Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

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CHAPTER 7 . THE RED CENTRE
one-stop shop for bookings and touring information for the Red Centre, including
Alice Springs, Kings Canyon, and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (Ayers
Rock). It also acts as the visitor center for the Parks & Wildlife Commission of the
Northern Territory. It’s open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5:30pm and
from 9am to 4pm weekends and public holidays. It also has a desk at the airport.
SPECIAL EVENTS The town hosts a couple of bizarre events. The Camel
Cup camel race takes place on the second Saturday in July. In late September,
folks from hundreds of kilometers come out to cheer at the Henley-on-Todd
Regatta. They cheer on the owners of gaudily decorated, homemade bottomless
“boats” as they race them on foot down the dry Todd River bed. Well, what else
do you do on a river that flows only 3 days a year? See “Australia Calendar of
Events” in chapter 2 for more details on this event.
GETTING AROUND Virtually all tours pick you up at your hotel.
If your itinerary traverses unpaved roads, as it may do in outlying areas from
Alice, you will need to rent a 4WD, as regular cars will not be insured on an
unpaved road surface. However, a regular car will get you to most attractions. Avis
(& 08/8953 5533), Budget (& 08/8952 8899), EuropCar (& 08/8955 5994),
Hertz (& 08/8952 2644), local company Outback Auto Rentals (& 1800/652
133 in Australia, or 08/8953 5333), and Thrifty (& 08/8952 9999) all rent conventional
and 4WD vehicles. You may get a better deal on car rental by going
through the booking agent The Outback Travel Shop (& 08/8955 5288; www.
outbacktravelshop.com.au) in Alice Springs, as it negotiates bulk rates with most
Alice car-rental companies.
Hertz, Thrifty, and Outback Auto Rentals rent camping kits holding everything
you need, including a tent, sleeping bags, and a gas stove. A kit will cost
around A$15 (US$9.75) per person per day. Book them in advance. Camping
gear usually only fits into 4WD vehicles, not sedans.
Many campervan rental outfits have Alice offices, including Britz Campervan
Rentals (& 08/8952 8814), Hertz Campervans (& 08/8953 5333), Kea
Camper (& 1800/252 555), and Maui Rentals (& 08/8952 8049). As an
example of price, Apollo Campers (& 1800 777 779 in Australia; www.apollo
wcamper.com) rents two-to-three-berth vans for around $100 (US$65) a day,
with pick-up and drop-off at several major centers. A four-wheel drive version
costs between A$165 and A$220 (US$107–US$143) a day. This can work out
significantly cheaper than staying in hotels and going on tours.
The best way to get around town without your own transport is aboard the
Alice Wanderer bus (& 1800/722 111 in Australia, or 08/8952 2111). Taxi
fares are exorbitant, presumably because there’s only one main outfit in town,
Alice Springs Taxis (& 13 10 08).
CITY LAYOUT Todd Mall is the heart of town. Most shops, businesses, and
restaurants are here or within a few blocks’ walk. Most hotels, the casino, the
golf course, and many of the town’s attractions are located a few kilometers outside
of town. The dry Todd River “flows” through the city east of Todd Mall.
SEEING THE SIGHTS IN ALICE
Aboriginal Art & Culture Centre Set up by the Southern Arrernte Aboriginal
people, this center houses a small, intriguing museum with exhibits on Aboriginal
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 cultures.
It sells artifacts and art. Allow from 15 minutes to 1 hour.
86 Todd St. & 08/8952 3408. Free Admission. Daily 8am–5pm.