SameSame.com.au ~ Inside Out Australia

Alice Springs was recently the subject of a documentary called Destiny In Alice. It’s said that as many as 5,000 lesbians are living in the area, which may not sound like many – until you note that the town has a total population of about 27,000 people. Apparently Alice Springs became a lesbian haven after several hundred women marched on the Pine Gap intelligence base in 1983.

Alice’s mayor Damien Ryan says that he has no idea of exactly how many lesbians are in the area – “Nobody has ever done a census,” he says. Deputy mayor Murray Stewart adds, “Per capita, we’re very well represented by lesbians… And I don’t care less.”

One of the jewels in Alice’s headband is Alice Is Wonderland, an annual program of events that are either before or after other premier gay events in Australia, like Mardi Gras for instance, which aim to highlight Alice Springs and Central Australia to gay and lesbian travelers.

Their next event is the Alice Springs Mardi Gras dance party, which will be held on March 7 this year at Elkira Motel in Alice Springs, from 8pm until late. The event promises “dancing, shows and more!” and has been put together by NTAHC (NT AIDS & Hepatitis Council). “We’ll be playing the Mardi Gras parade up on the big screen on the night,” says organiser Phil Walcott. “Some drag queens will be coming down from Darwin. We’re expecting about 80 to 100 people.”

A few weeks later is the Decade of Rainbows party on April 4, which will celebrate ten years in business for The Rainbow Connection, the only Gay & Lesbian B&B in Central Australia. There are three other events planned for the rest of 2009 – the NTAHC will be hosting three other parties in June, September and on World AIDS Day in December, as well as the annual Rainbow Picnic, which will be held in September in conjunction with the Alice Desert Festival.

As for things to see and do in and around Alice, there’s plenty, ranging from the energetic to the sublimely relaxing. History buffs can check out the key heritage sites in and around the town like the Overland Telegraph Station, the National Road Transport Hall of Fame, the original base of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the School of the Air. Other low key options include hitting a few rounds of golf at Alice Springs Golf Club or hiring a bicycle and exploring the town on two wheels. You can also grab a bargain at the local markets or immerse yourself in local culture at Mbantua Aboriginal Art Gallery & Cultural Museum.

Ten minutes from the centre of town you’ll find the Alice Springs Desert Park. A perfect showcase for the natural and cultural environment of the area, the park features three desert habitats.

Visitors looking for more of a unique desert experience can even ride a camel to dinner, and for the more intrepid travellers, treks across the Simpson Desert or into the surrounding bush can be booked with local tour companies.

Surrounding the town are The MacDonnell Ranges, a mountain range that glows red in the evening light. The Ranges are divided into East and West and feature walking trails, swimming holes and gorges to explore. Keen hikers can explore a range of walks along the ranges, the most popular being the Larapinta Trail which runs for 223 kilometres and covers a variety of terrains. It is divided into twelve sections, ranging from easy day trips to challenging overnight walks for the more adventurous.

Another great way of seeing the ranges is from the air. Take a hot air balloon flight and soak up the spectacular colours of an outback dawn. Morning tours include return transfers from all accommodation in Alice Springs and a gourmet bush breakfast. Alternatively there are scenic flights on offer, either in a plane or a helicopter.

If you’d rather take your time exploring the region, you can hire a car and do the Red Centre Way tourism drive. Beginning in Alice Springs, the drive stretches alongside the West MacDonnell Ranges and links the Northern Territory’s world-renowned landmarks of Uluru (Ayers Rock), Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) and Watarrka National Park (Kings Canyon). If you are planning to drive yourself around the area, make sure you allow yourself enough time. Locations in the desert are much further apart than many people realise, with all of these landmarks between 400kms and 500kms from Alice Springs.

Just 26kms from Alice Springs is Simpsons Gap, one of the most well known Gaps in the West MacDonnell Ranges. The area is an important spiritual site to the Arrernte Aboriginal people, and is a crossroads for several dreaming trails and local stories. 393kms North of the town, you can visit The Devil’s Marbles, the four metre high granite boulders that are internationally recognised symbols of Australia’s red centre.

A trek through Palm Valley, part of the Finke River National Park 138km West of Alice Springs, is like stepping into prehistoric times. Set against an extraterrestrial backdrop, Cycad Gorge is home to native plants and ferns that cling to the towering chasm walls. Rock pools fill with rain and become natural swimming holes; combined with the sparkling white sand, they create a lush oasis in the midst of harsh desert. Another remarkable feature of the gorge are the thousands of red cabbage palms; a totally unique occurrence in this part of world. Adding to the alien landscape are several species of inland fish that inhabit the waterholes there.

The desert and Central Australia is, for most people, a world away, but it’s one that holds unseen treasures and unexpected surprises, proving that, in its own unique way, Alice truly is wonderland.

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