A journey into the rugged lands of central Australia is not taken by every traveller. It’s not on the famed East Coast surf trail. It’s not an easy 3 hour hop from Asia. And it doesn’t have the ommisable art and culinary scene of Melbourne. So why take a journey to the third largest town in the lowly populated state of the Northern Territory, smack in the middle of the geographically huge landscape of Australia? Why there are more reasons than any guide could possibly cover. The original desert dwellers of this area, known as the Arrernte Aboriginal Australians, have marked this territory as their own for tens of thousands of years. Their indigenous artworks and sacred sites paint their history and tell the stories of the dreamtime; their laws of existence and deeply spiritual and connected understanding of the world. Though Alice Springs is often used by travellers as the gateway to nearby Uluru, sticking around to explore the biggest town in the ‘red centre’ will offer plenty of rewards to gung-ho travellers. Gorges, wildlife, and dynamic rock formations abound across the West MacDonnell Ranges, home to the popular 223 kilometre walking trail known as the Larapinta. The Emily and Simpson Gap attract those in search of ancient artworks, mythology and a chance to take a cycle through the open desert. Meanwhile, the festivities of Alice offer insight into the spirit of community found here, coming in the form of a camel race, an off-road motor race, and a modern and illuminated display of Aboriginal artwork. It is here under a blanket of brightly sparkling stars or scorching sun that Australia’s heartbeat can be heard. This journey might be one you’ll consider for weeks, but we can assure you it is one that you will never regret.