Phila Airport Parking Vacations

This interesting outback city is surrounded by a surprising number of locations of interest. It’s the second biggest city in the Northern Territory, with about 25,000 people, and is located about 1,500 km from Darwin, and about 300 km north of the South Australian border.

This city has often been called the center of Australia, and is a popular tourist spot for people wanting to explore Ayers Rock (Uluru), the MacDonnell Ranges, and the Olgas (Kata Tjuta). There are many other attractions available here, as well.

Alice Springs came into being as a vital link in the Overland Telegraph Line. It later became a major railhead in the Northern Territory, with goods passing through the city on their long journey to other destinations.

Located about 600 m above sea level, Alice Springs is on the Todd River, a dry bed that contains water only after a heavy rain. This river rises in the MacDonnel Ranges and flows through the rich alluvial plain where Alice Springs is located, then disappears about 300 km south in the Simpson Desert.

The springs themselves are located northeast of the city, and were discovered in 1871, while the Overland Telegraph was being built. The Springs were named after Alice Todd, who was the wife of Sir Charles Todd, the namesake of the Todd River, and the driving force behind the telegraph’s creation.

Of course, these weren’t the first settlers of Alice Springs. There have been 5 generations of Europeans there, but over 500 generations of Aborigines. A number of the attractions in this area are related to that ancient culture, in addition to those related to the area’s more recent history.

Anzac Hill is an excellent place to start looking at what Alice Springs has to offer, showing visitors a three hundred and sixty degree panorama and a great view of the city. If you continue east from there, you’ll also see the bed of the Todd.

History lovers should check out Adelaide House, which was the city’s first hospital and has a number of interesting architectural features, like 45 cm thick walls and an intriguing cooling system. Nearby is the famous radio hut, featuring the first pedal wireless radio and the site of Australia’s first field radio telegram transmission.

The Old Stuart Gaol is the oldest building in the city, and it’s desert oak lintels and local stone make it a lasting structure. The railway station offers a number of railway cottages that used to house workers, and Wild Dog Rock (Gnoilya Tmerga), a stone associated with Aboriginal legend, is located nearby.

You can also see the Henley-on-Todd regatta every August – a race along the dry river bed, and the Bangtail Muster in May – a parade with humorous floats. More rail history is available at the Ghan Preservation Society museum, which features a tea room and souvenir shop.

At the Pitchi Richi Sanctuary, collected machinery, clay sculpture, and native animals mingle, and a few kilometers away is Emily Gorge. For those who love nature, Simpson’s Gap National Park, the Chambers Pillar Historical Reserve, the Henbury Meteorite Conservation Park, and the Ewaninga Rock Carvings Reserve may be points of interest.