11th Conference of the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (Incorporating NursePrac ED), Alice Springs

Visit Alice Springs

Things to do in Alice Springs

Below are a list of things to see and do in Alice Springs and beyond. For each of these attractions please click on the link to be taken directly to their website. For further information on attractions in and around Alice Springs please visit the Tourism Northern Territory: www.travelnt.com/en/alice-springs-and-surrounds or Tourism Central Australia websites: www.discovercentralaustralia.com

Royal Flying Doctor Service

Visit the original Alice Springs working base (circa1939) to learn more about this unique service and gain an understanding of nursing across distances and the logistics involved. The RFDS is a non-profit organisation, with 100% of all profits going straight to the replenishment of aircraft and medical equipment.

Adelaide House Museum

Adelaide House was designed by John Flynn in 1920 and built by the Australian Inland Mission in 1926. One of the earliest buildings in town, this ‘bush nursing hostel’ offered health services and hospitality to those living in the tiny town of Stuart. Museum features outback nurses, Flynn’s story, Pedal Radio invention and passive outback architectural design.

Helicopter over the Red Centre

Appreciate the splendour of the Australian outback with an aerial view. Alice Springs Helicoptersoffer scenic local tours and aerial adventures to the West MacDonnell Ranges, Kings Canyon and Uluru. Among the most popular is “Around the Gaps”, which visits the Larapinta Trail, Simpsons Gap and Standley Chasm. You’ll also see wild animals including wallabies, camels and eagles.

Explore the Outback on Foot

Alice Springs is perfect for walkers with its compact size and flat terrain. Places to visit are the historical Telegraph Station, dating back to 1872. Closer to the city are the Olive Pink Botanic Gardens with over 250 native plant species (including a display of traditional medicinal plants), plus native animals such as the black-footed rock wallaby and western bowerbirds.

Check out Alice Springs’ Reptile Centre

Get up close and personal to the worlds most venomous snakes at the Alice Springs Reptile Centre on Stuart Terrace. Meet terry the saltwater crocodile, handle a python and watch lizards being fed.

Ride a Camel through the Desert near Alice Springs

Enjoy spectacular desert views on camel back. Before rails and roads, camels provided the main form of transport in Central Australia. Just a 15 minute drive from Alice Springs, Pyndan Camel Tracks offers a half day trek to temple bar Gap. If you’re short for time, book the one-hour sunset tour, including a drink at the Camel Lounge.

Shop at Alice Springs Street Markets

Join the locals at the Sunday Market Day held along Todd Mall between February and December. The Stalls offer art, craft and local produce. Many of the cafes along the mall are open and there is colorful live entertainment. the monthly Alice Springs Night Markets run August to November, offering indigenous art, handmade clothing, souvenirs and amazing multicultural street food.

Visit Alice Springs Galleries and Buy Aboriginal Art

Visit reputable galleries selling artwork from the Central and Western Desert peoples. Art works include “dot paintings” synonymous with the Red Centre. Galleries such as Muk Muk Fine Art and Papunya Tula Artists are a short walk from the city center.

Go Hot Air Ballooning

What better way, to get an entirely new perspective on this dramatic scale than soaring gracefully above the landscape in from several hundred metres above the ground? It's here that local operator Outback Ballooning comes in, offering a hot air ballooning experience that stands out for offering one of them most unique panoramas in the country.

Visit Uluru

There's no two ways about it - while Alice Springs and its surrounds have their own unique and undeniable charms, the main reason most people make the trek to Alice is they have their sights set on Uluru / Ayers Rock. As Australia's most famous natural icon, the massive monolith attracts thousands of tourists from across the globe each year, the majority of whom use Alice Springs as their springboard to get a firsthand look at “the Rock”.

Festivals and Events

From adrenalin rushes to the art markets and community events around town, there's plenty to keep you entertained in Alice. Below are a selection of events occuring at a similar time to the ACNP 2016 Conference. For further information, please visit: www.travelnt.com/en/alice-springs-and-surrounds/things-to-do/festivals-and-events

Red Centre Bird Festival: 17/8/16-21/8/16; There's plenty to chirp about as you get to know the NT's plumed inhabitants a bit better through a host of activities at Alice Springs Desert Park.
Alice Desert Festival: 25/8/16-4/9/16; Celebrate the desert and its peoples as artists and performers from remote Central Australian communities perform alongside Australia’s hottest acts.
Sporties 12 Hour Enduro: 29/8/16-31/8/16; 12 hours of off road racing, cars, motor bikes and quads
Red CentreNATS: 2/9/16-4/9/16; The Ultimate Festival of Wheels in the Heart of Australia. Join Red CentreNATS a family-friendly auto festival with activities for all ages.
Desert Mob Art Exhibition: 8/9/16-10/9/16; Take a tour of 40 community-based Aboriginal art centres without leaving Araluen, thanks to Desert Mob's efforts to showcase bright, diverse artworks.
Desert Song Festival: 8/9/16-18/9/16; Desert Song festival in Alice Springs celebrates the magic of singing, showcasing a diversity of works performed by Aboriginal and community choirs.
The Public Health Association Annual Conference and 20th Chronic Diseases Network Conference: 18/9/16-21/9/16.
Todd Mall Night Markets: 25/8/16 and 15/9/16; With entertainment for the whole family, you can shop till you drop for authentic indigenous art, craftworks, recycled treasures, books, photos, handmade clothing and jewellery. You’ll be surprised at what you will find.

Places to Eat

For information on where to eat please click here or visit: www.tripadvisor.com.au