Robert Posted on 22 September 2025

Offroad sightseeing within coo-ee (200km) of Alice Springs

Words Robert Crack Pics: Matt Williams, Robert Crack and Supplied

In the first part of our focus on Alice Springs, we discovered why Alice is unlike any other town in Australia. In the second part, we explored some of the places and campgrounds within 200km of Alice Springs. Now, in this third and final instalment, we’re hitting the road again to explore several offroad sightseeing routes in the East and West MacDonnell Ranges.

Ruby Gap Nature Park in the East MacDonnell Ranges

The routes leading to our selection of five remote camping spots within coo-ee of Alice (which we covered here) are full of big skies, orange rock and red dirt.

That said, there are several other sightseeing routes which we highly recommend too.

Trephina Gorge — the quiet gem of the East MacDonnell Ranges

The galahs are ‘chet chetting’ in their signature, somewhat metallic way and the cliffs glow red in the afternoon sun. You’ve arrived at Trephina Gorge Nature Park — the less-visited sibling to the gorges of the West Macs and a genuine slice of Central Australia wilderness.

Eighty-five kilometres east of Alice Springs, this pocket of the East MacDonnell Ranges is all about sheer quartzite cliffs, sandy creek beds, rockholes and wide-open desert skies. It’s a place where you can walk, swim (briefly! The water is cold!), camp and lose the crowds without losing the comforts.

Getting to Trephina Gorge

To access Trephina Gorge Nature Park, drive 77km east from Alice Springs along the Ross Highway to the turnoff, then it’s another 9km — the last 5km of which is on an unsealed road that’s generally in good condition. This means in good weather you may encounter people in 2WD vehicles.

Trephina Gorge attractions

Walks include Gorge Stroll, Trephina Gorge Walk, Panorama Walk, Chain of Ponds Walk and Ridgetop Walk.

Chain of Ponds Walk, Trephina Gorge Nature Park

At John Hayes Rockhole, steep, narrow rock walls funnel down into a cool swimming hole. It looks inviting but be warned: the water here is freezing, no matter the time of year. Hypothermia in the desert? Absolutely possible. In long dry spells the pool disappears altogether, leaving just sand and ghosts of ripples past.

Getting to John Hayes Rockhole requires a high clearance 4WD. The rough track ensures that this is a quiet spot, and if you sit quietly by the water you might share it with wallabies and birdlife. When my brother and I drove there, we had the whole place to ourselves. The only other living creature we could see was a collared sparrowhawk (Tachyspiza cirrocephala) watching and waiting for an insect, lizard, small bird or mammal to come to the edge of the waterhole for a sip.

Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus), East MacDonnell Ranges (Credit: Robert Crack)

Trephina is home to Australia’s (and therefore the world’s) largest ghost gum (Corymbia aparrerinja), a real stunner best seen in the afternoon light. This venerable tree is more than 30m tall and at least 300 years old. Look out too for river red gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) lining the sandy creek beds, rock wallabies on the ledges and birdlife galore — from zebra finches and mistletoebirds to budgerigars and red-browed pardelotes.

John Hayes Rockhole, Trephina Gorge Nature Park (Credit: Robert Crack)

Camping at Trephina Gorge

There are four campgrounds located in Trephina Gorge Nature Park, being Gorge, Panorama, Bluff and John Hayes Rockhole campgrounds.

Gorge Campground is tent-friendly and close to the main walks, while Panorama Campground has larger sites that are good for caravans and even big rigs, but it is not suitable for tents.

Bluff Campground is a quieter, scenic spot just before the gorge. It has six sites, suitable for tents only (camper trailers and caravans are not permitted).

Gorge, Panorama and Bluff Campgrounds feature toilets, potable water, gas and wood-fired barbecue facilities and picnic tables.

John Hayes Rockhole Campground is only accessible by 4WD. It’s unsuitable for caravans or camper trailers, and camping is tent-only. There are toilets, wood-fired barbecues and picnic facilities, but no gas barbecue facilities and no drinking water.

Camping sites must be booked online in advance — there’s no paying at the gate. Current fees (as of September 2025) are budget-friendly ($6 adults, $3 kids or $15 for a family of two adults and two children). You will also require a Parks Pass (unless you are an NT resident). Pets, generators, drones and collecting firewood are all prohibited.

Bluff Campground, Trephina Gorge Nature Park (Credit: Matt Williams)

Don’t miss the beauty of the East Macs

My brother and I visited Trephina Gorge (including John Hayes Rockhole) during the month of April and the weather was perfect. April to September is the best time of year to visit the East Macs, with summer temperatures often topping 40 degrees. If you do visit in the hotter months, walk early and be sure to finish by about 11am.

While many people head straight for the West Macs, the East Macs are raw, rugged and far less crowded. Trephina Gorge Nature Park delivers sheer cliffs, a truly off-the-beaten-track swimming hole and starry nights without the tour-bus buzz. It’s also significant Arrernte country, part of the sacred Wallaby Dreaming Trail.

So whether you’re here for a day walk, a campsite under the desert sky or the challenge of the Ridgetop Trail, Trephina Gorge will give you that sense of adventure for which Central Australia is famous — without the traffic.

Ruby Gap Nature Park via Arltunga Historical Reserve

After you’ve managed to tear yourself away from Trephina Gorge Nature Park, continue driving in a northeasterly direction to Arltunga Historical Reserve.

About Arltunga Historical Reserve

Hidden in the East MacDonnell Ranges, 110km east of Alice Springs, Arltunga (whose name derives from the Eastern Arrernte name for a waterhole, ‘Arnerre-ntyenge’) tells the story of Central Australia’s first town. Born from the 1887 gold rush, this outpost once supported hundreds of hopeful miners who trekked more than 600km from the Oodnadatta railhead through brutal desert country.

Mining shaped the region for three decades. Remains of the Government Battery, Cyanide Works and the Old Police Station stand as reminders of the industry that briefly thrived. Restored stone buildings and scattered ruins make for atmospheric exploring, while interpretive signs and the visitor centre give insight both into technology and survival in a remote frontier town.

The reserve is accessible year-round, though cooler months (April–September) are the most comfortable. From Alice Springs, follow the Ross Highway for 76km, then continue 33km on a gravel road to reach the site. Roads may be impassable after heavy rain, so check conditions before setting out.

Facilities include shaded picnic areas, toilets, barbecues and walking tracks linking key sites. Fossicking is not permitted inside the reserve, but a designated area nearby allows it with a permit. Camping is not available within the reserve (with the exception of paid camping at the Arltunga Bush Pub and Eco Retreat campground), though Trephina Gorge and N'Dhala Gorge offer nearby options.

Declared a Historical Reserve in 1977, today Arltunga’s ruins, stories and stark landscape provide a powerful glimpse into the hopes and hardships of life on a desert goldfield. And having more than 30km of 4WD tracks to explore is a bonus.

Old Police Station, Arltunga Historical Reserve (Credit: Matt Williams)

Continuing on to Ruby Gap Nature Park

Some places feel like the outback has kept them secret just for you. Ruby Gap Nature Park, 150km east of Alice Springs, is one of them. Rugged, remote and raw, this slice of country is the wild edge of the East MacDonnell Ranges, where Central Australia’s first mining rush kicked off in 1886.

The history of Ruby Gap

It was explorer, surveyor and mining entrepreneur David Lindsay who here, in 1886, picked up what he thought were rubies, thereby starting a rush of prospectors. Turns out the ‘rubies’ were garnets. The rush fizzled, but the legend (and the name) stuck.

Lindsay had led expeditions across Arnhem Land and to Gulf of Carpentaria. Later, in 1891, he headed the Elder Scientific Exploring Expedition. Despite not finding rubies at Ruby Gap, he later profited handsomely from the Coolgardie gold rush, promoted Western Australia’s mining opportunities internationally and managed pastoral and agricultural projects in the Northern Territory.

Today, the rush is different. It’s bushwalkers, four-wheel drivers and campers chasing not rubies, but solitude, red cliffs and swimming holes that sparkle in the desert sun.

Access, camping and what to bring

To get to Ruby Gap, drive along Binns Track from Arltunga Historical Reserve. This drive is for fair dinkum high-clearance 4WD vehicles only — the last 38km takes 90 minutes and is as hard as nails. The route may be impassable after heavy rain, and flash flooding is possible, so don’t cross the riverbed after rain. And if you’re already in it? Get to higher ground, quickly.

Approximately 5km in from the park entrance and information signage, Ruby Gap itself is the furthest you are permitted to drive your vehicle. You are permitted to camp anywhere along this 5km stretch between the park entrance and Ruby Gap.

There are no designated camping sites — just pitch your tent or swag along the Hale River between the park entrance and Ruby Gap itself. Expect flat sandy stretches under ghost gums. Don’t expect any facilities, because there aren’t any. No toilets, water, picnic tables or bins, so you’ll need to be self-sufficient and take your rubbish with you. You must book online before arrival (fees: $4/adult, $2/child, $10/family), and all non-NT residents must also have a Parks Pass.

At night it’s just you, desert fauna, the sound of the wind and the crackle of your campfire.

No-go items in Ruby Gap Nature Park include pets, generators and drones (without permit).

Must-have items for Ruby Gap Nature Park include a satellite phone or personal locator beacon (PLB), first aid kit, sunscreen, sun-safe clothing, second spare tyre, at least 8L of water per person per day (more if you will be doing a lot of hiking) and a very broad-brimmed hat.

Ruby Gap attractions

From the park entrance, follow the Hale River (Lhere Altera in Arrernte language) upstream. At Ruby Gap, 2.8km in, the cliffs close in. Look for glistening garnets in the sand.

Step into Ruby Gap and the colour palette hits you — ochre cliffs, gum leaves quivering in dry riverbeds and skies so impossibly blue you’ll take off your sunnies to double check.

Glen Annie Gorge is a highlight. It’s a 5km return walk from Ruby Gap. With towering cliff walls, this long waterhole is a haven for Australian reed-warblers, zebra finches, black-fronted dotterels, Australasian grebes, painted finches and bush stone curlews. It’s also a haven for visitors and swimming here is pure desert magic.

The walk to Fox’s Grave is 8km return from Ruby Gap via Glen Annie Gorge. In 1888, miner F.H. Fox ended his life when he realised his rubies were only garnets. His lonely grave remains on a sunbaked rise.

Why visit Ruby Gap?

Because this is the real outback. No caravans, no softroaders, no crowds. Just red rock, blue skies, a European settlement story that takes you back to the 1880s, First Australians’ stories that go back tens of millennia and geological stories going back hundreds of millions of years.

Once you’ve had your fill of swimming, fossicking and solitude, head back to Alice with a few garnet chips in your pocket and a grin that says: ‘I’ve been somewhere truly special.’

Birthday Waterhole and beyond

Stretching out 161km west of Alice Springs, the West MacDonnell Ranges are a treasure chest of outback wonders. Think dramatic gorges, red-rock escarpments, Arrernte culture and some of the best short walks and overnight treks in the country.

But tucked among the big names lies a quieter gem: Birthday Waterhole.

With your high clearance 4WD and your sense of adventure, this semi-permanent pool on the Hugh River is your ticket to seclusion.

Getting to Birthday Waterhole

To get there from Alice Springs, head west along Namatjira Drive. About 9.6km past the Larapinta Drive junction, look for the dirt road turn-off. You can’t miss it; prominent signage reads:

LARAPINTA TRAIL ACCESS

STAGE 4 AND 5 15km

STAGE 5 AND 6 23km

High clearance 4WD only

You’ve then got about 14km of rough track with sandy creek crossings and rocky patches — drop your tyre pressures if needed. Certainly don’t try this in a softroader.

Allow about an hour each way. If you’re towing a camper trailer, expect a few tricky sections.

Camping at Birthday Waterhole

Large river red gums shade the banks, while rainbow fish and frogs dart through the shallows. Desert birds drop in daily. It’s a proper outback oasis.

There’s camping available, but spaces are limited and strictly 4WD-only access. Make sure you book your campsite online before you go.

Birthday Waterhole attractions

This is a place of narrow gorges, rugged ridgelines and that hush you only get in Central Australia. Birthday Waterhole sits on Arrernte Country, where stories of early explorers and traditional owners weave into the land.

If you’ve made it out here, don’t turn back too soon. The West Macs hide plenty more gems, such as Roma Gorge (high clearance 4WD only), Ormiston Gorge and Ellery Creek Big Hole, which are all classics for a swim or a bushwalk.

Ormiston Gorge (Credit: Robert Crack)

Ellery Creek Big Hole (Credit: Robert Crack)

The West MacDonnell Ranges aren’t just postcard landscapes, they’re living country, rich in story and spirit.

Whether you roll in by 4WD, tackle a chunk of the Larapinta, or simply camp by the Hugh River, Birthday Waterhole is the sort of place that lingers with you long after you’ve left.

Plan your Red Centre adventure

Camping and four-wheel driving in the Red Centre is raw, remote and unforgettable. But it’s not a casual weekend jaunt — you’ll need to plan, prepare and book campsites online before you arrive.

So, pack your swag, book your campsite, load the fridge and point the bonnet to the Centre. And don’t forget a Hema map. Out here, it pays to know exactly where you are.