was the first school of its type in Australia, broadcasting lessons to children over an area of 1.3 million sq km. While transmissions were originally all done over high-frequency radio, satellite broadband internet and web-cams now mean students can study in a virtual classroom. The guided tour of the centre includes a video. During school term you can view a live broadcast from 8.30am to 2.30pm Monday to Friday. The school is about 3km north of the town centre.
reviewed
-
E
Olive Pink Botanic Garden
A network of meandering trails leads through this lovely arid zone botanic garden, which was founded by the prominent anthropologist Olive Pink. The garden has over 500 central Australian plant species and grows bush foods and medicinal plants like native lemon grass, quandong and bush passion fruit. There's a gentle climb up Meyers Hill with fine views over Alice and Ntyarlkarle Tyaneme, one of the first sites created by the caterpillar ancestors.
The small visitor centre has various exhibitions during the year and the excellent Bean Tree Cafe is worth a trip to the gardens alone.
reviewed
-
F
Telegraph Station
Laying the Overland Telegraph Line across Australia’s harsh Centre was no easy task, as you’ll discover at the small museum at the evocative Telegraph Station. The old stone station dates to the early 1870s and operated until 1932. It later served as a welfare home for Aboriginal children of mixed descent, until 1963. Guided tours operate between 9am and 4.30pm (April to October); phone for times. There’s also an informative station map that guides you through restored homestead buildings, a blacksmith shop and the telegraph station itself.
reviewed
-
G
Reptile Centre
Ever wondered how, in the movies, they happen to be in the right place at the right time to film that lizard scampering across the screen? It’s a set-up. And many of the stars are here, in their dressing rooms, glass-fronted for us all to see. The reptile centre provides a rare opportunity to see the enormous, magnificently patterned perentie lizard, plus thorny devils, bluetongues, bearded lizards and pythons. A purpose-built fossil cave evidences the reptiles’ long history with the land. Handling takes place at 11am, 1pm and 3.30pm.
reviewed
-
H
Araluen Centre
Alice Springs' art gallery, the Araluen Centre shows off an enviable collection of works spanning decades. Permanent exhibitions include the Albert Namatjira Gallery - the Territory's largest collection of the famous watercolourist's works - plus paintings by Albert's mentor Rex Battarbee and other artists from the Hermannsburg School. Other galleries exhibit acrylics from the central desert region, plus European-style oils and outdoor sculptures.
reviewed
-
I
Kookaburra Memorial
A small circular building houses the wreck and story of the Kookaburra Memorial, a tiny plane forced to make an emergency landing in the Tanami Desert in 1929 while searching for Charles Kingsford Smith and his copilot, Charles Ulm, who had gone down in their plane, the Southern Cross. Keith Anderson and Bob Hitchcock perished in the desert, while Kingsford Smith and Ulm were rescued.
reviewed
-
J
National Pioneer Women’s Hall of Fame
This tribute to Australia’s pioneering women is in the former Alice Springs Gaol, very near the Royal Flying Doctor Service base. Behind the high walls and rolls of barbed wire are stories of the exploits and achievements of women from all over the country, including large pictorial displays on ‘Women First in Their Field’ and ‘Women at the Heart’ celebrating outback heroines.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
K
Adelaide House
Built in the 1920s as the Australian Inland Mission hospital, Adelaide House was the first hospital in central Australia. Designed by the founding flying doctor Reverend John Flynn, it now displays photographs and implements of pioneering medical practice. At the rear of the building stands a small shed housing the original ‘pedal radio’ invented by Alfred Traeger.
reviewed
-
L
National Road Transport Hall of Fame
If you fancy big trucks, the National Road Transport Hall of Fame has a fabulous collection, including the chassis of the first Kenworth to come off the production line in 1971, and a few ancient road trains. There are over 100 restored trucks and vintage cars, including many of the outback’s pioneering vehicles. Admission is valid for two days so take your time.
reviewed
-
M
Alice Springs Desert Park
If you haven't managed to glimpse a spangled grunter or a marbled velvet gecko on your travels, head to the Desert Park where the creatures of central Australia are all on display in one place. The predominantly open-air exhibits faithfully recreate the animals' natural environment in a series of habitats: inland river, sand country and woodland.
Try to time your visit with the terrific birds of prey show, featuring free-flying Australian kestrels, kites and awesome wedge-tailed eagles. Twitchers will also enjoy the dawn bird walkabout where you breakfast with the birds.
To catch some of the park's rare and elusive animals like the bilby, visit the excellent nocturnal house
reviewed
-
N
Royal Flying Doctor Service Base
This is the home of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, whose dedicated health workers provide 24-hour emergency retrievals across an area of around 1.25 million sq km. Entry to the visitor centre is by a half-hour tour that includes a video presentation, and a look at the operational control room as well as some ancient medical gear and a flight simulator. The adjoining cafe serves excellent homemade pies.
reviewed
-
O
Mbantua Gallery
This privately owned gallery, which extends through to Todd Mall, includes a cafe and extensive exhibits of works from the renowned Utopia region, as well as watercolour landscapes from the Namatjira school. The upstairs Educational & Permanent Collection (adult/child $4.60/3.30) is a superb cultural exhibition space with panels explaining Aboriginal mythology and customs.
reviewed
-
P
Araluen Cultural Precinct
You can wander around freely outside, accessing the cemetery and grounds, but the 'precinct pass' provides entry to the exhibitions and displays.
reviewed
-
Q
Old Ghan Rail Museum
The Old Ghan Rail Museum has a collection of restored Ghan locos and carriages to please train buffs and anyone interested in this pioneering railway (originally called the Afghan Express after the cameleers who forged the route).
reviewed
-
R
Aviation Museum
The Aviation Museum is in the Connellan Hangar, Alice's original aerodrome. There are exhibits on pioneer aviation in the Territory and, of course, the famous Royal Flying Doctor Service (the old plane out the front belonged to John Flynn, founder of the service).
reviewed
-
S
Gallery Gondwana
Gondwana is a well-established private gallery, recognised for dealing directly with community art centres and artists. Quality works from leading and emerging Central and Western Desert artists include those from Yuendumu and Utopia.
reviewed
-
T
Papunya Tula Artists
The Western Desert art movement began at Papunya Tula in 1971, and today this Aboriginal-owned gallery displays some of this most sought-after art. Papunya Tula works with around 120 artists, most painting at Kintore in the far west.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
Aviation Museum
The Aviation Museum is in the Connellan Hangar, Alice’s original aerodrome. There are exhibits on pioneer aviation in the Territory and, of course, the famous Royal Flying Doctor Service.
reviewed
-
Heritage Walk
To get a feel for early Alice Springs, there are a number of historic-buildings-cum-mini-museums that you can pop into while wandering around town. Admission is by donation.
On Todd Mall is Adelaide House built in the 1920s by the founding flying doctor Reverend John Flynn as the first hospital in central Australia. Enter a classroom from 1938 at the Old Hartley Street School or take in the gracious beauty of the Residency, built in 1927 and a symbol of the town's brief legislative independence from the rest of the NT.
reviewed
-
U
Central Australia Aviation Museum
Housed in the Connellan Hangar, Alice's original aerodrome, there are displays on pioneer aviation in the Territory including Royal Flying Doctor (RFDS) planes.
Easily the most interesting exhibit is the wreck of the Kookaburra, a tiny plane which crashed in the Tanami Desert in 1929 while searching for Charles Kingsford Smith and his co-pilot Charles Ulm, who had gone down in their plane, the Southern Cross. The Kookaburra pilots, Keith Anderson and Bob Hitchcock, perished in the desert, while Kingsford Smith and Ulm were rescued.
reviewed
-
V
Araluen Arts Centre
For a small town, Alice Springs has a thriving arts scene and the Araluen Arts Centre is at its heart. There is a 500-seat theatre and four galleries with a focus on art from the central desert region.
The Albert Namatjira Gallery features works by the artist, who began painting watercolours in the 1930s at Hermannsburg. The exhibition draws comparisons between Namatjira and his initial mentor, Rex Battarbee and other Hermannsburg School artists. It also features 14 early acrylic works from the Papunya Community School Collection.
Other galleries showcase local artists, travelling exhibitions and newer works from Indigenous community art centres.
reviewed
-
Anzac Hill
For a tremendous view, particularly at sunrise and sunset, take a hike (use Lions Walk from Wills Tce) or a drive up to the top of Anzac Hill, known as Untyeyetweleye in Arrernte. From the war memorial there is a 365-degree view over the town down to Heavitree Gap and the Ranges.
reviewed
