About Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve
The Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve is the original site of Alice Springs, located 4 km north of the town centre in the Northern Territory. Established in 1871-1872 as a repeater station for the Australian Overland Telegraph Line linking Adelaide to Darwin, it preserves stone buildings, telegraph equipment and early settlement history. The reserve protects the permanent waterhole Tyuretye and offers museum displays, walking trails and insight into colonial communications and local Arrernte heritage.
Visitors guide
Visitors can explore well-preserved stone buildings from the 1870s including the telegraph station, post office, barracks and saddlery with period furnishings and telegraph equipment. The reserve is set on the banks of the Todd River around the permanent waterhole Tyuretye, with lawns, shade trees, walking and cycling trails, and views of the MacDonnell Ranges. Guided tours, museum displays, and interpretive signage explain telegraph operations, early European settlement and Arrernte connections to the site. A cafe, picnic areas and walking tracks are available within the 4-hectare reserve.
Key highlights
- 01
Original 1871-1872 Overland Telegraph Station buildings with preserved stone architecture
- 02
Museum displays of telegraph equipment, Morse code demonstrations and early settlement artefacts