Northern Territory Attractions
Top End
Darwin and Surrounds
Aqua Scene Fish Feeding> - It's a rare sight. Every day at high tide hundreds of fish come to shore to be fed by hand. Voted 'the most popular attraction' in tourism surveys, this unique activity is fun for all ages.
Australian Aviation Heritage Centre - An impressive presentation of aircraft and displays depicting the Territory's involvement in aviation both civic and military. From the early pioneers and record breakers through WWII and the Jet Age. Guided tours are run daily.
Australian Pearling Exhibition - located at the Darwin Wharf Precinct, is a fascinating and informative insight into the history and growth of the pearling industry in Northern Australian Waters.
Crocodylus Park - A unique world-class attraction, which brings to you the secret and exciting lives of the world's crocodilians, as revealed through the latest worldwide research. Other wildlife includes: primates, emus, cassowaries, ostriches, turtles, iguanas and a white buffalo.
Charles Darwin National Park - This waterfront park located close to the city was developed to show visitors the rich mangrove habitats of Darwin Harbour. Opportunities for a relaxing picnic just a short drive from the CBD make this a popular recreation spot for locals.
Cullen Bay Marina - Just a short trip from the City Centre discover the unique atmosphere of Cullen Bay. Relax with a cooling drink or enjoy a meal at one of the many restaurants and bars located around the Marina, or take one of the cruise vessels and experience the glorious sunsets over Darwin Harbour.
Darwin Wharf Precinct - Situated adjacent to Darwin CBD, Stokes Hill Wharf offers the visitor al fresco eateries, seafood restaurant, South Sea pearls, great sunsets, and cool breezes. Throw a line in and catch your own fresh fish.
East Point Reserve & Lake Alexander - East Point Reserve is a 200-hectare recreation area with natural forest and mangroves, open parkland, public picnic and barbecue facilities, and saltwater swimming in the safety of Lake Alexander. Evidence of East Point's role in the defence of Darwin are the WWII gun emplacements and harbour defences located on the Point overlooking the Arafura Sea. East Point at dusk is a 'must visit' experience. Looking south across Fannie Bay towards the twinkling lights of the city, witness the amazing and ever different colours of the sky as the sun sinks slowly below the horizon.
Fannie Bay Goal - depicts the early Territory penal system and was in fact still in use until 1979, when the Berrimah Gaol was officially opened. Come and look inside a cell and see the conditions the prisoners of yesterday had to endure.
Indo Pacific Marine - is one of only four such living exhibits in the world. This highly acclaimed marine display presents the magnificence of live coral reef eco-systems in their natural beauty without filtration or feeding. Guided tours in airconditioned comfort for maximum visitor appreciation.
George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens - Darwin Botanic Garden's 42 hectares showcase the flora of Northern Australia and other tropical habitats around the world. You can wander through rainforest, coastal fore dunes, mangroves and open woodlands, see orchids, aroids, bromeliads and other striking foliage plants up close. There are over 400 palm species alone growing in the gardens. There is also a self-guided Aboriginal Plant Use walk.
Museum & Art Gallery of the NT - covers many aspects of the region's art, natural sciences, history and culture. Fantastic collections on Aboriginal Art and culture, visual arts and crafts including pieces from the South-East Asia and Pacific regions, maritime archaeology and NT history. Great entertainment for all the family.
Lyons Cottage - also known as BAT (British Australian Telegraph House), is a fine example of early Darwin architecture housing a collection of European and Larrakia history.
WWII Oil Storage Tunnels - Constructed to protect Darwin's oil supplies from bombardment during WWII the tunnels extend from the Wharf and run under the city. The Tunnels now house an excellent photographic display of historic images of wartime activity in the Top End.
NT Parliament House - this beautiful building is a magnificent example of tropical architecture. The NT Library is also located here. Guided tours depart from the foyer at 9.00am and 11.00 every Saturday. Tours are free and last 90 minutes. Bookings are not essential.
Mindil Beach Sunset Market - Each year, from April, and running through until the end of October, the Mindil Beach market folk come together for their world-famous 'show and sell'. Held every Thursday evening and Sunday afternoon, the Market regularly attracts crowds of up to 15,000. It is by far Darwin's most popular market, with local produce, authentic fare from different countries, some of the most colourful Territorians plying their wares and services, and a galaxy of excellent street performers to keep you entertained.
Parap Village Markets - For 52 weeks of the year, every Saturday morning, come rain or shine, the Parap Markets is open for business. This market has become an institution with locals who just couldn't survive a weekend without their Saturday morning Laksa or choice of soups. It's set at a slower pace than Mindil Beach but possesses a charming intimacy not found elsewhere.
Kakadu National Park
No visit to the Top End of the Northern Territory can ever be complete
unless you experience the magnificent Kakadu National Park. It is supremely
beautiful and immensely important for its Aboriginal history and unique
ecology. The 19,000 square kilometre World Heritage listed park is 260km
east of Darwin on the sealed Arnhem Highway. Most accessible in the dry
season from May to September, it is at its most spectacular in the Wet
as evening storms deluge the land creating massive lakes teaming with
birdlife. Though you may not be able to see the entire park's most beautiful
places, such as Jim Jim and Twin Falls, any time is the right time to
go to Kakadu. What you do see you will never forget.
Allow as much time as you can to visit Kakadu. A day tour from Darwin is a great introduction, though if time permits stay overnight so you can give yourself at least two full days if you can. The park headquarters at Bowali, near the main town of Jabiru, and entry stations on the Arnhem and Kakadu Highways have detailed maps and brochures. You can see much of the park in a conventional vehicle but some areas are accessible only to four-wheel drives. Some roads are closed from the start of the Wet for six months.
Drive yourself or take one of the many guided tours from Darwin. Kakadu is a very varied and complex place, so even if you have a rental vehicle, take a guided day tour which concentrates on either Aboriginal culture or the environment. These generally operate in the dry season from Jabiru, though some are year round. At Kakadu there is a full range of accommodation. It is possible to camp out or stay in hotels ranging from budget to first class. Hotel/motel style accommodation is available at Cooinda, Jabiru and South Alligator River.
Bowali Visitor Centre - Kakadu Highway, 2.5 kms from Jabiru, Free of charge, Daily 8am to 5pm. Make sure that the Bowali Visitor Centre is the first stop on your visit to Kakadu. Informative displays and activities, and an extensive range of maps and fact sheets will help the visitor better understand and appreciate the unique qualities of Kakadu National Park
Jabiru - Driving to Kakadu you will invariably pass through this charming town - the winner of multiple Tidy Town Awards. The township of Jabiru was established after the commencement of mining operations in the area in the 1980's. Home to the famous 'Crocodile' Hotel, facilities in the town include a sports and social club, caravan park, shopping centre, bakery, service station and airstrip.
Jim Jim Falls - 60kms off Kakadu Highway, Seasonal Access only, Free of charge, 4WD only - No 2WD access. After the rains, when water the cascading thunders from the soaring sandstone escarpment, Jim Jim is an awe inspiring sight. During the Dry season the rock pool with its white sandy beach is permanent.
Maguk - 12 kms off the Kakadu Highway, Seasonal Access only, Free of charge. A 2kms return walk through the beautiful monsoon rainforest leads you to a small waterfall and clear plunge pool. The perfect spot to cool off after your walk and one of the many beautiful places in Kakadu.
Mamukala - 29 kms from Jabiru 1 km off the Arnhem Highway. Beautiful to visit all year round, Mamukala is at its most dramatic during the late Dry Season when thousands of Magpie Geese congregate here to feed. Walking trails, from 1 km to 3 kms, allow the visitor to see more of these wetlands. Well worth calling in to have a look.
Nourlangie Rock - 12 kms off Kakadu Highway, Free of charge, Open all
year round. A 1.5 km circular walk will take you past an ancient Aboriginal
shelter and several outstanding displays of Aboriginal rock art. For the
more adventurous visitor there is an opportunity to make a moderately
steep climb to the Gunwarddehwardde Lookout - worth making to experience
the impressive views over the Kakadu Escarpment and Nourlangie Rock.
Twin Falls - 70 kms off Kakadu Highway, Seasonal Access only, Free of charge. Twin Falls is accessible only by water. Take a leisurely half kilometre swim or float down on your airbed and you will be rewarded with a secluded crystalline sandy beach surrounded by dense forest - a tropical oasis. Two spectacular waterfalls plunge from the towering escarpment into the crystal clear plunge pool.
Ubirr - 40 kms from Jabiru, April - November 8.00am to Sunset, December - March 2.00pm to Sunset, Free of charge. Ubirr has fine examples of culturally priceless Aboriginal rock paintings and offers sweeping panoramic views over the surrounding Kakadu wetlands. Late afternoon visitors who take the time to climb Ubirr can witness the most stunning sunsets over the wetlands.
Warradjan Aboriginal Centre - 4.5 kms off Kakadu Highway, daily 9.00am to 5.00pm, Free of charge. The Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre displays the creation era as interpreted by the Bininj people. Signs invite the visitor to move through the display as a Rainbow Serpent (creation ancestor) moves through the country.
Territory Wildlife Park
The Territory Wildlife Park is an excellent introduction to the wildlife
of the Northern Territory. About 60 kilometres south of Darwin, the park
covers 400 hectares (about 1000 acres) in natural bushland. There are
6 kilometres of walking trails through this multi-award winning park,
and a free shuttle train link between major exhibits. It has an aquarium,
aviaries, a nocturnal house featuring unique Australian animals which
can be seen only at night, and a Birds of Prey Display where trained hawks
and eagles fly free The beauty of the birds and the skill of their handlers
is not to be missed. Allow at least four hours to enjoy the park where
kangaroos roam free and there are hundreds of birds. Animals are kept
in their natural habitats. The Territory Wildlife Park has a natural lagoon
teeming with water birds and a Monsoon Forest Walk. Just 45 minutes drive
from Darwin on the Cox Peninsula Road a few minutes off the Stuart Highway,
the park is open daily from 8.30am to 6pm. Entry closes at 4pm, but two
hours is simply not enough.
Arnhem Land
Arnhem Land is a huge area of Aboriginal territory occupying about 94,000
square kilometres right at the top of the Top End. It stretches from the
Kakadu National Park north to the Arafura Sea and east to the Gulf of
Carpentaria. There are only two areas accessible to visitors - the Cobourg
Peninsula on the western edge of Arnhem Land and the Gove Peninsula at
its eastern tip. The Cobourg Peninsula is almost totally given over to
the 2200 square km Gurig National Park and is surrounded by the Cobourg
Marine Park. It is one of the very best fishing spots in Australia with
250 recorded species including Barramundi and superb reef fish. The peninsula
is paradise for light tackle anglers. The marine park is also home to
many protected marine species including manta rays, dolphins, dugongs,
turtles and crocodiles.
The only sure way to reach Gurig National Park is to take a 220 kilometre charter flight from Darwin. There is a road through from Jabiru in Kakadu, but it is strictly limited to four wheels drives and barely reliable even in the dry season from May to October. Whichever way you travel, you must have a permit to enter the park from the Cobourg Peninsula Sanctuary and Marine Park Board.
The Gove Peninsula is a major bauxite mining area and much more accessible on scheduled flights from Darwin or charter aircraft to the main town, Nhulunbuy (Gove airport). Nhulunbuy is a modern seaside town of about 3500, 15km away from the Nabalco mine. The town is a major centre for Aboriginal art and craft and offers a big range of things to do. Fishing is excellent and the surrounding wetlands teem with bird and animal life, including buffalo, crocodiles and reptiles. Activities include snorkelling and scuba diving, reef walking, scenic flights, and sunset cruises. Spend a whole day with a Yolngu family and learn what traditional Aboriginal culture is about. Take part in daily activities such as food gathering, hunting, cooking and painting. Permits are required if you drive to Nhulunbuy or fly in and want to visit recreational areas around the town. Arnhem Land is remote, sparsely populated, beautiful and quite different to the rest of the territory.
Litchfield National Park
Litchfield National Park is a largely pristine wilderness with monsoon
rainforest, large groves of cycads (plants resembling palms), the impressive
Tabletop Range and a network of creeks and waterfalls. You can drive from
Darwin into the western corner of the park in two hours if you choose
the partly unsealed Cox Peninsula Road, or take a little longer on sealed
roads through Batchelor via the Stuart Highway and enter Litchfield from
the east. Roads allow access to several waterfalls, though in most cases
you have to take a hike before you can cool off in the pools below.
The easiest access is to Wangi Falls, which has a pool, barbecue facilities, and an interpretive walk. Buley Rockholes is a series of small waterfalls and rockholes also relatively easy to get to. It's a good spot to cool off on a hot day. Serious hikers can walk to the foot of Florence Falls, or you can drive to the viewing platform above. You will need a four wheel drive to reach an area known as the Lost City with its strange sandstone formations which look like buildings, statues, people and animals. The very pretty Tjaynera Falls on Sandy Creek is also 4WD country. It is a 3.5 km return trek to the falls from the parking area. Major falls are fed by springs so flow year round, but are particularly impressive in the Wet. Tolmer Falls is probably the most spectacular. Take your camera and a big picnic, and plenty of water. Visit the Magnetic Termite Mounds not far from the park entrance through Batchelor. Made by termites, they look like rows of gravestones.
Katherine
A short drive from Katherine in the Nitmiluk National Park, Katherine
Gorge is actually a string of gorges cut by the Katherine River through
the Arnhem Land Plateau. The two-hour small boat cruise through the main
gorges is the most popular, but, water levels permitting, there is a full
day excursion which takes in five gorges. There are several sites at the
base of the sandstone escarpment where you can see Aboriginal rock art
by the distant ancestors of the Jawoyn people. Canoes are available for
hire, but stone bars separate the gorges and the upper reaches of the
system involve difficult porterages. You can take to the sky in a helicopter
and visit six gorges in a 15-minute flight and the whole system in 30.
The views are spectacular. The best time to visit Katherine Gorge is between
May and September as the river floods in the Wet season. Nitmiluk National
Park covers about 290,000 hectares and has many marked walking trails,
the longest of which takes five days! Camp sites are provided along walking
trails and by the river for canoeists who want to camp out.
Nitmiluk Visitor Centre - located at Katherine Gorge. Information displays explain the geology, landscape and Aboriginal history of the National Park.
Nitmiluk National Park Leilyn - Edith Falls is part of the Nitmiluk National Park but has a different access to Katherine Gorge. Close to the car park at the base of Edith Falls is a large pandanus fringed plunge pool a popular swimming area. There are also some interesting walks in the park
Cutta Cutta Caves - located 27km south of Katherine. The Park covers 1499 hectares of limestone (Karst) landscape. The main feature of the park is the Cutta Cutta Caves. Guided tours are available into the cave. Next to the car park is a short "Tropical Wonderland" walk has been constructed for visitors to experience.
Katherine Hot Springs - are located a 5 minute drive from the town centre.
The springs consist of a number of crystal clear pools winding through
the trees then out to the Katherine River. The pools are a constant 32
degrees C a perfect swimming temperature to soothe away those aches and
pains from travelling.
Katherine Museum - The Museum is located at the original Katherine Aerodrome at nearby Knott's Crossing. The Museum displays are housed in the original terminal buildings and provide an insight into the early history of the Katherine Region. Displays include information about early pastoral activities, World War II and communication. The main exhibit features the original De Havilland Gypsy Moth flown by the first 'flying doctor', Dr. Clive Fenton, which he used in providing medical assistance to remote stations.
Katherine Barra Farm - Located on the way to Katherine Gorge is this small farm set up for those wishing to catch that elusive barramundi. Fishing equipment and lessons are available on site as well as barbeques and an ablution block
Katherine School of the Air - The School of the Air is the World's largest classroom. Students are taught via radio and distance education material. Learn about education in remote areas of the Northern Territory and beyond.
Manyallaluk - is an aboriginal owned and operated tourism business which provides the opportunity to learn about the aboriginal culture in a family type setting. The name Manyallaluk (Ma-yalla-look) means frog dreaming and refers to a site just east of the community. To reach the Manyallaluk community, from Katherine drive south for about 50 kms, take the Mayallaluk turn off on your left, drive for 15 kms, then left again for about 35 kms.
Red Center
Ayers Rock
No matter how many pictures you've seen, nothing will prepare you for
your first view of Uluru. Once you stand at its base, touch it and explore
its mysteries, you will understand why it's not only a treasured icon
to local Aboriginal people, but also one of the great wonders of the world.
Ayers Rock (now widely known by its Aboriginal name, Uluru) is the symbol
of the Northern Territory's Red Centre, rivalling the Sydney Harbour Bridge
and Opera House as the best known Australian tourist icon in the world.
Mount Olga (which is actually the highest of a group of 36 outcrops commonly
called The Olgas) are the focal points in the Uluru - Kata Tjuta National
Park, about 450 kilometres south of Alice Springs. Both are extremely
important to the belief and culture of the Aboriginal people and are World
Heritage listed for their cultural significance as well as their geological
uniqueness.
Ayers Rock is the largest monolith (single rock) on earth, standing 348 metres above the desert floor. It is 3.1 kilometres from east to west, 1.9 km wide and 9.4 km around its base. The Anangu people prefer visitors to respect its cultural significance and not climb Uluru. But if you insist, as many do, you must be fit as it is 1.6 kilometres from the base to the summit and some sections are very steep. Unless you are a highly trained athlete, allow two hours for the return trip. Some sections are very steep and people have died falling from the rock or from seizures after the climb. The climb is closed when there is rain or high winds.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre - The Cultural Centre near the base of Ayers Rock is an essential introduction to the history and cultural importance of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Interactive displays, video presentations and artwork present the park through the eyes of its traditional owners, the Anangu. Here you will get and insight into Tjukurpa, the creation stories and lores of the Aboriginal people. The centre incorporates Maruka Arts & Crafts, an Aboriginal-owned arts cooperative that represents hundreds of artists around Central Australia. It is the home of wood crafting and visitors can watch artisans at work. Take home a piece of superb, absolutely authentic artwork and small gifts from the souvenir shop. The centre is open daily and admission is free. The building itself is a stunning example of modern Australian architecture.
The Olgas
Kata Tjuta is the Aboriginal name for The Olgas and means 'many heads'.
The Olgas (Kata Tjuta) is a spectacular group of 36 massive red rock outcrops
separated by narrow valleys and covering 35 square kilometres about 50
kilometres from Ayers Rock. The highest is Mount Olga which rises 546
metres above the desert floor. Many visitors find The Olgas even more
inspiring than Ayers Rock. There are walks from an hour to five hours
through the gorges and around the outcrops, though restrictions apply
if it is forecast the temperature will exceed 36 degrees Centigrade. Here
too you can learn what makes the formation so important to the Aboriginal
people.
Ayers Rock and Mount Olga were originally sediments in a shallow inland sea which dried out and was covered by desert. They were forced through the desert floor by a major upheaval about 300 million years ago and moulded by the wind. The park is a haven for birds including the massive Wedge-tailed eagle, lizards, snakes and 24 known mammals such as dingoes (native dogs) and red kangaroos. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is owned by the Anangu Aboriginal people who manage it jointly with Parks Australia. World Heritage listed for its cultural and natural significance, it covers 132,000 hectares (about 330,000 acres). It is open from an hour before sunrise to an hour before sunset daily. There is a National Park Entry fee for each visit.
Kings Canyon
Kings Canyon is one of the most beautiful sights in the Territory. The
canyon is about 230 kilometres south west of Alice Springs off the Stuart
Highway. Watarrka National Park holds its secret tightly, revealing little
to the traveller arriving at its gates. The surprise comes when this extraordinary
chasm suddenly reveals itself, its sandstone walls plunging over three
hundred feet into the earth. This is paradise for the serious and very
fit walker who can handle the steep rise to the rock domes at the top
of the canyon to enjoy the breathtaking views below. It is a challenging
four hour hike.
The highlights are the weathered outcrops known as the Lost City and the Garden of Eden, a palm grove around a tranquil waterhole. The shorter, much easier Creek Walk through the valley floor is about 1.5 km and takes an hour. Included on tours to Kings Canyon, it gives you a lizard's eye view to the sky and escarpments above. Kings Canyon is the focal point of the Watarrka National Parkland can be reached using the Mereenie Loop Road (Larpinta Drive) for which a four-wheel drive is definitely recommended, or Luritja Road, which connects to the easier but longer Ernest Giles Road or the Lasseter Highway. Don't miss it - Watarrka National Park is often the highlight of an Outback adventure in Central Australia.
Alice Springs
Backed by the rugged MacDonnell Ranges, Alice Springs sits in the centre
of Australia, a melting pot of cultures and traditions. Alice Springs
is a spirited bush town that grew from humble beginnings. It started out
in the 1870's as a lonely repeater station for the overland telegraph
line that ran the length of Australia and on to Europe. 'The Alice', as
locals call it, has since grown into a modern town that still wears its
Outback heritage on its sleeve. Situated in the middle of a huge, sparsely
populated continent, Alice Springs is legendary for its isolated position
on the map.
Innovation has worked in bridging distances - Alice Springs is home to great Australian institutions such as the Royal Flying Doctor Service (an airborne medical service to remote bush communities) and the School of the Air, which uses two-way radios to give lessons to children on far-flung cattle stations. Humour has also helped overcome the isolation. Bottomless boat races held annually on this desert town's dry riverbed point to a community that really knows how to enjoy itself. Times are changing. With travel time by plane from Australia's east coast now only three and a half hours, the Alice is within easy reach for travellers. Alice Springs has a variety of things to do and see. It also serves as a good starting point for exploring the surrounding attractions of Central Australia including the MacDonnell Ranges, Kings Canyon and Uluru (Ayers Rock). Make sure that Alice Springs is part of your Outback itinerary.
Aboriginal Art & Cultural Centre - includes a gallery showing Arrernate culture and an Aboriginal music museum. Learn to play a didgeridoo at the only Didgeridoo University in the world. You can have a go at spear throwing, try billy tea and damper and experiment with bush tucker.
Adelaide House Museum - was the first hospital in Alice Springs. Designed by John Flynn in 1926, the air conditioning system is unique. The museum houses period artifacts and presents information on Flynn's vision of a mantle of safety for people in outback Australia.
Alice Springs Cultural Precinct - the precinct presents a wonderful array of culture and history. Wander through the Araluen galleries or the Memorial Cemetery where many early Centralian characters lay buried or relax in the Frank McEllister Park. Visit the Central Aviation Museum, Museum of Central Australia or see the Grand Circle Yeperenye Sculpture.
Alice Springs Desert Park - discover the secrets of the Desert. Stroll through 3 beautiful desert habitats and the nocturnal house and let the guides and amazing displays show you how the animals, plants and Aboriginal people live in the desert. Allow 3 hours to a full day.
>Alice Springs Reptile Centre - visit the largest reptile display in the
Northern Territory. View frillneck lizards, thorny devils, huge perentie
goannas, large pythons, venomous snakes and salt water crocodiles. Daily
talks at set times offer hands on fun for everyone, you can feed the lizards
or even play with a python.
Alice Springs School of the Air - it is the biggest classroom in the world, 1.3 million square kilometres and for the children living in isolated communities around the NT, it is the only classroom they know. This unique educational facility was the first of its type. On school days you can hear school lessons being broadcast.
Frontier Camel Farm - for fun and information visit the Frontier Camel Farm 4kms along the Ross Highway. All you ever wanted to know about camels in the camel display. Tours (click to tours page) available
National Women's Hall of Fame - this heritage listed building houses major exhibition including over 100 photographs of women who fought social convention to become first in their profession. In addition, Women at the Heart tells the story of the women who helped pioneer Central Australia.
National Road Transport Hall of Fame - has an outstanding display of heavy vehicles, including the world's first motorised road train and is unique in its approach to the preservation and presentation of road transport
Old Stuart Town Goal - located adjacent to the Alice Springs Court House, the Stuart Town Goal was constructed and in use from 1909 - 1938 and is Alice Springs oldest surviving building
Royal Flying Doctor Service - visit a working base operation since 1939 to learn more about this outback aero medical service. Enjoy the audio-visual presentation, a guided tour of the communications area then browse through the interactive museum.
Tennant Creek
Tennant Creek began life as a temporary telegraph repeater station in 1872 in the days when messages were sent by Morse code. About 1000 kilometres south of Darwin and 500 kilometres north of Alice Springs, Tennant Creek remained an isolated outpost visited only by a few hardy pioneers until the 1930s when gold was discovered. It sparked the last great Gold Rush in Australia. Visitors who happen to be carrying a metal detector can try their luck at a public fossicking area about 50 km out of town, or take a tour to a mining lease where equipment is included. You can see how gold bearing ore was treated and poured into ingots at the historic Gold Stamp Battery, or visit the Battery Hill Mine demonstration site built by a present-day producer, Normandy Mines, to see how gold is mined and processed today. Or don a hard hat and visit the 1930s Dot Mine at night.
Tennant Creek is a welcome overnight stop on the long drive between Darwin and Alice Springs, but has a lot to offer if you have time to explore and a four wheel drive vehicle. Four wheel drive tours and trail rides on horseback are available. It is also the main centre for tours to the Devil's Marbles, about 100 km to the south in a valley straddling the Stuart Highway. Scattered throughout the valley, hundreds of rounded boulders up to six metres in diameter, many balanced on top of each other, are said to be the fossilised eggs of the Rainbow Serpent of Aboriginal Dreaming. You are allowed to climb them. Spectacular at dawn and sunset, they make for great photographs.
West Macdonnell Ranges
The panoramic landscapes of the West MacDonnell Ranges are extraordinary,
for both their immensity and the spectacular array of sunburnt oranges,
maroons and purples on display. Yet to truly appreciate the West MacDonnells,
you must explore the ranges' rugged gorges, gaps and chasms to experience
the unspoiled serenity of this region.
Gorges & Chasms - Each of the West MacDonnells' chasms and gorges has its own unique character and scenery. At Simpsons Gap, walk to the permanent pool and possibly catch sight of the rock wallabies that live in the gap's rocky ridges. At midday, stand in Standley Chasm as it lights up in fiery oranges reflected by the overhead sun. Plunge in for a swim at the picturesque waterholes at Ellery Creek Big Hole, Ormiston Gorge, Glen Helen Gorge and Redbank Gorge. Or visit the Ochre Pits, which desert Aboriginal people used as a quarry for ochre, a valuable traditional material used for paintings and ceremonial body decorations. Continue west and you'll travel on a road winding to the south and come to Tyler Pass, a place to stop for spectacular views of Tnorala / Gosse Bluff, a five-km crater created by a comet 142.5 million years ago.
The Finke River - Outside of Hermannsburg, travel 4X4 through the Finke River, thought to be one of the world's oldest watercourses. The Finke Gorge National Park is best known for Palm Valley, which contains groves of unique and beautiful palms that are remnants from millions of years ago, when Central Australia was lush with tropical forests.
East Macdonnel Ranges
Explore the East MacDonnells and you'll discover an unrealised treasure of Central Australia. To the local Arrernte people, this area is the dreamtime birthplace of the mountain range. As the caterpillar ancestral beings moved out from Emily Gap, they formed the MacDonnell Ranges and the site of Alice Springs. Places like Jessie Gap, Corroboree Rock, and N'Dhala Gorge are all of great cultural significance to the Arrernte people. The beauty of these sites and others, such as Trephina Gorge, makes a trip to the East MacDonnells more than worthwhile. The East MacDonnells region is also rich with bird and animal life. Trephina Gorge offers great birdwatching opportunities. And as the East MacDonnells are less visited by tourists, you will have a greater chance to spot wildlife in their own natural environment.
The Simpsons Desert
The Simpson Desert is host to some of the best 4WD driving in this country.
The boundless horizons, rolling sand dunes and challenging desert 4WD
tracks all provide the ultimate frontier experience. Travel through this
desert region and explore territory that very few people have seen.
Most of the Simpson Desert's attractions are within a day-trip's range
of Alice Springs, but their rugged beauty will keep you in the region
as long as your itinerary allows. Chambers Pillar rises as a solitary
beacon out of the vast red plains and captivates your imagination of how
the early pioneers used this as a navigational landmark. When you walk
up the hill to this 50-metre sandstone pillar's base, be inspired by the
markings made by 19th-century explorers who carved their names into the
sandstone. An easy stop off on the way to Chambers Pillar is the Ewaninga
Rock Carvings Conservation Reserve. These rock carvings, or petroglyphs,
provide a fascinating record of many important beliefs preserved by the
local Arrernte people. Also in this region and not far off the Stuart
Highway south of Alice Springs is Rainbow Valley, a spectacular sandstone
bluff with rainbow-like bands, best seen by the late afternoon sun.
