 Attractions
Royal Flying Doctor Service: Take a tour of the Alice Royal Flying Doctor Base and learn more about the unique aeromedical/ communication/ emergency service so vital to everyone who travels, lives or works in the vast Outback of Australia. An educational and interesting attraction for everyone.
Open Mon - Sat 0900 - 1600 and Sunday 1300 - 1600, tours are available every 1/2 hour.
Pitchi Richi Aboriginal Cultural Experience: The new updated Pitchi Richi now includes billy tea and damper, Aboriginal guide, local tales, Aboriginal history, spear and boomerang throwing, whip cracking and learn to play the Didjeeridu.
Telegraph Station: A small museum shows the difficulties of laying the telegraph line across the centre of Australia. Built out of local stone in 1871-72, it continued operation until 1932 and it still stands just north of the town today.
School of the Air: Open from 0900 until 1200, Monday to Friday during school terms, the School of the Air broadcasts school lessons to children living in the remote areas and outback stations across the outback. A technological advancement for education.
Aviation Museum: Housed in the former Connellan Hanger on Memorial Avenue where the towns airport used to be in the early days, is this interesting aviation museum which highlights the dangers of outback aviation, pioneer aviation of the Northern Territory and the Flying Doctors.
Frontier Camel Farm: Camels were the main form of transport before the railways were built. The Frontier Camel Farm is where you have the chance to ride a camel. It is home to a museum with displays about camels as well as the Arid Australian Reptile House, which has an excellent collection of snakes and lizards.
Panorama Guth: Located in the town centre, Panorama Guth is a huge circular panorama which is viewed from an elevated, central observation point. It depicts all the points of interest around the centre with realism. It measures 20 metres in diameter and was painted by Henk Guth, a Dutch artist.
The Cultural Centre: Located in Uluru National Park, the Cultural Centre gives visitors the chance to spend many hours enjoying all the interpretive displays and artworks of the Aboriginal culture.
Strehlow Research Centre: Situated on Larapinta Drive in Alice Springs, this centre was built to honour the work of Professor Strehlow for his association with the Arrernte people. This centre is the home to important Aboriginal Spirit artifacts that belonged to the Arrente people who gave them to Professor Strehlow to keep safely for them because they feared their traditional lifestyle was under threat. The centre is open daily from 10am to 5pm and the entry fee is about $4.
Things To Do Outside Of Alice Springs:
Simpsons Gap: Simpsons Gap is a gorge where a river has cut through solid rock to cause a path to the water below. At the site are many beautiful river gums and ghost gums, black-footed and rock wallabies. The area is accessible by four wheel drive but the best way to see Simpsons Gap is on foot.
Standley Chasm: Standley Chasm is a gap between 100 metre tall cliffs. Each day around midday the sun shines right down the centre of the cleft and brightens the bottom of the gorge.
Kings Canyon: King's Canyon is a fantastic area of rugged landscape. The gorge is one of beautiful natural features with 200 metre high cliffs made of sandstone above a dry river bed. There is a short walk to the canyon lookout point, but there is also a 6 kilometre walk to the top of the plateau which gives vast views over the canyon and a distant view to Uluru (Ayers Rock).
Ayers Rock (Uluru): Ayers Rock is a huge rock 3.6 kilometres long and rises 348 metres above the ground. Ayers Rock is not only a rock, it has caves and gullies. Ayers Rock and its surrounding areas have great significance to the Aboriginal people who live in the surrounding areas, the Anangu Aborigines. As the sunsets it causes the rock to change colours and is a fantastic photographic experience. There are walking trails around the base of the rock which show wildlife, geology, plant life, Aboriginal mythology and rock paintings. The walks around the base are called the Mala Walk, the Mutitjulu Walk and the Liru Walk. Ayers Rock can be climbed even though it goes against Aboriginal spiritual belief. The whole climb is 1.6 kilometres in length and takes about two hours in length. When climbing the rock the first part is very steep. Once you reach the top it is very windy and precaution should be taken. Safety tips for the walk are: 1) The climb is 348 metres high and as some sections are very steep, good physical fitness is essential. 2) Only the designated track must be followed at all times. 3) Rubber-soled shoes must be worn. Leather soled shoes and thongs are unsafe on what can be a slippery surface. 4) Hands must be kept free for holding the chain on ascent, and for scrambling up steep sections. Personal items such as cameras and water bottles must be secured by a strap or preferably a back-pack. 5) Hats must be secured by a strap to ensure they are not blown off by the wind. If hats are not secured and are lost, visitors must not go off the designated track in search of them. 6) Safety information is at the base of the rock and is multi-lingual, and must be read before climbing.
Sounds of Silence: An open air tour that will absolutely take your breath away. A coach will pick you up from your hotel and take you to 'Fire Trails' a location between the Olgas and Ayers Rock. Here you will enjoy sipping champagne as you watch the sunset over the magnificent landmarks of the Northern Territory. A buffet dinner of authentic Australian food such as Emu and Kangaroo will be served in the open air, as you take in the gorgeous atmosphere.
Tickets are $79 per person, for bookings call:
1800 089 622.
The Olgas (Kata Tjuta): 32 kilometres west of Ayers Rock lies the rock formations of the Olgas. The tallest rock, Mount Olga is 546 metres, which is higher than Ayers Rock. Like Ayers Rock, the Olgas also have Aboriginal dreaming meaning. There are a few trails, the most popular being Valley of the Winds which is six kilometres in length and takes between 2.5-4 hours. There is also picnic and toilet facilities nearby.
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