Alice Springs

Travel NT: In the heart of Central Australia, between the East and West MacDonnell Ranges, sits Australia's most famous outback town. Alice Springs is a thriving, spirited outback centre - as famous for the personality of its locals as the natural wonders that surround it.

The history and heritage of Alice Springs overflow with a rich cast of characters - in the late 1800's and early 1900s only the most intrepid pioneers braved its rugged environment. From Afghan cameleers to flying doctors, today it is possible to pay homage to their legacy at various historic sites around the town.

A great base from which to explore its surrounding natural wonders, the town itself defies most travellers' expectations combining a strong sense of its outback history with all the convenience of modern facilities. Most of all, it is the uncomplicated yet vibrant personality of Alice that leaves a lasting impression on visitors.

Australian Explorer: Alice Springs (or the Alice) received its name in 1933, although it developed in 1871 as a telegraph repeater station between Adelaide and Darwin. The town's development was slow, however, and the old road to Adelaid

Ayers Rock

The Small Guide to a Big Country: It’s the spirituality, however, that makes it truly special. The Rock itself is not a sacred site to the local Anangu people, but many parts of it are. A guided tour of the base is highly recommended and far more rewarding than a climb to the top, ‘just because it’s there’. You will discover its raw beauty, striking colours and learn of its special place in Aboriginal legend. If there's a bit of wind you may also discover a few smashed cameras, sunglasses and hats that have dropped from above!

Uluru has a special place in the Anangu's stories of creation (Tjukurpa), These stories are related by local guides and in displays at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre, along with audiovisual presentations of the history of the park and how it is managed. The centre also operates Maruka Arts and Crafts, an Aboriginal co-operative displaying and selling the works of more than 800 traditional artists from Central and Western Australia.

Kata Tjuta means ‘many heads’ in the Anangu language and is a spectacular group of 36 massive red rock outcrops separated by narrow valleys about 50 kilome

World Heritage: The Great Barrier Reef is a site of remarkable variety and beauty on the north-east coast of Australia. It contains the world's largest collection of coral reefs, with 400 types of coral, 1,500 species of fish and 4,000 types of mollusc. It also holds great scientific interest as the habitat of species such as the dugong ('sea cow') and the large green turtle, which are threatened with extinction.

The Great Barrier Reef: Spanning more than 2000 km along the northeastern coast of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is home to thousands of species of plants and animals. The Reef which runs parallel to the Queensland coast has been designated by the Australian Government as a Marine Park. Few can imagine the biological diversity of the reef. One probably has to realize first that the 2000 km long reef runs predominantly in the North-South direction, therefore spanning a wide range of climates. Rain forests and mountains are predominant in the northern islands, while the southern islands are composed mainly of Coral Cay. Apart from its environmental value, the area offers visitors a variety of activities including scuba diving, snorkeling, water s

Canberra

Tour Guides

Visit Canberra: Home to 325,000 people, Canberra is one of the world’s few planned cities, a city in a park, with golden autumn leaves and glorious spring blooms. Surrounded by native bushland, Canberra is perfect for getting back to nature. But hidden beneath the leafy surrounds is a thriving modern city with stylish restaurants, hip bars, boutique shopping, fun for the kids and a busy calendar of events and festivals. The surrounding region offers more than 30 wineries, historic townships, beautiful coastlines and the famous Snowy Mountains.

Wikipedia: The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory, 280 kilometres (177 mi)

Daintree Rainforest

Wikipedia: Daintree Rainforest is a rainforest near Daintree, Queensland, named after Richard Daintree. It is one of the oldest rainforests on the planet and is the home of the poisonous Idiot fruit or ribbonwood tree. Part of the forest is protected by the Daintree National Park and drained by the Daintree River. The Daintree Rainforest lies on the coast, north of Cairns in tropical far north of Australia. This patch of forest is one of the most diverse and beautiful examples of nature in the world. It is home to the largest range of plants and animals on earth, and all are found within the largest chunk of rainforest in Australia - an area spanning approximately 1200 square kilometers. This World Heritage listed area contains the highest number of plant and animal species that are rare, or threatened with extinction, anywhere in the world. The Daintree Rainforest is a unique area, precariously balanced between the advances of development and the environmentalists wanting to preserve the forest's exceptional qualities. "The Daintree Rainforest contains 30% of frog, marsupial and reptile species in Australia, and 65% of Australia's bat and butterfly species

Kuranda

Wikipedia: Kuranda is a town on the Atherton Tableland in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is located 330 metres AHD at 16°49′S 145°36′E and is 25 kilometres from Cairns. It is a town of 650 people and is surrounded by rainforest. The rainforest around Kuranda has been home to the Djabugay people for over 10,000 years. Europeans began to explore the area throughout the nineteenth century. Kuranda was first settled in 1885 and surveyed by Thomas Behan in 1888. Construction of the now famous railway from Cairns to Herberton began in 1887 and the line reached Kuranda in 1891. The current railway station was built in 1915.

The town receives thousands of tourists each week who arrive on the Kuranda Scenic Railway from Cairns, the Skyrail gondola cableway, or by coach on the Kuranda Range Road. Attractions in the town include a regular market, consisting of a range of arts and crafts stalls as well as restaurants. Kuranda is a major centre for opals and didgeridoos. It was also the first home of the Tjapukai Indigenous Dance Theatre, established by former New Yorkers Judy and Don Freeman, together with indigenous dancer and actor, David Hu

MacDonnell Ranges

Travel NT: The East and West MacDonnell Ranges stretch out for hundreds of kilometres on both sides of Alice Springs. The traditional owners of the Alice Springs area, the Arrernte people, believe giant caterpillars called the Yeperenye became the Ranges - they entered this world through one of the dramatic gaps in the escarpments of the area.

The panoramic landscapes of the West MacDonnell Ranges are easily accessed from Alice Springs. Each of the West MacDonnell's chasms and gorges has its own unique character and scenery. Simpsons Gap sports a permanent pool and rock wallabies live in the gap's rocky ridges. Standley Chasm lights up in fiery colours reflected by the overhead sun at midday. Picturesque swimming holes such as Ellery Creek Big Hole, Ormiston Gorge, Glen Helen Gorge and Redbank Gorge offer refreshing relief on a scorching day. It is also possible to visit the Ochre Pits that desert Aboriginal people once used as a quarry for ochre pigments.

The East MacDonnell Ranges, while not as well known as the West MacDonnells, do provide beautiful scenery for bush walking, camping and four-wheel-driving. Visit Arltunga, a ghost town that was the