Things to do in Alice Springs

Alice Springs is most famous for its red, rugged outback landscape, and particularly for being a gateway to Ayers Rock (Uluru), which lies 335kms from Alice Springs. While many tourists overlook the town itself, those who do hang around will discover there are many places of interest to visit here in this old pioneer town.

Adelaide House

This was originally Alice Springs Hospital, and was designed and built by John Flynn. There is an interesting story behind the building of the hospital, which was built because Sister Finlayson was outraged that wounded and seriously ill patients had to be taken by horse, ox or donkey drawn carts to Oodnadatta, some 600kms away to be treated at the nearest hospital. Many patients died during the long journey because of infections and the terrible combinations of scorching sun and flies, or the cold weather.

The Adelaide House is unique, because it used an original cooling system to keep out the heat. It is also the site of the Radio Hut where Alfred Trager invented the pedal wireless and where John Flynn made the first field radio transmission in 1926. Adelaide House has a photographic display of its history, which will be of interest to many visitors.

Anzac Hill

On top of the hill is a monument, designed by Reverend Harry Griffiths, to pay tribute to the Australian and New Zealand soldiers who lost their lives defending their country. The top of the hill also offers splendid views of the city below and the surrounding landscape of the Eastern MacDonnel Ranges and the Western MacDonnel Ranges.

Flynn Memorial Church

The church was built and dedicated to the memory of John Flynn six years after his death, in 1951. The people of Alice Springs are very thankful to this pioneering Presbyterian minister, who not only designed and built the first hospital in Alice Springs, but also founded the Flying Doctor Service. Flynns love for people was also demonstrated when he built the first cottage to provide shelter for the older population at the Old Timers settlement in Alice Springs.

John Flynns Grave

The ashes of John Flynn were placed under a huge rock on Larapinta D rive. The rock was taken from Devils Marble. Today, controversy surrounds John Flynn, with many questioning his attitude towards the aborigines, with the aborigines now demanding that the rock be returned to Devils Marble.

Alice Springs Memorial Cemetery

It is fairly interesting to walk around this old cemetery, reading the engravings on the tombstones. The graves of Albert Namatjira, an indigenous artist, famous for his watercolour landscapes of the outback, and Olive Pink, a trailblazing aboriginal land rights activist, can be found here. Also interesting is the way that the graves of the Afghan cameleers face the direction of Mecca, as is required in the Muslim tradition.

Old Stuart Town Goal

Old Stuart Town Goal, built in 1909, is the oldest building in Alice Springs and is a testimony to the hard pioneering days. Jack Williams, a stonemason, quarried the stones used to build the goal from Heavitree Gap. The oak beams came from the surrounding desert and camels carried the roof from the railhead at Oodnadatta. The prison is not used today, and it stands empty and derelict.

Panorama Guth

Housing an extensive collection of aboriginal artefacts, with many of the pieces being very rare, including items used by witchdoctors such as the Kadaitch Mans Boots and the Pointing Bones. The Panorama Guth is also a gallery and its most famous artwork is the circular painting that is 20 feet (6 metres) high, 200 feet (60 metres) around and has a diameter of 60 feet (18 metres). The painting depicts the landscape of the area and there is a foreground of natural sand and plants of 20 feet wide (6metres), that leads into the painting, making it very realistic. The painting took six months to complete and was the work of two artists.