While they are the ultimate beast of burden in desert conditions, we all know camels can be troublesome beasts. Their ability to travel distances without water almost matches their propensity to spit, snarl, stomp and bite. And they don't particularly like moving at any speed beyond camel cruise control either.
But every July in Alice Springs they are spurred into action around a dusty track, or as it may happen, they refuse to move at all or give up half way around. Whatever happens, it's all part of the fun of the Camel Cup and also for a good cause – the local Lions Club - and is just one of a series of wacky festivals held throughout the year in The Alice, as the town is commonly known.
The Alice lies right in the heart of "The Centre" in the Northern Territory, in some of the most rugged terrain on earth. Its romantic location, geographically centre stage on the continent, has led many to consider it the unofficial capital of the Outback.
Other festivals in the town include the wild and dusty motorbike and 4WD event the Finke Desert Race in June, the creative Beanie Festival also in June, the dusty Henley-on-Todd Regatta in the dry Todd River bed in August and the colourful Alice Desert Festival in September.
These festivals are just one aspect of the vibrant nature of Alice, a fact that may come as a surprise to many who assume little can be going on in a place so remote and inaccessible. Indeed it was once regarded as a "dead heart" during colonial times due to its barren surroundings.
But today it is considered a living heart and has an incredible physical and spiritual importance to Australia. It is alive with Aboriginal traditions, pioneering history, fantastic landscapes and a colourful local art culture.
While many people use Alice as a gateway to Australia's famed red monolith Uluru and the fantastic gorges, waterholes and canyons of the East and West MacDonnell Ranges, there is plenty to keep you busy and entertained just in the town itself.
Alice has a bit of everything. There's fine dining to enjoy in the many cafes and restaurants, an array of fascinating reptiles and birds to learn about at the Desert Park, amazing rocky landscapes right on the doorstep, rich Aboriginal history and art to learn about, a warm climate to enjoy without humidity and a wealth of historical sights.
Alice was established in the 1870s as a telegraph station by a small spring. The spring was named after Alice, the wife of explorer Charles Todd who was instrumental in laying the overland telegraph line from Adelaide to Darwin. It is from this spring the town was named.
The repeater station in Alice was one of a series across the continent and part of Australia's communication network at the time. You can visit the beautifully restored Telegraph Station (Herbert Heritage Dr, www.nt.gov.au) where there are exhibits that contain information about the Telegraph, war years and stolen generation. Guided tours are provided several times daily as part of the admission fee.
Alice was also the northern terminus of the Ghan Railway line and was a bustling metropolis in the days of the railway. It's also possible to view the original carriages from the railway at the Old Ghan Train Museum & Tea Room (Norris Bell Ave, www.roadtransporthall.com).
Other aspects of pioneering history are contained in buildings such as the Residency and Adelaide House. The Residency (12 Parsons St, www.nt.gov.au) was erected in 1927 for government residents and even hosted Queen Elizabeth in 1963. Displays inside document local history and various events. They even have the toilet or "royal throne" the Queen used on display.
Adelaide House Museum (Todd Mall, www.nt.gov.au), next to the Flynn Memorial Church, was designed by Reverend John Flynn of the Royal Flying Doctors. It was the only medical centre in the area until 1939. You can still see and try out the pedal radio that Flynn used.
If you're planning to head into the MacDonnell Ranges or anywhere out of town, you should visit the Alice Springs Desert Park (Larapinta Dr, www.alicespringsdesertpark.com.au) first to learn about the plants, desert habitats and animals of the area.
At set times of the day there are some fascinating talks in the Desert Park about Aboriginal culture such as how to collect bush tucker or hunt traditionally and a fantastic birds of prey display where wild eagles, buzzards and kites actually fly in for daily feeding. You can also visit a gallery filled with nocturnal animals such as snakes, bilbies and owls. There is also
a film screened on the hour depicting the landscapes of the region.
The Araluen Cultural Precinct (Larapinta Dr, www.araluen.nt.gov.au) is also well worth a visit for its local cultural and natural history exhibits. For example you can admire the works of famed Aboriginal watercolourist, Albert Namatjira and his family at the Namatjira Gallery. You can learn about aviation history at the Aviation Museum or visit the graves of significant Centralians in the Memorial Cemetery. There are also sacred sites and trees of significance to Aboriginal people at the precinct.
If you want to see more of Namatjira's works you can go to the Mbantua Gallery (71 Gregory Tce, www.mbantua.com.au) off the Todd Mall. Other good places to learn more about Aboriginal art or purchase some colourful prints are at Gallery Gondwana (43 Todd Mall, www.gallerygondwana.com.au) with pottery, canvas and jewelery pieces or Papunya Tula Artists (63 Todd Mall, www.papunyatula.com.au) with paintings on canvas and linen. If the prices are a little high you could also purchase art work of varying quality from sellers showcasing their wares on pavements in the Mall.
Once you've seen the sights of Alice it will be time to venture further afield. For a splendid glimpse of the MacDonnell Ranges that traverse some 644km of this area, head up to Anzac Hill at sunrise or sunset. It is possible to see the gap in the East and West part of the Ranges here. The views will also give you a small foretaste of what you'll see if you're planning to head out into them where there are numerous waterholes, beautiful gorges, historic sites, Aboriginal rock art, plenty of walking trails, wildlife and good bush camping to enjoy.
If you haven't got a lot of time or the right vehicle to explore too far, there are a few locations in these ranges within 10-20km of Alice that can be accessed by 2WD or even by bicycle. These include Emily (10km) and Jessie Gaps (21km) in the East MacDonnells where you can see Aboriginal art work recording the Caterpillar Dreaming that formed the ranges. Simpson Gap, 20km into the West MacDonnells, is a good place to see the black-footed rock wallabies.
OTHER THINGS TO DO
For those heading on to the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, try to schedule at least three days for the loop from Alice. Uluru is 500km south but there are sights like Kings Canyon to visit on the way and a number of gorges along Namatjira Drive.
GETTING THERE AND AROUND
The international airport (www.alicespringsairport.com.au) is 16km from Alice and has daily flights to/from major centres like Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Darwin, Perth, Cairns and Uluru. Airlines operating here include Qantas (www.Qantas.com.au, tel. 131313), Tiger Airways (www.tigerairways.com), Air North (www.airnorth.com.au, tel. 1800 627 474) and Alliance (www.allianceairlines.com.au). From the airport there are shuttles, taxis or free backpacker services to//from town. You can also get to Alice by the Ghan Railway (www.gsr.com.au, tel. 132147) from Adelaide and Darwin. Greyhound Australia buses (www.greyhound.com.au, tel. 1300 473 946) come to Alice from Adelaide and Darwin and there are connections to other centres also.
In Alice itself you can make use of the Alice Explorer Hop on – Hop off bus to main attractions (tel. 1800 722 111, www.alicewanderer.com.au, $42), rent a bicycle from Alice Bike Hire (tel. 0407 324 697), use taxis or rent cars. Rental agencies include Central Cars, Hertz, Thrifty, Budget and Wicked Campers. Rental agencies do not allow 2WD on dirt roads.
WHERE TO EAT
Centralian food has come of age and features anything from coffee to Asian curries or bush tucker. You can try some kangaroo, emu or camel while you're here, regular pub food or modern Aussie cafe cuisine. Bojangles (80 Todd St, www.bossaloon.com.au) is one of the most popular places in town with swinging saloon doors and plenty of bric-a-brac and memorabilia on the walls. The menu includes camel, crocodile, kangaroo, emu, barramundi, fish and chips, lamb shanks and six kinds of steaks.
WHERE TO STAY
There’s a lot of accommodation choice including caravan parks, backpackers, motels, hotels, B&Bs and resorts. See www.centralaustraliantourism.com for more details. Some popular spots include the Heavitree Gap Outback Lodge (Palm Circuit, www.auroraresorts.com.au) where rock wallabies are fed at sunset and the colourful Alice’s Secret Travellers Inn (6 Khalick St, www.asecret.com.au) for budget rooms.
by Joanne Lane
