Alice Springs Travel Guide and General Tour Information
The Alice Springs (population 20,000) is a pleasant modern town, smack in the middle of Australia, built on the banks of the usually-dry Todd River. At first appearance it's so civilised that it can be a real disappointment to those expecting saloons on every corner and colourful bush characters, but stick around and explore the area and you'll begin to appreciate the flavour of this desert community. The town was founded as a staging point for the overland telegraph line in 1870, although its growth has occurred only in the last 30 years. The road south to Adelaide was only fully sealed in 1987.
Alice Springs Attractions
Henley-on-Todd Regatta - This world famous race day features a variety of team events plus individual competition in events such as the surf-ski rescue. The day culminates in a pirate battle involving a great deal of flour.
Todd Mall - Todd Mall is a pedestrian street through the central business district. The Mall boasts trees and plants to make a pleasant stroll through the monthly Sunday Markets or to provide a bit of shade for those stopping at one of the many cafes for a snack or a cool drink.
Trephina Gorge is one of the many gorges and gaps around Central Australia providing photographers with some magnificent sights and colours. This rocky outcrop is found along the Rim Walk.
Palm Valley lies at the end of a 4WD only track near Hermannsburg. It's quite an adventure to drive there and getting there is half the fun! The track goes along and through the bed of the usually dry Finke River - the oldest river in the world. The tall palms are Red Cabbage palms and the valley also has the smaller cycad palms.
Around Alice Springs
There are a sprinkling of old buildings, such as the Stuart Town Gaol, the Old Courthouse and the John Flynn Memorial Museum. Sites of interest include the Museum of Central Australia, the cemetery where Albert Namatjira and Harold Lasseter are buried, and the Frontier Camel Farm. The town makes a perfect base for exploring the nearby MacDonnell Ranges, which have superb gorge and cliff scenery and plenty of wildlife around water holes. There are a host of natural attractions in the ranges, including Standley Chasm, Simpson's Gap and the Emily & Jessie Gap Conservation Reserve. The Devil's Marbles Conservation Reserve, halfway between Alice Springs and Tennant Creek consists of unusual scattered spherical boulders. Aboriginal mythology has it that they were laid by the Rainbow Serpent.
Accommodation Hotels of Alice Springs
Business
Name
Address
Town
Post
Code
Ph BH
Alice Springs Pacific Resort 34 Stott Terrace ALICE SPRINGS 871 61 89 526 699
Alice Flag Motor Inn 27 Undoolya Road ALICE SPRINGS 870 61 89 52 2322
Alice Springs Caravan Park Larapinta Drive ALICE SPRINGS 870 61 89 52 2547
Stuart Caravan Park Larapinta Drive ALICE SPRINGS 870 61 89 52 2547
