LOCATION SPOTLIGHT: NORTHERN TERRITORY’S ALICE SPRINGS AND SURROUNDS

Alice Springs is a remote town in Australia’s Northern Territory, halfway between Darwin and Adelaide, both 1,500km away. It’s a popular gateway for exploring the Red Centre, the country’s interior desert region. Nestled between the East and West MacDonnell Ranges, ‘Alice’ is famous for its beautiful desert landscapes, colourful outback characters, a myriad of opportunities for adventure and a strong Aboriginal culture.

Standley Chasm

An 80m sheer rock-face of the chasm is along a well-maintained trail (1.2km/10mins each way), following the natural creek bed with seating & interpretative signage. Surrounded by the West Macdonnell Ranges National Park, it’s located in a private flora and fauna reserve owned by the Iwupataka Land Trust. A unique Aboriginal Owned & Operated enterprise, Angkerle Aboriginal Corporation is owned by the local community members who are direct descendants of the Western Arrernte Aboriginal people, that have lived in this area for tens of thousands of years.

Just under 50kms from Alice Springs, Standley Chasm offers some great local services:
Kiosk Café – barista coffees, home-baked scones, hot lunches, ice creams. Picnic tables/BBQ/WC.
Group catering by arrangement, with coach parking facilities.
Various Campsites and RV power.

The Macdonnell Ranges

A mountain range and an interim Australian bioregion, located in the Northern Territory with an area of 3,929,444 hectares. The larger water holes include Ellery Creek Big Hole, Ormiston Gorge, Redbank Gorge and Glen Helen Gorge.

Desert Park

Alice Springs’ Desert Park is only seven kilometres from the centre of Alice Springs. Desert Park is an inspiring portrayal of Australia’s desert environment that effortlessly blends the plants, animals, and people of our arid regions. The park is well serviced with venues for events, small conferences, catering facilities, toilets, and Wi-Fi, all set against a vibrant desert backdrop.

Recent Productions

The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart was brought to the Northern Territory by Executive Producers Bruna Papandrea, Jodi Matterson, Steve Hutensky, Sarah Lambert, Glendyn Ivin, Allie Goss, Sigourney Weaver and Producer Barbara Gibbs. The 7 x 1 hour scripted series was filmed in and around Alice Springs’ locations of Standley Chasm and Alice Springs Desert Park.

Also filming in and around Alice Springs recently was the Brindle Films Pty Ltd children’s live-action drama series Maverix, recently released on the ABC. Produced by Rachel Clements and Trisha Morton-Thomas the 10 x 26-minute series created an impressive purpose-built track for all the bike action.

True Colours directed by Erica Glynn and Steven McGregor and Produced by David Jowsey, Greer Simpkin, Penny Smallacombe and Jim Remedio, filmed from July to September 2021 in Alice Springs.

The 4 x 1 hour scripted drama will be released in 2022 on Australia’s SBS Channel.

Olive Pink Botanical Gardens, Alice Springs

Fun facts about the Red Centre

According to the traditional Dreamtime stories of the Arrernte people, the land around Alice Springs was created by ancestral figures, two sisters, travelling boys and animals such as Wallaroos, caterpillars and wild dogs. These Dreaming stories are some of the first-ever recorded in Australia.

They call it the Red Centre for a reason. Alice is right in the middle of Australia.

Per capita, Alice Springs has the most art galleries of any town or city in Australia – making it one of the most artistic cities in the world. Who needs Paris when you’ve got Alice Springs?

Alice Springs is the major hub for the entire Red Centre. In fact, it services an area that’s roughly the size of France! This is why you’ll find so many shops and restaurants in town.

Contact the Screen Territory Team

Screen Territory can support your production with location advice, they have an office in Darwin.
Phone: 08 8999 6302
Email: [email protected]
Website: Screen Territory

Other information (accommodation, restaurants, airports etc.)
Alice Springs airport has direct flights from Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin and Ayers Rock airport and is well serviced with hotels, hire cars and restaurants.

Alice Springs is also the home to CAAMA, the Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association Founded in 1980, the offices of production company Brindle Films and First Nations Media Australia, to name a few.

Screen Territory