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Alice Springs
 There’s probably not a place name in Australia that conjures up such immensely evocative images as Alice Springs or ‘The Alice.’ It’s the capital of the Outback, the destination that really sets the genuine travellers apart from the coast-hugging wannabes.
Those who’ve never been before, and who cruise tentatively into town expecting to see leather-faced cowboys staring in amazement at their fancy rig, or near-deserted dusty streets, or perhaps a couple of lone rundown shops as the only places to stock up, are in for the shock of their lives.
Alice Springs is a modern, clean, bustling city with an impressive range of services and stores that can cater to your every need. Disappointed? Wanted adventure? Don’t worry. Despite its respectable veneer, this place has got character by the bucketload. In fact I once heard one wag says its incredible appeal was really down to the 5 C's; the ‘c limate’, the ‘c olours’, the ‘c ulture’, the ‘c haracters’ and the fact that is the ‘c losest’place to every beach in Australia. Think about it ... it’s probably true.
With a population of some 25,000 or so, Alice Springs is truly at the heart of this beautiful country and it is surrounded by magnificent red desert. It’s a town of contrasts. Bustling cafes line the Todd Street mall in the centre of town, station cowboys in wide-brimmed hats saunter the streets and Aboriginal paintings splashed with ochre and vibrant colours adorn gallery walls.
Most grey nomads pass this way between May and September, when cloudless skies and warm days are followed by … well surprisingly by cool nights. With recent rains, local vegetation and wildflowers will generally have exploded with growth and colour; swathes of brilliant red desert roses, wispy purple Mulla Mulla and vibrant golden Mulga flowers are in bloom. During the rest of the year, however, Alice can be exceptionally hot and dust storms are common.
There is a good selection of caravan parks in town and, of course, there are also numerous excellent camping spots to enjoy to the east and west in the truly spectacular MacDonnell Ranges. Indeed, in and around Alice are some of nature's most fascinating treasures that bring grey nomads back again and again … colourful landscapes and mountain ranges or desert plains and interesting wildlife.
Just outside the centre of Alice Springs, at the Olive Pink Botanic Garden, you can learn about more than 300 of the Red Centre’s natural plant species. Miss Olive Muriel Pink, the garden’s namesake, was granted the 16-hectare reserve in 1956. Her vision was to create a garden with specimens of the unique desert flora of the region and so the country’s only arid zone botanic garden was born.
The award-winning Alice Springs Desert Park is nestled in the foothills of the MacDonnell Ranges, with gardens full of ghost gums and native wildflowers like the Northern Territory’s famous floral emblem – the Sturt Desert Rose. The professional guides at the Desert Park share stories with visitors of its landscape and seasonal transformations.
Alice Springs owes its existence to a cross-section of plucky pioneers and today, you can ponder various historic milestones at a number of key heritage sites in and around the town. Visit the Overland Telegraph Station, the National Road Transport Hall of Fame, the original base of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the School of the Air. These places can help give you an insight into how people, past and present, have learned to live in their ultra-remote locations.
Of course, if it’s history you’re interested in, then you will want to learn more about the local Aboriginal people, the Arrernte tribe, whose traditional lands include the area in and around the town. Visit the Aboriginal Art and Culture Centre to gain a greater insight into this remarkable people.
There’s a good reason why the town that only changed its name from Stuart to Alice Springs in 1933 is well and truly on the grey nomad map … it’s pretty much the centre of everything.
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