Summary

Home to two world National Heritage-listed parks; Kakadu and Uluru.

World Heritage Areas

• Kakadu National Park
• Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

Contact details

Northern Territory Parks and Reserves:
https://nt.gov.au/leisure/parks-reserves

Northern Territory Tourism:
https://northernterritory.com/things-to-do/nature-and-wildlife/national-parks

Walks in Northern Territory

Easy

2.1 km return

1 hr

Cemetery & Trig Hill Loop

This is a hugely historic area and this walk, with its interpretive signs, takes you out to the cemetery and around the immediate area, up Trig Hill and back to the Telegraph Station.

Easy

1.6 km return

1 hr

Claypan Walk (Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve)

The Claypan Walk is 1.6 km return and meanders along the edge of the mostly dry claypans that transform into reflective pools for short periods after rain. There are several viewing platforms
along the way that provide the best views of Rainbow Valley.

Easy

1 km return

30 mins

Corroboree Rock Walk (East Macdonell Ranges)

Corroboree Rock is a dark grey column of dolomite an hour's drive east of Alice Springs.
It’s one of many sites in the MacDonnell Ranges that’s of great importance to the Eastern Arrernte people.

Take a short walk around the base of the rock to survey the area and have a closer look at the ancient sedimentary, fine-grained rock. At the base you can see dark grey and light grey streaky blobs of dolostone rock. A ring of low ground surrounding it makes it look like an obelisk.

The real significance of the rocky outcrop to the Eastern Arrernte people is not well known. Corroboree Rock was probably not a corroboree site due to the lack of water in the area, but was probably used as an important storage site for ceremonial objects.

The rock itself is an outcrop of dolomite from the Bitter Springs Formation originally laid down in salty lakes 800 million years ago.

Corroboree Rock Conservation Reserve is an easy stopover on your way to other East MacDonnell landmarks such as Trephina Gorge and Arltunga. The reserve is easily reached along the sealed road by two-wheel drive vehicles.

Easy

1 km return

30 mins

Emily Gap (Anthwerrke)

Emily Gap (Anthwerrke) is a registered sacred site. A large rock painting depicts the caterpillar dreaming. Please respect the site and do not touch any Aboriginal art.

Easy

250 m return

30 mins

Government Works (Arltunga Historic Reserve)

Government Works: self guided walk, 250 m return. This area containing Arltunga’s richest collection of historic buildings and associated sites for the visitor to discover. Pick up a brochure from the pamphlet box at the carpark and explore the site of the Government Battery and Cyanide Works, which once processed the quartz ore of the area to find the elusive gold. Walk through the Manager’s and Assayer’s Residence and compare the government officials accommodation to that of the miners which can be seen elsewhere in the Reserve. Also stroll about the remains of the Post Office, Blacksmith Shop, Gold Room and offices. You can also enjoy a short walk to the Police Station of 1.5 km (20 - 30 minutes). A walk information sheet is available from the carpark.

Medium

600 m return

30 mins

Great Western Mine (Arltunga Historic Reserve)

Great Western Mine: a self guided walk, 600 m return. This walk will take you to what was once the second most productive mine at White Range, producing 600 ounces of gold. Scramble into this cavernous mine and explore its many secrets. Along the track you will discover the remains of miners stone buildings, and wooden buildings left from later miners that reworked the area. A walk information sheet is available from the carpark.

Easy

1.7 km return

45 mins

Historic Mines Walk - Golden Chance Mine (Arltunga Historic Reserve)

Golden Chance Mine: a self guided walk, 1.7 km return. The walk to this mine offers the opportunity to examine one of the miners huts of ‘dry stone’ construction. Also from the mine, a short 200 m ascent to the top of the hill will reward you with a spectacular panoramic view of Arltunga. A walk information sheet is available from the carpark.

Easy

900 m return

30 mins

Historic Mines Walk - MacDonnell Range Reef Walk (Arltunga Historic Reserve)

Historic Mine Walks: MacDonnell Range Reef Mine: a self guided walk, 0.9 km return. Access to the underground section of this walk has been closed due to safety concerns. A walk information sheet is available from the carpark.

Easy

1 km return

30 mins

Jessie Gap

These small Gaps in the Heavitree Range are the first features you come to on your trip into the East MacDonnell Ranges. They contain interesting Aboriginal paintings and are important
spiritual sites to the Eastern Arrernte Aboriginal people.

Hard

200 m return

1 hr

Jokers Mine & Gorge (Arltunga Historic Reserve)

Joker Mine
From the buildings, you can take the steep 150m walk up the hill through the spinifex and Blue Mallee to the Joker Mine. Walk towards the mullock heap on the edge of the gully. Here you will find an adit (horizontal drive), which up until 1905 had yielded .

Joker Gorge
Joker Gorge rewards the walker with some stunning scenery. It is also home to some of Arltunga’s most interesting wildlife. This gorge contains the only source of semipermanent surface water within the reserve, and hence wildlife is more concentrated here. The large rocks, overhangs, and steep cliffs provide ideal habitat for Black-footed Rockwallabies. If you are quiet you will be able to spot them here at any time of the day. You may be able to see droppings of Dingoes and Echidnas. Spinifex Pigeons, Crested Pigeons, Zebra Finches, and Honeyeaters are common here.