West | West MacDonnell Range | North | East MacDonnell Ranges | South and South-West | South | Interstate
There is so much to see and do in Alice Springs and Central Australia, that a week will never be enough. With the MacDonnell Ranges stretching some 400 km east and west of Alice Springs, the Devils Marbles nearly 400 km north and Uluru 465 km south west, the sheer distance means to enjoy each attraction requires travelling some distances.
Care should be taken for those driving their own vehicle or hiring a vehicle. Road conditions are very different from driving conditions in the cities and overseas. Extreme care should be taken when driving at dust and dawn, especially with the unpredictability of which way animals such as kangaroos will move. Driving at speed and swerving to miss animals or hitting the dirt has resulted in many accidents and fatalities.
Some of the animals you may encounter at dust, dawn and during the day include:
- Camels
- Donkeys
- Wild Horses
- Emus
- Kangaroos
these can be unpredictable and can swiftly change direction when bounding across the road. - Wedge-tailed Eagles
please be aware, that these large raptors are attracted to carrion (dead animals such as kangaroo), which can be on the road or along the edge of the road. When they try to take off as vehicles approach, they may be slow, as their talons can often be caught in the carcass of the dead animal that they are feeding on. - Domestic Cattle
like many of the larger animals, they may be lying down and resting on the road in the early evenings as during the winter months the bitumen gives off some heat. At dust, some of the black coloured cattle are hard to see.
All animals can be unpredictable along the highway, so slow down and take care of yourselves and the wildlife. Take plenty of rest stops.
To assist with your planning on what to see, following table details the approximate distance in kilometres that you need to travel by road from Alice Springs:
• West
• West MacDonnell Range
• North
• East MacDonnell Ranges
• South and South-West
• South
• Interstate
Alice Springs Distance
Distance from Alice Springs to local attractions
• Following are approximate distances by road from Alice Springs to local and regional attractions:
Distances given are only approximation, they should be verified with the appropriate maps. In addition to Google maps, the Australian Automotive Motoring Associations also offer select access to travel trip planners.
| • West of Alice Springs | |
|---|---|
| Km | |
| Hermannsburg — west of Alice Springs along the Larapinta Drive. | 126 |
| Finke Gorge National Park / Palm Valley — 140 km south west of Alice Springs and 20 km south of Hermannsburg. From Hermannsburg access is by 4WD only. | 140 |
| Owen Springs Reserve — can be accessed a number of ways, via Larapinta and Namatjira Drives along the Hugh River to the Alice Valley. All routes are 4WD access | |
| — southward along the Hugh River from Larapinta Drive, 50 km from Alice Springs, to the Old Owen Springs Homestead (ruin). Another 29.9 km to Stuart Highway, then 66 km to Alice Springs. | 68 |
| — via the Stuart Highway, 66 km south of Alice Springs, to the Old Owen Springs Homestead (ruin). Another 13.8 km to Ranger Station (Emergency contact only) | 96 |
| • West MacDonnell Range (west of Alice Springs) | |
|---|---|
| Km | |
| Alice Springs Desert Park — west of Alice Springs along the Larapinta Drive. | 6 |
| Simpsons Gap — west of Alice Springs along the Larapinta Drive, then follow the turn off. | 26 |
| Standley Chasm — west of Alice Springs along the Larapinta Drive, then follow the turn off. | 50 |
| Ellery Creek Big Hole — west of Alice Springs along the Larapinta Drive, turn on to Namatjira Drive, then follow the turn off. | 98 |
| Serpentine Gorge — west of Alice Springs along the Larapinta Drive, turn on to Namatjira Drive, then follow the turn off. | 109 |
| Ochre Pits — west of Alice Springs along the Larapinta Drive, turn on to Namatjira Drive, then follow the turn off. 121 | 121 |
| Ormiston Gorge — west of Alice Springs along the Larapinta Drive, turn on to Namatjira Drive, then follow the right turn off. | 145 |
| Glen Helen Gorge / Resort and Homestead — west of Alice Springs along the Larapinta Drive, turn on to Namatjira Drive, then follow the left turn off. | 142 |
| Redbank Gorge — west of Alice Springs along the Larapinta Drive, turn on to Namatjira Drive, then follow the turn off. | 167 |
| • North of Alice Springs | |
|---|---|
| Km | |
| Aileron — located on the Stuart Highway, about 132 km north of Alice Springs, Aileron provides a welcoming roadhouse rest stop offering meals, accommodation, supplies and fuel. | 132 |
| Wycliffe Well — known as the “UFO Capital of Australia”, Wycliffe Well is north of Alice Springs along the Stuart Highway. | 372 |
| Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve — north of Alice Springs, via the Stuart Highway. | 393 |
| Tennant Creek — north of Alice Springs, via the Stuart Highway. | 507.5 |
| Mataranka — a popular attraction with the thermal pools, located north of Alice Springs via the Stuart Highway. | 1,075.2 |
| Darwin — north of Alice Springs via the Stuart Highway. | 1,498 |
| • East MacDonnell Ranges (east of Alice Springs) | |
|---|---|
| Km | |
| Emily Gap / Emily and Jessie Gaps Nature Park — east of Alice Springs along the Ross Highway. Jessie Gap is a further 8 km. | 10/17 |
| Corroboree Rock Conservation Reserve — located east of Alice Springs, along the Ross Highway, between Emily and Jessie Gaps Nature Park and Trephina Gorge Nature Park. | 42 |
| Trephina Gorge Nature Park — located east of Alice Springs along the Ross Highway | 74 |
| N’Dhala Gorge Nature Park — located east of Alice Springs along the sealed road to Ross River Homestead, then along 11 km of 4WD track. The track crosses the Ross River several times and becomes impassable after heavy rain. | 90 |
| Arltunga Historical Reserve — located east of Alice Springs, at the end of the Ross Highway. At the end of the sealed Ross Highway, there is a gravel road that leads north east to Arltunga. Arltunga was officially the first central Australian town, arising out of the gold rush, when alluvial gold ws discovered in a dry creek bed in 1887. | 110 |
| Ruby Gap Nature Park — access to Ruby Gap is via the Arltunga Historical Reserve. A high clearance 4WD is essential. Heavy rains can cause the roads to become impassable. From the park entrance, there is a 5 km drive along the river bed and a 2 km walk to reach Glen Annie Gorge. | 150 |
| • South and South-West of Alice Springs | |
|---|---|
| Km | |
| Chambers Pillar Historical Reserve — Just over 160 km south of Alice Springs along the Old South Road, on a turnoff to the west of Maryvale Station. The road is unsealed and may be closed after rain. After the Maryvale turnoff, a 4WD is required to negotiate the sand hills and rutted track. | 160 |
| Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve — about 75 km south of Alice Springs along the Stuart Highway, take the left turn onto unsealed road. 4WD recommended. | 97 |
| Stuarts Well Roadhouse — a great place to stop and spend an hour or so, or maybe stay overnight. There is a general store for basic supplies and fuel. You can also get take-away food, fresh home cooked meals and a selection of souvenirs and Aboriginal art. | 90 |
| Henbury Meteorite Conservation Reserve / Craters — via Stuart Highway, then turn right into the Ernest Giles Road (this part is accessible by 2WD vehicle into the Reserve, although the road conditions can change to impassable. The rest of the road through to Watarrka National Park is 4WD only). | 140 |
| Erldunda — south of Alice Springs via Stuart Highway. Fuel, provision, accommodation. It is also the intersection where travellers heading to Uluru, turn right onto the Lasseter Highway. | 200 |
| Mount Ebenezer Roadhouse — turning off from the Stuart Highway onto the Lasseter Highway, and some 56 km later is the Mt Ebenezer Roadhouse, providing fuel, food, accommodation and an art gallery. | 256 |
| Mount Connor (the lookout on Lasseter Hwy) — located on private property, accessible via tours from Curtin Springs, Mt Connor is approximately 115 km east of Uluru. | 340 |
| Curtin Springs — south-west of Alice Springs via the sealed road Stuart Highway and Lasseter Highway. | 355 |
| Yulara Tourist Village — south-west of Alice Springs, 194 km along the Stuart Highway, then right on to the Lasseter Highway. | 445 |
| Uluru / Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park — located within Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and approximately 20 km beyond the Yulara Tourist Village, via the sealed road Stuart Highway and Lasseter Highway. | 465 |
| From Uluru to Kings Canyon | 310 |
| Kata Tjuta — Kata Tjuta is 32 km west of Uluru, via the sealed road Stuart Highway, Lasseter Highway and Kata Tjuta Road. | 492 |
| Kings Canyon / Watarrka National Park — Kings Canyon is about 470 km from Alice Springs, via the sealed road Stuart Highway, Lasseter Hwy and Luritja Road. From Ayers Rock Resort it is 310 km. | 470 |
| — Kings Canyon via Ernest Giles Road – 4WD vehicle only. | 318 |
| — Kings Canyon via the Mereenie Loop – 4WD vehicle only (permit is required). | 328 |
| • South of Alice Springs (continue along the Stuart Hwy, past the Lasseter Hwy turnoff) | |
|---|---|
| Km | |
| Kulgera Roadhouse — located about 274 km south of Alice Springs on the Stuart Highway and your last stopping point before you reach the Northern Territory/South Australian border. The roadhouse is only 22 km north of border. | 274 |
| Interstate Distance to Alice Springs | |
|---|---|
| Following are some approximate distances by road to Alice Springs: | Km |
| • Adelaide | 1,529 |
| • Albany | 2,731 |
| • Brisbane | 2,833 |
| • Broken Hill | 1,638 |
| • Broome | 1,699 |
| • Cairns | 2,168 |
| • Darwin | 1,498 |
| • Hobart | 2,948 |
| • Kulgera | 274 |
| • Launceston | 2,785 |
| • Perth | 2,491 |
| • Port Augusta | 1,224 |
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