The Alice Springs Telegraph Station is a Historical Reserve located 4.6kms drive from the Alice Springs town centre. Home to the most well conserved station along the historical Overland Telegraph Line.
The park has a fascinating history and is a beautiful relaxing place to spend time in nature, gather with friends and family for a BBQ, or learn more about the rich history of the area.
According to the plaque erected next to the waterhole, the spring was named “Alice Springs” by W. W. Mills, a telegraph surveyor, after discovering it on 11th March 1871. Alice, whom Wiliam named the spring after, was the Wife of Sir Charles Todd who pioneered the establishment of the Overland Telegraph Line.

The location was initially thought to be a permanent spring, and source of water, hence the location was selected as the location for the telegraph repeater station. Unfortunately, the water was just a remainder from river flow following rains.
The Alice Springs, and surrounding historical reserve has been known by Turiara or ‘Atherreyurre’ by the Arrernte people who were the original inhabitants of the area. It has significant cultural significance to the traditional people and after the station was decommissioned, the facility was converted to a school for children taken in the Stolen Generation. You can read more about this here.

The Alice Springs Telegraph Station is a great place to meet for a bbq. The grounds are well maintained and there are picnic benches and barbecues for groups to self cater lunch. There is also an on-site café where you can grab a coffee and send a postcard in the functioning post office.
At the time of publishing, recent rains had filled the waterhole, and it is a great place to cool off in the heat! If swimming isn’t your thing, there are some great walking trails, including an easy grade walk back to Todd Mall.

The Telegraph station is also the centre point for a bunch of fantastic Mountain Biking tracks which make up the Alice Springs Mountain Bike Trail Network. The network has a selection of trails to test riders of all levels, as well as providing some spectacular scenery along the ride. You can download a PDF copy of the Alice Springs MTB Trails map and info sheet here.
Because the Alice Springs Telegraph Station is in a National Park, dogs and pets are not permitted (service animals excepted).
We Recommend Alice Springs Telegraph Station for:
- BBQ venue for birthdays & gatherings
- Cute date location
- A place to walk in nature
- A place to learn more about Alice Springs
Our Tip:
A great place to spot Rock Wallabies at dusk!
