Alice Springs Telegraph Station

Located within the Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve, the Telegraph Station is the birthplace of the Alice Springs township.

The Alice Springs Telegraph Station was stablished in 1871 to relay messages between Darwin and Adelaide along Australia's Overland Telegraph Line.

This not only connected Australia's population centres with the north of the country, but it also connected Australia up with the undersea telegraph network of the British Empire.

Prior to 1872, a message back to England would travel by boat and take 3 to 4 months each way. However, after the telegraph line was built, morse code messages travelling through Alice Springs could reach London in as little as 5 hours - slow by today's standards, but revolutionary for people of the 19th century!

The National Park continues to be open throughout this time which includes the picnic area and BBQ's. Feel free to wander around the outside of the historical buildings.

The Historic Museum

The Alice Springs Telegraph Station is a historic museum precinct with both indoor and outdoor displays, presenting the story of the connection of Australia to the rest of the world via the Overland Telegraph Line in 1872. Since being declared protected as a Historical Reserve in 1963, the Alice Springs Telegraph Station has become the best restored telegraph station in Australia, with a commitment to authenticity. The restored stone buildings house furnishings and artefacts from early last century, and are preserved as an historic display.

The Post and Telegraph Office

Operating originally as a Telegraph Station and Post Office using morse code, and still a registered and operational Post Office!

Alice Springs Telegraph Station Guided Tours

Guided Tours through the heritage museum and precinct are a great way to immerse yourself in the history of the Telegraph Station and learn more about the origins of Alice Springs as a town. A visit through the museum precinct will provide guests with an opportunity to understand the back story behind, and inner workings of the original Telegraph Station and Post Office. Our guides will also take you through a working display of Meidinger batteries - replicas of those that powered the Overland Telegraph Line back in the 1870s - which is unique in the southern hemisphere.

Children can complete an educational quiz for the chance to win a prize (Mum and Dad can help too)!

Guided tours of the Telegraph Station run from March to November at 9:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm daily. In summer (December to February) only 9:30am and 11:30am tours are available.

National Park Reserve

The National Park Reserve is open every day from 8am - 9pm. The shaded lawns make a popular venue for picnics and barbecues. The public facilities available include:

Cycling & Mountain Biking
Walks

The Trail Station Cafe

The Trail Station Cafe is the gateway to the iconic Alice Springs Telegraph Station

Not only the gateway to the Alice Springs Telegraph Station, the Trail Station Cafe also boasts friendly staff. They are ready to enhance your experience while visiting, and share their local knowledge! The Trail Station Cafe offers an outdoor seated area and a great selection of gifts, souvenirs and books (on a wide range of subjects, ranging from Stuart's exploration of the NT to Stolen Generation stories). The Cafe also serves ice-creams, snacks, hot and cold drinks, NT roasted coffee and delicious homemade light lunches. Also be sure to try out the famous "secret recipe"vanilla slice!

There are also many options available within the surrounding national park. Picnic areas and facilities are well appointed with BBQs and Toilet amenities available. Check out the signposted walking tracks to explore the local area by foot. There is also an elaborate network of mountain bike trails for you to see the outback on 2 wheels. Bikes are available for hire from Outback Cycling in Alice's Todd Street Mall.

Time your visit with one of our daily guided tours (included in the price of your entry). From March til November our guided tours run at 9:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm, but in the hotter months (Dec - Feb) only the morning tours are available. Our guided tours will immerse you in the history of the Telegraph Station and the township, the lives of the early telegraphers and their families, as well as discussing the Stolen Generation history of the site in the Bungalow era of the 1930s.

You can visit the Alice Springs Telegraph Station by car along the Stuart Highway and Herbert Heritage Drive. Alternatively, the Riverside Path along the Todd River provides either a scenic short walk or cycle along the sealed path.