Australian Outback Travel Guide

Aboriginal Desert Art Gallery

Aboriginal Desert Art Gallery is one of Australia's largest Aboriginal art galleries. Located in the Todd Mall, Alice Springs, the gallery was established in 1985. Over 50 local Aboriginal artists are represented, and there is an extensive display of Aboriginal art on display. Travellers can visit to view unique, beautiful artworks, to either browse or purchase.

Aboriginal Desert Art Gallery
Telephone: +61 8 8953 1005

Alice Springs Desert Park

Take an easy walking trail through three desert habitats and discover Desert Rivers, Sand Country and Woodland, witness free-flying birds of prey in the nature theatre, see rare and endangered animals in the spectacular nocturnal house and take a cinematic journey through 4.5 billion years of the creation of these deserts.

Alice Springs Desert Park
Telephone: +61 8 8951 8788

Araluen Cultural Precinct

A self-guided walking tour around the Araluen Cultural Precinct provides a fascinating glimpse into the art, culture and heritage of Central Australia, and into some of the local identities that helped develop the region.

The Araluen Cultural Precinct is also culturally significant to the local Arrernte Aboriginal people. There are seven registered sacred sites and trees of significance on the precinct. These are an integral component of the Two Women Dreaming Track.

Araluen Cultural Precinct
Telephone: +61 8 8951 1120

Alice Springs Reptile Centre

Alice Springs Reptile Centre houses the largest reptile display in the Northern Territory. They have an extensive range of reptiles including the Perentie Goanna, Frill Neck Lizards, Thorny Devils and many other fascinating lizards. They also have a range of Pythons and some of the world's most venomous snakes such as Inland Taipans, Brown Snakes, Death Adders and Mulga (King Brown) Snakes.

Alice Springs Reptile Centre
Telephone: +61 8 8952 8900

School of the Air

The Alice Springs School of the Air operates of 1 million square kilometres, and overlaps the borders of Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. The furthest student from Alice Springs is over 1,000kms away from Alice Springs, and on average there are 120 students. The School of the Air offers informal tours during school terms.

School of the Air
Telephone: +61 8 8951 6834

Outback Ballooning offer you a fantastic experience to gently float through the air over the Australian Outback, experiencing the remoteness of Australia and its wildlife below. After landing, sit back and relax while eating breakfast,they then transfer you back to your accommodation, or even the airport if you are leaving Alice Springs.

Alice Springs Camel Rides

Pyndan Camel Tracks offer rides through the MacDonnell Ranges, some of the oldest mountains in the world. There are different tours available, including an overnight tour exploring the Australian desert.

Pyndan Camel Tracks
Telephone: +61 416 170 164

Hermannsburg, 125kms from Alice Springs on a sealed road, was established in 1877 as a mission by two Lutheran missionaries from Germany. It was setup as an initial point of contact between the western Aranda Aboriginals and the European cultures, providong a sanctuary and a source of medical assistance, and for many years it was the largest settlement in Central Australia. The buildings at Hermannsburg were mostly established under the guidance of Pastor Cark Strehlow between 1897 and 1910.

www.hermannsburg.com.au

Palm Valley

Palm Valley is located within the 46,000 hectare Finke Gorge National Park, and is best known for its Red Cabbage Palm. There is around 3,000 adult plants in the valley, and the Palm is restricted to this area. Within Palm Valley there are a couple of walks you can do, there is the Arankaia Walk (2km, 1 hr) and the longer Mpulungkinya Walk (5km, 2hrs return).

The track into Palm Valley is a 4WD track only, and is 138kms from Alice Springs. Camping is available within the park, but only within designated camping areas.