Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SEEING THE SIGHTS IN ALICE
Aboriginal Art & Culture Centre
Set up by the Southern Arrernte Aborig-
inal people, this center houses a small, intriguing museum with exhibits on Abo-
riginal life. It displays a timeline of the Aboriginal view of history since “contact”
(the arrival of Europeans). It's worth a visit if you're interested in indigenous cul-
tures. It sells artifacts and art. Allow from 15 minutes to 1 hour.
86 Todd St.
&
08/8952 3408.
Free admission. Daily 8am-5pm.
Alice Springs Cultural Precinct
At least one or two of the attractions here
will probably pique your interest. All of them are within walking distance of
each another. The
Museum of Central Australia
mostly shows local fossils, nat-
ural history, and meteorites. Some impressive Aboriginal and contemporary
Aussie art is shown at the
Araluen Centre,
the town's performing arts center;
check out the “Honey Ant Dreaming” stained-glass window in its foyer. Avia-
tion nuts may want to browse the old radios, aircraft, and wreckage in the
Avi-
ation Museum,
which preserves the Territory's aerial history. You can buy stylish
crafts, and sometimes catch artists at work, in the Territory Craft gallery. You
may want to amble among the outdoor sculptures, including the 15m (49 ft.)
Yeperenye Dreamtime Caterpillar;
or among the gravestones in the cemetery,
where “Afghani” (Pakistani) camel herders are buried facing Mecca. There is a
picnic area, but save your picnic for the Alice Springs Telegraph Station Histor-
ical Reserve (below).
Larapinta Dr. at Memorial Ave., 2km (1
1
⁄
4
miles) south of town.
&
08/8951 1120.
Incorporating the Museum
of Central Australia, Araluen Centre (
&
08/8951 1122
box office), Central Australian Aviation Museum, Ter-
ritory Craft, and Memorial Cemetery. Admission (includes all attractions) A$8 (US$5.20) adults; A$5 (US$3.25)
children 5-16, seniors, and students; A$20 (US$13) families. Daily 10am-5pm. Closed Christmas and Good
Friday. Take a cab, Alice Wanderer bus, or Desert Park Transfers (see “Organized Tours,” below).
Earning a Degree from Didgeridoo University
Fancy yourself a Wynton Marsalis of the desert? Then Didgeridoo Uni-
versity, at the Aboriginal Art & Culture Centre is the place for you.
Local Aboriginal Paul Ah Chee-Ngala set up his “campus” to satisfy
an ever-growing demand from world travelers to master the didgeri-
doo's evocative rhythms. In truth, the university is an alcove in the cul-
ture center, and the degree takes just 1 hour. Classes begin every day
at 1pm and cost A$12 (US$7.50) adults, A$5.50 (US$3.25) kids (or are
free as part of the Centre's half-day tour described in “Organized
Tours,” below). Paul guarantees you will make kangaroo hopping
sounds on the darn thing within the hour. The trick is to breathe in and
out at the same time, a technique known as “circular breathing.”
When buying a didgeridoo, keep in mind there is no such thing as a
“good” or a “bad” one. The diameter, the wood used, and the unique
surface of the instrument's insides are what makes each one unique.
The pitch of the instrument can vary from a high wail on G to a deep
and somber A; the shorter the instrument, the higher the pitch.
If you can't take a “degree” in Alice, learn to play the thing in your
own living room via an audio lesson on the center's website, www.
aboriginalart.com.au. The site sells didgeridoos, too.
