Aussie ABC - A is for Alice Springs!

All roads lead to Alice Springs - as close as a fart in an outhouse to the centre of Australia!  It's not the country's official geographic centre – but go on! Have a look at the map - how do you find the centre of THAT?! 

 

But centre or not, no town defines OZ quite like Alice Springs - aka 'The Alice'!  This town at the centre of Central Australia is a microcosm of Australia's quintessence, and is therefore worthy to introduce my Aussie ABC – the archetypes of awesome, amazing Australia (some more great 'A' words in case you hadn't noticed)!

While many OZ landscapes look completely unlike Alice Springs and Central Australia, I'll bet that if someone says 'Australia' images of this region are what lots of you will first think of.  HHHMMMmmm... perhaps that makes it a bit of a cliché?  OK, ok, here's what some of the Alice's different aspects look like!

An oasis in the desert (courtesy of the Great Artesian Basin), see its unique natural wonders for yourself - regional birds and other fauna at the Alice Springs Desert Park, and local plants and wildflowers especially adapted to arid land life at the Olive Pink Botanic Gardens.  And of course you can't miss the amazing landscape - it surrounds you wherever you go...

Descendants of the original indigenous inhabitants, Afghan cameleers and white settlers rub shoulders with grey nomads and tourists from all over the world - and the rich indigenous cultural heritage is showcased throughout the town and region.

The Alice Springs of Neville Shute's classic novel 'A Town Like Alice' is almost a character in its own right. And since my first visit in the early noughties, I've been addicted to its eclectic mix of cultures, landscapes, flora and fauna – and it's within cooee of even more unique Australiana (aka 'oddities')!

Head from Alice Springs in ANY direction and you'll see what I mean. For example: Kata Tjuta to the south west. 'Dinky' the singing, piano playing dingo to the south. Rainbow Valley to the south east. And of course, due north to Wycliffe Well – self-proclaimed UFO capital of Australia.

You've just got to love a place that's adapted so well to its harsh environment that the annual Henley-on-Todd regatta is cancelled if there IS water in the river! Or with restaurants that combine usually unrelated cuisine types!  It was in the Swiss/Indian restaurant (no longer operating) where a staff member once mistook me for a man – the dim light, perhaps?  Or should I just rethink that androgynous haircut … And it's possibly the only place in the country - if not the world! - where you can stay in the 'G'day Mate' caravan park!

Of course there's WAAAAY more to Alice Springs than this – so if you're looking for the definitive exposé of this fascinating region, my Aussie ABC isn't it. But if it's left you wanting more – then my work is done!