There are many places to go, modes of travel to get there and tours of the Australian Outback, Peter Robinson reveals which one may just suit you.
Heck, you don’t even need to own a 4WD.
With a bit of planning, touring the outback in a family sedan is achievable, as is walking or cycling, though a return isn’t guaranteed with those last two. That said, there are supported walking and cycling tours in some outback places such as the spectacular MacDonnell Ranges west of Alice Springs (but doing the solo Big Lap in a pair of runners isn’t recommended).
Major airlines fly to cities and towns in, or on the edge of, the outback. If you’ve got dollars you can charter light aircraft and choppers to almost anywhere and arrange personalised tours on the ground, or simply hire a vehicle for short on-road trips.
There are plenty of tour companies running outback trips in coaches, specially-built 4WD buses for smaller groups, flying tours, or speeding top to bottom by rail on The Ghan, or left to right on the Indian Pacific.
Coach tours are fine for a comfortable hotel/motel overview of an outback region such as Alice Springs, the MacDonnell Ranges, King’s Canyon and Uluru, and AAT Kings is one of the larger companies specialising in this field.
Small-group camping tours by 4WD bus are another way to venture forth without using your own vehicle or finding your GPS bearings, and this is one way to tour the Gibb River Road, for instance, and get a taste of camping at the same time.
Flying tours, or aircruising, is a terrific way to cover vast distances in comfort; veteran adventurer and travel writer Bill Peach has specialised in this tour market for many years. Not cheap, but extremely comfortable and scenic.
Rail travel to the outback has great appeal to enthusiasts, but you’ve got to really love rail journeys. The reality is this: The Ghan travels between Adelaide and Darwin via Alice Springs; a long trip, but if you break the journey at Alice it’s not so tiresome.
You need to travel first class to get a bed, the food’s not too bad, the rails are not smooth, and the scenery whizzes by in a blur of scrub – bypassing the very things that make the outback worthwhile. On the other hand, you can put your car/4WD on the train too, saving a lot of driving in one direction (or both).
In many outback regions it’s unwise to travel alone, so consider a “tag-along" adventure, where a convoy of 4WD vehicles embarks on a journey to remote regions. This style of travel offers safety in numbers, new friends and camping out under the stars, and is usually led by someone who knows the region well. Someone’s sure to have a satellite phone and HF radio. Motoring bodies (RACV, NRMA etc) in most states offer these types of tour and although there are costs involved, the advantages outweigh the expense.
Spend a few days visiting the real-life Central Australian locations that inspired the new film everyone is talking about, and discover why Alice Springs is such an important part of Australian culture.
In the credits of the new Australian film Kangaroo, the first name under ‘cast’ should read ‘The Northern Territory ’. Not only is Alice Springs (and the surrounding landscape) integral to the movie itself, but the spiritual heart of Australia and its local Indigenous owners also inform the look and feel of every frame, explains Producer Trisha Morton-Thomas of Brindle Films, who also plays Charlie’s grandmother Gwennie.
“By setting Kangaroo in Alice Springs (Mparntwe), the film embraces how visible Aboriginal people are here, and the living Aboriginal culture that is woven through this community,” she explains.
See Kangaroo, then visit the real-life filming locations.
And while shooting in such a sacred part of the Northern Territory required extra planning, it was something the cast and crew were highly invested in.
“There are incredibly significant sacred sites and places of deep cultural stories in the area, that at times are very gender-specific, which we’ve kept out of the production,” she explains. “Even if overhead drone footage captures a sacred site that isn’t meant to be seen by other people outside of that clan, we’ve made sure to omit it from the film.”
If Kangaroo piqued your interest in a Central Australian holiday, we don’t blame you. Read on to discover eight places featured in the movie that you can visit in real life – and get planning. Don’t forget to pack sunscreen and a hat.
1. Alice Springs/ Mparntwe
Visit the galleries of Alice Springs, like Many Hands Art Centre. (Image: Tourism NT/ Helen Orr/ Many Hands Art Centre)
2. The Kangaroo Sanctuary & Kangaroo Rescue Centre
Visit the movie’s inspiration at Kangaroo Sanctuary. (Image: Tourism NT/ Kangaroo Sanctuary)
Kangaroo was inspired by the journey of Chris ‘Brolga’ Barns, who founded the now world-renowned Kangaroo Sanctuary based in Alice Springs. For lead actor, Aussie Ryan Corr, the animals were central to the movie, alongside the landscapes.
“The animals in this story were a real calling point for me,” he explains. “What this story tries to tell us about the connection between humans and animals is beautiful.”
To gain a real insight into the fauna and flora of the Red Centre, you can visit the Kangaroo Sanctuary on a sunset tour, where you might even get the chance to hold a baby kangaroo.
3. Ormiston Gorge
Take a dip in Ormiston Gorge. (Image: Tourism NT/ @domandjesso)
The film captures the raw beauty of the West MacDonnell Ranges, known in the Arrernte language as Tjoritja. This national park is rich in Indigenous culture and stark geological wonders.
Only a 15-minute drive from Alice Springs, Tjoritja offers visitors the chance to camp, hike and swim among ancient landscapes (most attractions are less than a three-hour drive away).
Ormiston Gorge , a cooling oasis in among the red desert sands, is one of the most popular destinations, no doubt because of the permanent swimming hole and towering red cliffs. From here, visitors can also embark on the beautiful Ormiston Pound Walk and the shorter – more accessible – Ghost Gum Walk. Bring your bathers – it’s safe for swimming.
4. Standley Chasm
Wander through Standley Chasm. (Image: Tourism NT)
The 1.2-kilometre walk to nearby Standley Chasm will be a highlight for any visitor as the imposing 40 metre-high chasm walls project strength and ancient wisdom.
Visit at midday to experience the path illumined by the midday sun. Not only will you fill your camera roll with vibrant red images of the gorge and its intoxicating shadows, but you can also camp nearby in a powered or unpowered site so you can watch the brilliance of the desert stars fill the night sky after dusk.
5. Simpsons Gap
Walk the trails of Simpson’s Gap. (Image: Tourism NT/ Helen Orr)
Closer to Alice Springs, the photogenic Simpsons Gap is the perfect place to spot the endangered Black-footed Rock wallaby near the permanent watering hole. While swimming isn’t permitted, soaking up the sun and views certainly is.
Explore the area’s numerous walking trails, appreciate the soaring cliffs on either side of the ‘gap’ and pick out the shooting locations of Kangaroo in the area.
6. Ellery Creek Big Hole
Dive into Ellery Creek Big Hole. (Image: Tourism NT/ Tourism Australia)
When it comes to classic Northern Territory landscapes, you can’t go past Ellery Creek Big Hole/ Udepata : tall gum trees sidling up to a refreshing watering hole (fed by the West MacDonnell Ranges and surrounded by rugged red cliffs.
Swim in the cooling waters, hike the cliff tops, watch for birds and even stargaze as you camp here overnight. It’s locations like this that attracted the film’s director Kate Woods to the project.
“It humbles you to be in this environment: it’s so beautiful, so old and so vast,” she explains. “I was thrilled to get a chance to … shoot such a beautiful story in the incredible landscape of the Northern Territory.”
7. Larapinta Drive
Drive along Larapinta Drive. (Image: Tourism NT)
There is no better way to get a feel for how the characters arrived at the fictional Central Australian town of Silvergum than to travel along the iconic state road, Larapinta Drive.
Connecting Alice Springs to the mighty King’s Canyon in the west, via the historic community of Hermannsburg, this road takes in the West MacDonnell National Park, Alice Springs Desert Park and artist Albert Namatjira’s house, among other attractions. Take your time, bring a camera and prepare for numerous stops along the way.
8. Todd River
Join in the fun of the quirky Henley on Todd Regatta. (Image: Tourism NT/ TImparja Creative)
Meandering through Alice Springs like a lazy Western Brown snake, the Todd River is a central part of Alice Springs culture. Known as an ‘intermittent river’, the Todd can go from a dry dusty riverbed to a flowing waterscape in less than 15 minutes after heavy rainfall.
When it’s dry, the famous Henley on Todd Regatta fills the sandy riverbed with handmade ‘boats’ carried by sailors. This is the world’s only dry river boating event, and it’s referenced in the ‘Silvergum Boat Race’ in the movie. Inspired by the real-life event, the characters built quirky “Flintstones-style boats” and competed in teams.
