ALICE SPRINGS & DAY DRIVES NORTHERN TERRITORY Day 38,39,40

ALICE SPRINGS IN THE

HEART OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

Contrary to popular opinion, the Northern Territory can have cold, overcast and rain showers on multiple days. I experienced this around Alice Springs.

Locally known as The Alice, the town is situated in the heart of Australia. Almost halfway between Adelaide and Darwin. The usually dry sandy Todd River flows through part of the city and hosts the Henley on Todd Regatta every August.

Alice Springs is a good base to explore central Australia. Reverend John Flynn the founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service born in Victoria worked in central Australia. He campaigned for an aerial medical service for outback Australia. The RFDS museum in Alice Springs is very interesting. Many displays.

During 2024 there was ongoing indigenous youth unrest in the Alice Springs area. A youth curfew was introduced to limit property damage. Generally, the Alice Springs area is safe in the daylight hours for visitors.

Lasseter's Reef

Fabled Lasseter’s Reef is a legendary tale that has captured the imagination of many for decades. Lewis Lasseter's name became synonymous with mystery and adventure when he made the bold claim of discovering an incredibly lucrative gold reef in central Australia back in 1929. The allure of untold riches hidden within the vast and unforgiving Australian outback was enough to spark a gold rush frenzy among prospectors and dreamers alike. Tragically, Lasseter's triumph quickly turned into a heart-wrenching saga as he lost his way back to the elusive reef, ultimately meeting his demise in the harsh desert landscape in 1931. His final resting place in Alice Springs serves as a poignant reminder of the high stakes and unforgiving nature of the Australian wilderness. Despite his untimely end, Lewis Lasseter's legacy lives on through the numerous books, films, and documentaries that have sought to unravel the mystery surrounding his fateful expedition. The Lasseter Highway off the Stuart Highway to Uluru and 245 km in length is named after the prospector. The story of Lasseter's Reef continues to intrigue and captivate adventurers and historians, drawing them into a world where the promise of unimaginable wealth is tempered by the harsh realities of nature and human ambition.

ALICE SPRINGS

GOOGLE MAPS

West of Alice Springs

Glen Helen. Glen Helen Lodge is 130 km west of Alice Springs alongside the Finke River on a sealed road. The Lodge is now no longer accessible to the public (2025). There are no tourist facilities and there is no fuel available. Views are to the nearby West MacDonnell Ranges and of the Glen Helen Gorge cliffs. Nearby Redbank Gorge offers spectacular rock colors and is accessed by a somewhat rough track. There are roadside views of Mount Sonder at 1,300 metres in height. The mountain is the highest point in the ranges. Mount Sonder is known locally as the ‘sleeping lady’.

Glen Helen on the Finke River is just short of two hours' drive west of Alice Springs along an all-sealed road.

GLEN HELEN

GOOGLE MAPS

GLEN HELEN AT THE END OF THE SEALED ROAD

The return drive to Alice Springs was in the late afternoon. Cold, overcast and rain showers.

Best to drive one day to the west of Alice Springs and the next day to the east. Or vice versa.

East of Alice Springs

Ross River is about 85 km east of Alice Springs via a sealed road. Located there is the Ross River Homestead. The Homestead has a Bar, café and dining area and is only available for large groups who must pre-book. Fuel is unavailable to tourists and tourists are not allowed to enter the homestead and the surrounding area.

However, the drive along the Ross River Road leading to the Homestead is a scenic two-hour return drive east of Alice Springs along an all-sealed road. On the return drive to Alice Springs an oncoming roadtrain gave me a stone chip on my car windscreen.

Traveldriven

ROSS RIVER RESORT

GOOGLE MAPS 

ALICE SPRINGS FIVE DAY FORECAST

WEST OF ALICE SPRINGS

SEALED ROAD

EAST OF ALICE SPRINGS

SEALED ROAD

ROSS RIVER HIGHWAY TERRY GILL WAS RIDING HIS HARLEY & HIT A CAMEL. EACH YEAR A MEMORIAL RIDE IS HELD RAISING FUNDS FOR CHARITY

ROADSIDE MEMORIAL

LASSETERS MEMORIAL, ALICE SPRINGS CEMETERY

ROSS RIVER HOMESTEAD

EAST OF ALICE SPRINGS

OUTBACK ROCK STACKS

OUTBACK ROCK OUTCROP

THE THREE PILLARS SIGNAGE

THREE CATERPILLARS OF

EMILY GAP

EAST OF ALICE SPRINGS

ROSS HIGHWAY

DESERT ROCK

FLIES AND MORE FLIES

ALICE SPRINGS

RAZOR & BARBED WIRE

AROUND CARAVAN PARK

ALICE SPRINGS

PREV SA/WA/NT NEXT

HOMEPAGE