Everything you need to know about getting to Alice Springs' Parrtjima festival

It’s the heart of our country, and the top of many bucket lists, but most Australians never make it to Alice Springs.

Hero A2

Alice Springs. It’s that place we all want to visit but most never quite get around to. It’s the ultimate ‘one day’ destination, as the lure of flight deals to far-away places send us exploring the world before our own backyard. But with this year’s Parrtjima Festival coming up next month, consider bypassing Bali and go deeper into your own culture’s heritage in the Northern Territory.

Parrtjima: 28th Sept to 7th October, Alice Springs Hailed as a Festival in Light, Parrtjima is more than just the desert lighting up. From 28th Sept to 7th October, its installations will tell important stories of the land, the people, and how the two intersect beautifully and spiritually through immersive art. Taking place in Alice Springs, home of the Arrernte of Mparntwe, come up or over, and be an important part of the eye-opening outdoor gallery at Alice Springs Desert Park – illuminating the expansive MacDonnell Ranges. Parrtjima celebrates the living energy of the land, so that visitors and non-Arrernte people can appreciate it and embrace the messages, too. And the festival communicates this through art, storytelling and an array of collaborations. It’s an opening of the mind. An awakening. An understanding. It’s Australia.

GAZE INTO A SKY OF A MILLION STARS, LET IT TAKE YOU TO BOUNDLESS PLACES.

There’s another thing that makes the Parrtjima Festival even more unmissable, aside from the  impressive program of film, music and cultural discussion - as well as the magical light installations - it’s completely free.

Given its popularity, organisers do suggest visiting the Parrtjima Australia website to subscribe and receive your invitation. Then, closer to the event, register to receive the program map and further details on cool, pop-up events such as live music and artist talks.

So, the logistics. Being in central Australia, there’s some planning involved. But isn’t that what indelible journeys are all about?

PLANNING YOUR TRIP

If you’re travelling from interstate, stay for at least four days so you can take in everything that the Parrtjima Festival has for you. Spend at least two nights visiting each precinct of Parrtjima – the first, at the Alice Springs Desert Park and the second in the city’s Todd Mall area.

Got the time? Turn it into a holiday and spend a few days after the festival exploring the jaw-dropping, ‘why didn’t I get here sooner’, landscapes and remote communities in the Alice Springs region.

There’s plenty to see and do, so work out how much time you’ve got and start crafting your post-festival adventures. Cycle to Simpson’s Gap, take on the desert with a quad bike or go further afield to join a 4WD camel safari trek across the sand dunes.

Get up close and connect with Indigenous art styles along the Tanami Track and discover ancient rock art, artefacts and ceremonial sites near St Teresa. The options for adventure are as endless as its landscapes.

GETTING THERE AND WHERE TO STAY

Virgin, Air North and Qantas are the three major airline that service Alice Springs regularly. Together they can offer a good stock of flight routes and times. It’s always better to book as early as possible and each airline will usually have flight sales every 2-3 months.

Flying time to the centre from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne is around three hours, with Perth coming in at just over two. For the full experience, you can take a ride on the iconic Ghan. The majestic Great Southern Railway route is regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful rail trips, snaking its way between Adelaide, Alice Springs and Darwin on the Adelaide–Darwin railway.

Once you reach Alice, there are a range of accommodation options, to suit most budgets. The most popular choice is hotels, motels and resorts. Bed and breakfasts, as well as caravan parks are great, affordable options, too. You can even check in for a night or three at a proper, historical working cattle station. The trick, as with flights to the Alice, is booking in advance to avoid missing out at peak times of the year.

Our recommendations are for the Outback Pioneer Hotel, Alice in the Territory, Aurora Alice Springs, Crowne Plaza Alice Springs Lasseters and Desert Gardens Hotel. Check out the Bluestone Mirror Inn, the Elkira Court Motel or the Ibis Styles Alice Springs Oasis if you’re watching those dollarmites.

TO AND FROM THE FESTIVAL

Parking is limited at the Alice Springs Desert Park site, to manage the thousands of you who will attend Parrtjima every evening. The festival offers a free night bus service that picks you up from locations around Alice Springs (including popular hotels and central locations) and drops you back at various intervals throughout the evening.

The shuttle bus will arrive and depart approximately every 15 minutes from the park ‘n’ ride locations. The last bus will depart Alice Springs Desert Park at 10:50pm stopping at all park ‘n’ ride locations. Find out the locations and timetable information on the website, closer to the event.

WHAT TO PACK AND WHAT TO EXPECT

Think comfort, and remember you’re heading into desert, real desert. It gets cold at night, so pack closed shoes, a jacket, a torch, water, and of course, your camera (or iPhone). Although it’s one of those ‘photos don’t do it justice’, you’re going to want to show people this. And, just like every festival, there’s food and beverages available.

Come with an open mind and no expectations. When you’re mixing in one of the oldest deserts in the world, a mesmerising, outdoor gallery of light and sound, spanning a 300-million-year-old natural canvas, you’ve got to wait to see where this journey really takes you.

Spend the night exploring the installations, under starry skies with spiritual creativity awakening your mind, body, and soul. Sample some good old local bush Aussie tucker, jamming to live music.

Can you say you’ve ever been to an immersive art show where Australian ranges are the canvas?

Nope. Neither have we.

Bali? Take a number.