General Information

There’s a lot to like in a town called Alice. While most people probably remember the name because of the worldwide hit film ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’, Alice Springs is more than just a springboard to Central Australia and nearby attractions. Sitting smack bang in Australia’s “red centre” with a population of just under 30,000, stop a little longer in “the Alice” with myriad accommodation options, and you’ll realise one of its main attractions is its inhabitants.

The town that sits pretty much close to nowhere in the Top End of Australia, the Northern Territory, is the country’s best kept secret with locals a fun loving bunch to say the least. And with most Alice Springs accommodation in the heart of town, you won’t have to go far to be part of the action. In this dusty outback community that feels like a pioneer town, ‘the Alice’ comes to life with belly dancing, bands, rickshaw rallies and most importantly, the Camel Cup race. July is when the jockeys saddle up to brave the unpredictable beasts who tend to snarl, bite and spit their way to the finish line.

The August regatta offers some nautical naughtiness that includes a boat race on legs in a vessel with no bottom, followed swiftly by the Bath Tub Derby and a Boogie Board event. All this is made even more side-splitting by the fact that all the events take place in a dry creek bed. It’s absolutely bonkers but it’s hugely entertaining to watch and anyone can take part. Beers usually follow these events so be warned and have your drinking legs ready.

But rollicking good fun aside, the thriving outback town of Alice, Australia’s least populated region, is a special place. Learn the traditions of the Aboriginal Arrernte people who have lived here for 20,000 years and browse contemporary Aboriginal art along Todd Mall. In August you can learn bushcraft and have yidaki (didgeridoo) lessons during the indigenous Arnhem Land’s Garma Festival or be part of the Alice Springs Desert Festival in September.

With its endless expanse of red dirt and rugged ranges, what began 135 years ago as a simple telegraph station has developed into a modern metropolis without losing its authentic Australiana charm.But nothing prepares you for the sheer beauty and stillness of the starry sky, not dulled by city lights. And where else can you dine on crocodile kebabs, enjoy wild barramundi and kangaroo fillets on the BBQ? The town itself has plenty to explore, such as the Telegraph Station, the Botanical Garden and the Spencer and Gillen Museum, the Aboriginal Culture Centre, the Reptile Centre or the much loved Royal Flying Doctors Base.

If you’ve got time you can enjoy a quad biking safari across the desert, fly high above the Spinifex Plains in a hot air balloon or bike ride to Simpsons Gap. You can even join in Emu runs or camel tracking. Alice Springs is also just a day trip from the iconic attractions of Uluru-Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon.And there’s no trip to the outback without heading to the famous Ayres Rock (respectfully called Uluru, it’s Aboriginal name) just 4.5 hours by bus from the town.

See Also: Alice Springs Tours, Darwin Accommodation, Darwin Tours, Uluru Hotels, Uluru Tours.