Alice Springs
Alice Springs (Eastern Arrernte: Mparntwe) is a town in the Northern Territory, Australia; the third largest settlement after Darwin and Palmerston. The name Alice Springs was given by surveyor William Whitfield Mills after Alice, Lady Todd (née Alice Gillam Bell), wife of the telegraph pioneer Sir Charles Todd. Known colloquially as "The Alice" or simply "Alice", the town is situated roughly in Australia's geographic centre. It is nearly equidistant from Adelaide and Darwin.
| Alice Springs Mparntwe Northern Territory | |||||||||
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View of Alice Springs from Anzac Hill, with MacDonnell Ranges and Heavitree Gap in the background | |||||||||
Alice Springs Location in Northern Territory | |||||||||
| Coordinates | 23°42′0″S 133°52′12″E | ||||||||
| Population | 25,912 (2021) | ||||||||
| • Density | 79.121/km2 (204.92/sq mi) | ||||||||
| Established | 1872 | ||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 0870-0872 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 545 m (1,788 ft) | ||||||||
| Area | 327.5 km2 (126.4 sq mi) (2011 urban) | ||||||||
| Time zone | ACST (UTC+9:30) | ||||||||
| Location | |||||||||
| LGA(s) | Alice Springs Town Council | ||||||||
| Territory electorate(s) | |||||||||
| Federal division(s) | Lingiari | ||||||||
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The area is also known locally as Mparntwe to its original inhabitants, the Arrernte, who have lived in the Central Australian desert in and around what is now Alice Springs for tens of thousands of years.
Alice Springs had an urban population of 25,912 in August 2021. The town's population accounts for approximately 10 per cent of the population of the Northern Territory.
The town straddles the usually dry Todd River on the northern side of the MacDonnell Ranges. The surrounding region is known as Central Australia, or the Red Centre, an arid environment consisting of several deserts. Temperatures in Alice Springs can vary, with an average maximum in summer of 35.6 °C (96.1 °F) and an average minimum in winter of 5.1 °C (41.2 °F).