Located in Alice Springs, Central Australia
A little history…
'The Alice', as it is affectionately known, is a modern town in the middle of Australia, built on the flood plain of the Todd and Charles Rivers and nestled in the hills and gorges of the MacDonnell Ranges...
"Alice Springs has its own unique identity"
Alice Springs has its own unique identity, full of character and charm, with that something special that make many people pass through and others visit and stay.
The original Alice Springs was a waterhole located some 3 km north of the present town. Named after Alice Todd (wife of Superintendent of Post and Telegraph Sir Charles Todd), the town was founded as a staging point for the overland telegraph line in 1870. The current Alice Springs began its history as a town named Stuart, a telegraph station on the Adelaide to Darwin line, what was once the end of the Ghan railway line. With its renaming and gender change, ‘The Alice‘… as it is affectionately known by many locals, is now the modern town in the middle of Australia that you see today.
Built on the flood plain of the Todd and Charles Rivers and nestled in the hills and gorges of the MacDonnell Ranges, that stretch some 644 km from the East MacDonnell Range to the West MacDonnell Range, Alice Springs is the perfect location to base yourself to explore this wonderful region of ‘Central Australia’.
Events
Parrtjima A Festival in Light
Parrtjima is the only authentic Aborignal light festival of its kind. The annual festival takes over Alice Springs with ten night of light installations from a number of Aboriginal artists set against the majestic MacDonnell Ranges. It is truly spectacular.
Desert Song Festival
Over 10 days, singers, choirs, and audiences from Alice Springs and Central Australia, along with visitors to the region, come together to celebrate the voice and the song. Asante Sana and other Alice-based choirs, vocal ensembles, and performers from diverse sacred music traditions perform in a variety of events, including major and chamber concerts, workshops, and an open stage. The cultural smorgasbord of Central Australia features a range of music genres, from African freedom songs and Aboriginal traditional music to ballads, classical compositions, and Caribbean folk music.
Market Day
Alice Springs offer the popular Alice Springs Todd Mall Markets (that usually operate every 2nd Sunday, with some variations - see their website or their Facebook page) and the smaller community Heavitree Markets (usually every other Sunday, with some variations) and the special Christmas period Night Markets (usually operated by the Alice Springs Town Council). Other popular markets include the Old Timers Fete (August).
Held on Sat in early August.
A very popular fun-raising Alice Springs annual event that often sells out of things early.
The Redback
An award-winning event, over four days and six stages of incredible mountain biking in Australia’s red centre. This MTB (mountain terrain bike) event is about racing your bike in a truly awesome location, where the tectonic lines of the MacDonnell Ranges disappear into a distant horizon, with big blue skies, rolling single track and within a majestic desert landscape.
Alice Springs Beanie Festival
The longest continuously running iconic event in the NT.
An off road, multi terrain two-day race for bikes, cars, buggies and quads from Alice Springs to the small Aputula (Finke) community.
One of the biggest social and agricultural highlights of the NT year.
Mid August/September.
For the bird lover, this annual event is usually a collaborative event held with the Alice Springs Desert Park.
National Transport Hall of Fame
Late August. The National Road Transport Hall of Fame, the Old Ghan Train Railway Museum and the magnificent Kenworth Dealer Truck Museum is the most comprehensive land transport museum in the southern hemisphere. Each year they have an annual event.
Wearable Art Awards
A spectacle of awe inspiring creation of wearable form. Held as an annual event, the catwalk comes alive with magic wonder and beauty.
Every Masters Games, the Alice Springs community welcomes back old friends and greet new friends as competitors, volunteers, spectators and visitors to Central Australia for the Alice Springs Masters Games.
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