A town like Alice

There’s culture aplenty in the Alice - with festivals galore on offer each year.

Alice Springs is a thriving outback town located on the banks of the usually dry Todd River, four kilometres south of its original site at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station. The Station was an important repeater station along the Overland Telegraph, which was completed in 1872 and linked Australia’s southern colonies to the rest of the world. Home to the Arrernte Aboriginal people, Alice Springs is a fascinating destination with a wealth of historic, cultural, adventurous and natural attractions in and around the town. 

The Australian Outback town is well known for having the highest proportion of lesbians per capita than any other destination in Australia, but it is also gaining recognition for its fabulous and colourful festivals and events. 

Henley on Todd Regatta 

Naughty- gals (nautical) and guys love this iconic Outback boat race. The Henley on Todd Regatta is a boat race held in a cloud of dust, not water. This unique Northern Territory event, takes place in the dry, sandy bed of the Todd River, which becomes the race track for a crew of Flintstone-style boats, propelled towards the finish line by the sheer will and might of their creators. Head to Alice Springs in August and watch from the sidelines, or create your own craft and join the contest. Whichever you choose, you’ll have fun. 

When: August 18, 2012

More: henleyontodd.com.au

The Alice Springs Beanie Festival

There are hats and then there are hats - these beanies stretch the definitions like never before.

The Alice Springs Beanie Festival is an annual event that celebrates this great Australian icon -the beanie.  Come and have some wild and woolly fun in June and find the perfect beanie from more than 4,000 beanies displayed at the Araluen Cultural Precinct in Alice Springs.

The festival features a full weekend of music, the famous tea shop, the Beanie Olympics and a fantastic program of textile workshops and crafts. Indigenous artists from local communities demonstrate their ancient spinning techniques and basket making. There are textiles on display and for sale to suit any budget.

When: 22 – 25 June 2012

More: beaniefest.org

Alice Springs Camel Cup

Not to be mistaken for the Melbourne Cup, the Alice Camel Cup is a cheeky race meeting with true outback style. Forget the fillies, this day is dedicated to the original ships of the desert – camels!  Renowned for being strong willed, cantankerous and not entirely graceful, it is always a good show when camels take to the race track.

At the Alice Springs Camel Cup, held every July in Alice Springs, it is nothing to see a camel sit down mid-race or veer off the track completely if the mood strikes it. This might not do much for the nerves of their handlers but makes for a great day’s entertainment for spectators.

When: 14 July 2012

more: camelcup.com.au

Alice Desert Festival

The Alice Desert Festival is Central Australia’s premier arts and cultural festival, celebrating the desert and the diversity of the people that live there.

The Alice Desert Festival shares the stories, songs and the unique lifestyle of Central Australia’s arid region. Featuring a vibrant program borne out of the desert landscape, the 10 day festival celebrates the dynamic exchange between cultures in the heart of Australia. Artists, dancers and musicians from some of the most remote communities in Central Australia perform beside a selection of Australia’s hottest acts.

Indigenous musicians drive 100’s of red dusty kilometres to perform in the Bush Bands Bash. Wild bush foods are harvested and cooked into succulent dishes. Choirs sing amidst ancient desert landscapes of gorges and gaps.

Around 50,000 people converge on Alice for this Festival to create an atmosphere not found anywhere else in Australia where strong traditional cultures and a vibrant contemporary arts community work together in presenting an amazing 10 days.

Finke Desert Race

For the girl with grunt, the Finke Desert Race is a great time to visit Alice and experience Australia’s premier off-road racing event, the Finke Desert Race. The multi-terrain, two-day race attracts bikes, cars and buggies from around the world and takes competitors through desert country from Alice Springs to the small Aputula (Finke) Community. Affectionately known as The Finke, it is regarded as one of the most difficult off-road races in one of the most remote places in the world. The race is run along sections of the Old Ghan Railway service track which snakes through typical outback terrain of red dirt, sand, spinifex, mulga and desert oaks. 

The Finke attracts an average of 12,000 people who camp beside the racetrack, sleeping under the stars in tents and swags.

When: 9 – 11 June 2012  

For more click here. 

Alice is not in the middle of nowhere, but the middle of everywhere. For more information on festivals or events in Alice visit travelnt.com/G&L.