ANZAC Hill: Alice Springs Travel Guide (4.6★)

A whole town laid out below you

From the top you can see all of Alice Springs at once. The grid of the town centre sits right below the summit, with Todd Mall running through it and the sandy bed of the Todd River along its eastern edge. The MacDonnell Ranges fill the southern horizon as one long wall of rock.

Look for the notch in that wall. That’s Heavitree Gap, where the road, the railway and the river squeeze through the ranges and head south. To the west, the ridgelines step away towards Mount Gillen. It’s the fastest way to understand where you are in Central Australia.

The memorial and the name

A stone obelisk stands on the summit. It was unveiled on Anzac Day in 1934, and plaques around it now remember Australians who served in later conflicts too. On 25 April, the town’s Anzac Day dawn service is held right here, beside it.

The hill has an older name as well. Arrernte people, the Traditional Owners of Alice Springs, call it Untyeyetweleye, and you’ll see that name on the signs next to the English one. Treat the summit as a place of remembrance, not only as a photo spot.

Driving up or walking up

There are two ways up, and both are short:

• By car: Anzac Hill Road winds up to a small car park just below the memorial. From there it’s only a few steps to the lookout.
• On foot: the Lions Walk starts on Wills Terrace, at the edge of the town centre. It’s a short, steep, rocky path, so wear shoes with grip.
• Time needed: about 20 to 30 minutes at the top. Allow longer if you’re waiting for the sun to go down.

Carry water on the walk, even in winter. The climb has no shade, and on summer afternoons the heat off the rock is fierce.

Timing it around the crowds

The hill never closes, so when you go is up to you. The crowd pattern is clear, though. On weekends the summit is busy from 9am to 9pm. If you arrive in the middle of that window, expect a full car park and people all along the railing.

On weekends, the calm window is 7am to 9am. The ranges are lit from the east then, and the temperature is still bearable in the warmer months. Early morning is also when the hill feels most like a quieter find than a tour-bus stop.

Sunset is the popular choice, and you can see why. The low light turns the MacDonnell Ranges a deep red, and the town’s lights come on below you. If you go at dusk on a weekend, get there well before the sun drops so you can find a spot.

After dark, the summit is a good place to see the desert sky with the town close by. Bring a torch for the walk back down.