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Australia
Northern Territory
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Alice Springs
Things to do in Alice Springs
Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve

Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve: Hours, Address, Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve Reviews: 4.5/5

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Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve

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See all things to do
Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve
4.5
1,388
#9 of 71 things to do in Alice Springs
Historic Sites
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8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
Located within the Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve, the Telegraph Station is the birthplace of the Alice Springs township. Is is an excellent value and must see destination to add to your itinerary while visiting the Northern Territory, and situated 4km north of the Town Centre, is easily accessible for a visit. The Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve marks the original site of the first European settlement in Alice Springs. Established in 1871 to relay messages between Darwin and Adelaide and also linking with an underwater cable network to London. Consequently creating the first real communication between Australia and England. Time your visit with one of our 4 daily guided tours (included in the price of your entry). The guided tours will immerse you in the history of the Telegraph Station and the township. Most noteworthy, you will learn about how this monumental innovation that connected Australia to the rest of the World!
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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Tours & experiences
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Top ways to experience Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve and nearby attractions

The area
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Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
89 within 5 kms
Sammy's Pizza & Family Restaurant
48
0.9 km$$ - $$$ • Italian • Pizza • Vegetarian Friendly
Pad Thai Takeaway
29
1.3 km$ • Asian • Thai • Vegetarian Friendly
The Trail Station Cafe
1
1.3 km
The Coffee Horse
15
1.9 km$ • Dessert • Cafe • Australian
The Roastery (Duyu Coffee Roasters)
11
2 km$$ - $$$ • Quick Bites • Cafe
Hungry Jacks
3
2.2 kmFast food
Watertank Cafe
248
2.7 km$$ - $$$ • Quick Bites • Cafe • Contemporary
Loveys Deli
6
2.4 km$ • Deli
Piccolo's
219
2.8 km$$ - $$$ • Quick Bites • Australian • Vegetarian Friendly
Sporties
435
2.9 km$$ - $$$ • Bar • Australian • Vegetarian Friendly
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Attractions
56 within 10 kms
The Larapinta Trail
528
1.2 kmHiking Trails
Yubu Napa Art Gallery
160
3.1 kmArt Galleries
Anzac Hill
1,491
2.2 kmLookouts
Araluen Arts Centre
242
3.2 kmArt Museums
Royal Flying Doctor Service Museum
1,324
3.3 kmSpeciality Museums
Alice Springs Visitor Information Centre
369
2.9 kmVisitor Centres
Women's Museum of Australia & Old Gaol Alice Springs
270
3.3 kmHistory Museums
Alice Springs Reptile Centre
982
3.2 kmNature & Wildlife Areas
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112
1.5 kmFarms
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Popular mentions
4.5
1,388 reviews
Excellent
741
Very good
509
Average
115
Poor
16
Terrible
7
Caz K
Queensland, Australia77 contributions
Alice Springs Telegraph Station is testament to the lives of early settlers.
May 2022 • Couples
Today we traveled to explore the Alice Springs Telegraph Station. Admission was $16.10 pp - which made it on - our ‘another day’ list. We did however take the short walk to the reconstructed cattle yards and then to the historic cemetery. We found the graves very interesting. (fortunately medical progress in the field of Rheumatic heart disease and Tuberculosis has largely eradicated these diseases from the developed world). We selected the free tour brochure of this historical reserve to read and explore later. We will return.
Written 5 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Ozi1_10
Cleveland, Australia565 contributions
Really enjoyable and interesting
Jun. 2021 • Family
We really enjoyed our visit here. We took the tour so got a bit more insight into the history of the place than if we had just walked around it on our own. There is a small coffee/souvenir shop there and a large park with picnic tables right next door.
Written 8 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Taxidhi
Australia120 contributions
Fascinating
Jul. 2021
Insight into the earliest European history of Alice Springs, the amazing achievement of the transcontinental telegraph line, and Aboriginal stories, pre- and post-settlement. Very enjoyable grounds and walk trails, good for a coffee, and well-preserved telegraph station buildings from the colonial period. A good visit.
Written 29 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Mon55
Brisbane, Australia1,193 contributions
Beautiful Picnic area too.
May 2021
This is a great place to not only learn about the history and construction of the Telegraph Line but to do some pleasant walks.It is also a great place fora family picnic with lots of facilities. You can spend ages here with plenty of huge shady trees.
Written 25 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Murray J
Perth, Australia168 contributions
Authentic historical buildings
Oct. 2021
This collection of buildings helps to illustate the difficulties of building and operating teh Overland Telegraph Line around 150 years ago. Well worth a visit.
Written 24 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Pauline B
9 contributions
Increasingly honest about its role in the Stolen Generations
Oct. 2021
This was my second visit. First was in 2019. In the two years since my first visit, I was heartened to see an increasing number of displays and signage regarding the station's part in housing Aboriginal children during the stolen years. Thanks for facing up to some uncomfortable truths.
Written 21 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Chris & Cheryl K
Perth, Australia147 contributions
Fantastic guided tour with Rob
Oct. 2021
A great guided tour provided by Rob, it was really a personal tour as we were the only participants.
Amazing history of the ingenuity shown in building the overland telegraph line. Some sobering information about the stolen generation.
Well worth a visit to understand some of the history of Alice Springs.
Written 3 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Lynda M UTTING
Beerwah, Australia161 contributions
A MUST DO attraction at Alice Springs
Jul. 2021
Laying the telegraph line across the huge, dry, harsh centre of Australia was no easy task... There had to be 12 repeater stations as the strength of the Morse code signal could only be reliably detected at intervals no greater than 300km apart...
The buildings at this site have all been faithfully restored, and you get a pretty good idea of what life was like for the small community living here - the stationmaster and his family, four linesmen/telegraph operators, a cook, a blacksmith and a governess.
Written 7 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Jennie D
42 contributions
Interesting place
Jun. 2021
We visited as part of a day tour.
We were lucky enough to see two gentlemen, displaying the equipment
Very informative
Written 9 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Supchak
Port Blair, India27 contributions
if there is only one thing you can do at Alice, this is it!
Jun. 2021
Amazing site and scenery. Don't miss the tour. Have a walk around and soak up the atmosphere. This is one amazing place. The cafe is super slow though!
Written 5 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve
Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve is open:
  • Sun - Sat 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
We recommend booking Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 2 Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve tours on Tripadvisor
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