Desert Park is an ecological education centre spread over 1,300 hectares in Alice Springs. It is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums and a member of the International Society for the Preservation of Botanical Gardens.
Within Desert Park, you can see typical inhabitants of the Central Australian desert, both fauna and flora. A number of research programmes are underway to help conserve populations of wildlife populations, as well as educational programmes to introduce visitors to the unique nature of Australia's "heartland". Much of the park's work takes place with the direct participation of the indigenous inhabitants of these places - the Arrernte aborigines, the real owners of this land.
There is a 1.6-kilometre trail through the park, linking the three main sections that reproduce the natural environment - the Desert Rivers, Sandland and Forests. Walking along the Desert Rivers, visitors successively find themselves in a dried up riverbed, a once flooded area and a swamp. Here you can see river eucalyptus, reed beds and aquatic plants. Among the inhabitants of this section are finches, cockatoos, frogs and a variety of fish. Aboriginal people will talk about how they used such places for thousands of years to harvest crops and make medicines. Sand Country replicates the desert with its salt and gypsum industries. The Forest zone is home to kangaroos and emus. In addition, the park has the Nocturnal Animal House, where you can a variety of reptiles, invertebrates, birds and mammals that are nocturnal life and a Nature Theatre with birds of prey. An obligatory part of the tour programme is the story of how the Arrernte Aboriginal people lived in these harsh conditions.
