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. If you like what you see, come back at night and spotlight endangered species on the guided nocturnal tour, which also has a dinner option. Bookings are essential for all tours.

To get the most out of the park pick up a free audioguide (available in various languages) or join one of the free ranger-led talks held throughout the day.

It's an easy 2.5km cycle out to the park. Alternatively, Desert Park Transfers operates five times daily during park hours and the cost includes park entry and pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation.