Alice Springs

Of course everyone who visits Australia has heard of Alice Springs and this is the place to visit for access to Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) - these icons are still about 460 kilometres by road and 45 minutes by air. The distances in central Australia are quite staggering and you will find locals say - 'just down the road' which could be a couple of blocks or a few hundred kilometres.

We stayed at the BIG4 MacDonnell Range Holiday Park which is absolutely beautiful and highly recommended. There are several other caravan parks in town as well as a variety of motel and apartment accommodation so you have plenty of choice. There are plenty of things to see and do and we ended up spending 10 days in this large town in the Red Centre of our magnificent country. Here are some highlights (but by no means everything there is to see and do):

• Sunday Markets in Todd Mall - great variety of Aboriginal Art and home made products
• Anzac Hill Lookout - view of the town and surrounding ranges
• Day Trip to West MacDonnell ranges - Standley Chasm, Ellery Creek Big Hole (permanent water hole), Serpentine Gorge, Ochre Pits, Ormiston Gorge and Glen Helen Gorge - amazing scenery and huge range of walks
• Alice Springs Desert Park - native plants, birds and animals - wonderful presentations throughout the day
• Alice Springs Reptile Centre - hold a python or blue tongue lizard
• Old Ghan Heritage Railway and Museum - look inside an old train carriage
• National Road Transport Hall of Fame - fabulous Kenworth building
• Olive Pink Botanic Gardens - see how desert plants survive

The list goes on but I suggest you put Alice Springs on your bucket list and I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised - you may even see the Todd River flowing which is very rare. The Ghan passes through Alice Springs on its journey from Adelaide to Darwin stopping for several hours - would love to do this train trip one day.