Central Australia abounds in native wildlife and magnificent terrain. The diversity in flora and fauna has given birth to several wonderful wildlife sanctuaries. The wildlife in Central Australia includes kangaroos, wallabies, dingoes, reptiles like the thorny devil and an array of amazing bird species. If you’re in Central Australia, don’t miss out on these.
One of the most popular destinations in the region, the Alice Springs Desert Park is an enclosed space that preserves the wildlife in the ancient Central Australian region. The guided Nocturnal Tour is one of the most sought-after activities here and is a night-time tour of all the endangered nocturnal animals like bilby, mala, and echidna.
Another amazing experience is the Free-flying Bird Show that takes place in the Nature Theatre which showcases different desert birds and their flying and hunting abilities as onlookers watch them in rapt attention.
The Alice Springs Reptile Centre is the largest in Central Australia. It displays several reptiles native to the region, such as goannas, frill-neck lizards, thorny devils, and a wide range of geckos. The reptile show happens every day and has very interesting talks on snakes and lizards and is followed by a supervised handling session.
Bearded Dragon
In addition to the Alice Springs Desert Park, the Kangaroo Sanctuary is a beautiful 188-acre haven for rescued kangaroos and their babies. It is located 15 kilometres away from Alice Springs. The sanctuary also has a guided sunset tour where you can meet a kangaroo family and hold a baby kangaroo.
The Olive Pink Botanic Gardens is a must-visit if you’re looking for more parks and wildlife in Alice Springs. It is located very close to town and was developed by Miss Olive Pink as land to preserve regional flora. You can spot several species of birds and the black-footed wallabies here if you stay back for an authentic Thai dinner on the weekend.
Erldunda is situated on the corner of the Stuart and Lasseter Highways. The Erldunda Roadhouse Emu Enclosure is situated here and tactfully serves as a good stopping point for those travelling further ahead.
You can stay at the emu enclosure and have the opportunity to interact with the birds (over 30 of them). Emu feed is available at the roadhouse shop if you’d like to feed the birds. The enclosure was also renovated recently and boasted over 40 metres of mural art as a part of this renovation.
Newhaven is one of the largest sanctuaries in Australia and spreads over 260,000 hectares. It protects threatened species like the black-footed wallaby, the brush-tailed Mulgara, and the great desert skink. It also preserves 174 different species of birds, which makes it a great bird watching site. The sanctuary also has a series of self-guided tours with extensive notes that make them very informative.
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