Alice Springs Desert Park

So far, one of the best things about living in Alice Springs is the perks of being a local.  For most attractions, you only pay once and then you can go as many times as you like for the next year for free or reduced admission.

The Alice Springs Reptile Centre is a really neat little place.  If you like scaly things, that is.  And, of course, Jamie LOVES it.  They have dozens of lizards, some of them wander freely around the centre and you can pet them.  Others they will let you hold, but others you just look at in their little indoor/outdoor habitats.  There are a number of snakes, as well.  You can hold some of them, but most you wouldn't want to.  The biggest attraction is Terry.  Terry is a very large crocodile in an outdoor aquarium with an underwater viewing window.  Jamie thinks it would be neat to pet him, too, so I keep having to explain that crocodiles don't really like to be pet.

I mentioned the Alice Springs Desert Park before.  This is truly a wonderful place to spend a day.  There are three different desert habitats represented:  Woodlands, Sand Country and Desert Rivers.  Here are a few pictures from the Desert Park.

Red-backed Kingfisher

Red-tailed Black Cockatoos

Rainbow Bee-eater

Black and White Egrets

Cool Dude

Gavin and Braden

Perennial Yellow Top

Blue Mallee





Poached Egg Daisies

MacDonnell Range

Spencer's Goanna

The term Goanna is pretty interesting.  Apparently, some early settlers saw them and thought they looked like iguanas, but couldn't remember the name.  So, they called them Goannas.  Another name for them is Monitor Lizards.