Alice Springs has never been drier, its plains are never arid and its summers are never cold. Nowhere in northern Australia does location, weather and temperature have such a perfect confluence. With its unique flora and fauna and vast star-filled skies, Alice Springs has been a tourist attraction since the 1800s.
The longitude and latitude of Alice Springs are typical of a desert environment. The plateau climate of the Flinders Ranges, with its dryness, creates perfect conditions for camper van adventures. Hotels, hostels and camping sites are all available throughout the area. With so much to see and do, it is confident that you will stay as busy as possible!
Once you are comfortable and ready for the tour of Alice Springs, the best way to move from your accommodation is to take the drive two hours to the town of Boltagon. Your planning for this trip is then simple. Take the direction into the wilderness and start enjoying what this area has to offer.
Boltagon is a small town in the Eastern MacDonnell Ranges, which are worth seeing. The historical charm of the town is an obvious draw, and it has a number of shops, cafes and restaurants that will keep you well occupied.
If you plan to stay in the region for a while, it is suggested that you plan to make a circuit of the area. This way, you can visit the different attractions and sights in the area, without letting the trip slip from your hands. Of course, you will have to allow for road closures, inclement weather and the like.
Top of the Pops comes to mind when someone thinks of Alice Springs, but it is really a great place to visit, even if you decide not to stay for a while. The region is a great sightseeing paradises, as well as a great place to witness ancient rock art in the form of petroglyphs. Alice Springs is shown in a number of Aboriginal rock paintings that can be viewed in a visitor’s centre. Many of the pictures are available for you to take home.
If you will be staying in Alice Springs for a while, make sure you find out about the different attractions available. Old shafts and tunnels, waterfalls and scenic spots of the area are all interesting enough, but there are many more attractions than this. A few of the more interesting places to check out if you are travelling to Alice Springs for a while are listed below:
Egan Funnel and Railway
This funicular is a restored example of an old-fashioned fun railroad built in 1875. Built to get visitors across rough terrain, the funicular survived a bush fire of 1876 and was burnt down in 1982.
The Ghan railway – a scenic walk of sorts
Built about 1906, the Ghan railway used a combination of petrol and coal to get the steam train moving. It featured a lost city, an aboriginal ruin and a crater lake.
West of Alice Springs, the Ghan railway was the first railway in the world to use lead weights for its wheels.
City and Suburb History
Alice Springs is a convenient base to explore the history of the outback country this century. Prior to European settlement in the area, the native Aboriginal culture were the norm. The original citycosystem was potentially rich in plant life and the history of life here is well stored away in the forms of caves, arid valleys, campsites and waterholes.
Alice Springs has a number of historic landmarks to safeguard, including the Cabin’s Point meteorological station, Nowze’s Point lighthouse and the semi-permanent crowd sites at Cosmic and Nowze Lookout. The local museums of science and history are good sources of the history of the area.
Nowze’s Point offers a good sample of the diversity of the local lifestyle and it is a good base for exploring local wineries and other industry businesses. The local lifestyle includes a balance of the traditional owners of the land as well as the more emerald green yarrow trees.
There is a serious energy in Alice Springs, and most tourists who visit come to sample this culture. Alice Springs has a population of about 300 people, and is most famous for its connection to gold,Beyond the tricks of the gold miners, the town is very much geared towards a tourist population of hundreds of thousands. The length of the average work week in Alice Springs is a full week, even for the most diligent travellers. This population ofAlice Springsis a fortunate combination of artists, innovators and adventurers who have capitalized on the offer of super cheap flights to the area.
Big miners are currently working in the area, with a $40 million dollar annual fine haul. Maintenance crews are stretched thin keeping the pipes and tanks in tip top shape.
