Erldunda claims to be the centre of Australia because it is in the middle of five other points that claim to be the centre of Australia. The trip also revealed that Uluru is not the only huge rock in the Australian outback. Only 4m shorter than Uluru but 1km longer, Mt Connor is a plateau on the private Curtin Springs Cattle Station. Although it is a different geological feature to Uluru, it has fooled enough tourists to earn the name “Fooluru”.

The Aboriginal name for Alice Springs is Mparntwe

The original inhabitants of what became known as Alice Springs are the Arrente people, who are divided into the Western, Central and Eastern Arrente. The area has more than 100 sacred Aboriginal sites – more than anywhere else in the Northern Territory, some of which are closed to non-Aboriginal visitors. But there is much more to see, including the rock art at N’Dhala Gorge, and Aboriginal culture remains strong in the town.

The Araluen Arts Centre in Alice Springs is currently hosting Australia’s largest exhibition of Aboriginal art, Desert Mob, which runs until 20 October. Hundreds of artists from 30 art centres across the Northern Territory and Central Australia are exhibiting their work, which is also for sale. As well as paintings, the artists have created pottery, Tjanpi weaving, sculpture, clothing and textiles. The exhibition is worth a visit, even if you don’t want to buy anything.

KFC in Alice Springs tried to get Michelin star

In 2019, a local KFC franchisee was up for a chance to win a Michelin star for their restaurant, under the criteria that diners had to make a detour specifically to eat at the restaurant. Franchisee Sam Edelman told 7News that some customers had travelled as far as 1,000km to stock up on his chicken and take it back to their remote communities. Edelman went so far as to travel to Paris to promote his cause, but told media outlets that part of the reason for the attempt was to highlight the fact that no Australian restaurant has a Michelin star – which is surprising given the quality of options on offer, including in the Northern Territory.

It still is. Michelin did not award Sam’s KFC a star.

But eating Australian cuisine while the sun sets over Uluru is a must-do for any foodie. The Tali Waru experience has magic as its secret ingredient as the great rock plunges into darkness and the Milky Way lights up the sky.

Alice Springs is a great place for hiking, swimming and train travel.

The MacDonnell Mountains rise some 600m above sea level and rise from red sand plains like rocks tilted sideways by giant feet. Walking trails wind through sandstone and quartzite cliffs, and rivers have carved spectacular gorges between the ranges, some of which offer pleasant swimming holes to escape the desert heat.

The Ghan Railway is a four-day, 3000km rail journey from Adelaide to Darwin, with a stop in Alice Springs. It takes its name from the Afghan camel drivers who transported goods and wool to and from the Outback in the late 19th century, before goods were transported by rail. And if you come across a freight train at the Alice Springs crossing, you might as well park up and buy a coffee. The trains are up to 1.8km long and pass through Alice on the same route from Darwin to Adelaide or vice versa, carrying food, supplies and mining equipment or ore.

Checklist

Alice Springs

GETTING THERE

Air NZ, Qantas and Jetstar fly direct from Auckland to Sydney International Airport. Alice Springs is a three-and-a-half hour flight from Sydney’s domestic terminal.

DETAILS

alicespringsexpeditions.com.au

northernterritory.com