Travel to Alice Springs
Alice Springs, Australias oasis, is a dreamy country town in the Australian outback. This is the land of dramatic scenery, with gum trees, scattered waterholes and breathtaking colours and wildlife. The Arrernte aboriginal tribe lived here for more than 20,000 years before pioneers and missionaries arrived. Alice Springs is the place to visit for an astounding Australian outback experience.
Transportation to Alice Springs
Alice Springs shares an airport with the military, with the air strip only handling domestic flights from major cities in Australia. Passengers from outside of Australia will need to fly to an international airport in Australia and then connect to a Qantas flight to get to Alice Springs by air.
Driving is another option, but Australia is a large continent and the distances between the cities are vast. However, it is possible to drive to Alice Springs using a combination of highways, motorways and rural roads. Adelaide is about 1,600kms away and Brisbane almost 3,000kms away.
Buses commute between all the major cities to Alice Springs. Train enthusiasts will enjoy travelling on the Ghan through the centre of Australia. The Ghan departs from Adelaide to Darwin via Alice Springs on a journey that takes about 19 hours. The train arrives at Alice Springs on Mondays and Saturdays.
What to See
Alice Springs may be a small, sleepy pioneer town compared to other main cities in Australia, but it has many interesting places to visit. The Adelaide House was the first hospital built in Alice Springs in 1939, boasting a unique air conditioning system for that time. Climbing to the top of Anzac Hill, a memorial that honours Australian and New Zealand soldiers who lost their lives in the war, offers a stunning view of the town and its surroundings.
Alice Springs Memorial Cemetery may be an odd place to visit, but this is the resting place of great pioneers such as Albert Namatjira and Olive Pink. The Olive Pink Botanic Garden is home to a wide variety of Central Australian native plants. Other places to visit include the Flynn Memorial Church, the old Stuart Town Goal and the aviation museum.
Daytrips
The best way to discover the surrounding areas is to drive around, as the area is vast and public transportation is limited. The MacDonnell Ranges are spectacular for their wildness, colours, stunning landscapes and gorges. The western side of the ranges is Namatjira, aboriginal artist country. There are trails, nature parks, gorges and chasms to explore here.
Activities and leisure
Golfing, hiking, walking and mountain biking are just a few of the more popular tourist activities here. There are several trails in the outback and nature parks with stunning scenery for hikers and walkers to enjoy. The Laraprinta Trail is a long trail that winds its way through the West MacDonnell Nature Park.
Camping is also very popular and many tourists enjoy an outback experience by setting up camp under gum trees and cooking food that they have caught in the area. Golfing and horseback riding is also available at Alice Springs, in addition to several other activities.
