Alice Springs: Araluen Cultural Precinct

Introduction

The Araluen Cultural Precinct is home to some of the most significant artistic, cultural and historical experiences in Alice Springs. 

The precinct hosts theatre performances, gallery exhibitions and museum collections that draw from the natural history of the region, Aboriginal art and culture, and European settlement.

The precinct includes seven registered Aboriginal sacred sites and trees of significance. 

It includes all of the following: 


Araluen Cultural Precinct entry fees and opening hours

This page has information on entry fees and how to get to the Araluen Cultural Precinct from Alice Springs.

Cost

WhoCost
Adults $15
Children $10
Child under five free
Northern Territory residents free
Family – two adults and two children $40
Concessions $10
Northern Territory school groups free if booked in advance
Other school groups $8 per student

Disability access

The Araluen Cultural Precinct is accessible by wheelchair and includes all of the following:

  • lifts and ramps connecting all floors
  • accessible toilets
  • designated parking for disabled parking permit holders
  • an electric four wheel scooter - available for less mobile visitors.

Opening hours

The Araluen Cultural Precinct is open during the following times.

1 March to 31 October

Open daily from 10am to 4pm.

1 November until 29 February

Mondays - closed

Tuesday to Saturday - 10am to 4pm

Sunday - 10am to 2pm

Public holidays

The Araluen Cultural Precinct is closed on:

  • Good Friday
  • Christmas - Saturday 21 December 2019 to Monday 6 January 2020, reopening at 10am on Tuesday 7 January.

How to get there

The centre is located at 61 Larapinta Drive, Araluen, NT 0870.

It is 2km west of the Alice Springs CBD on the way to the Alice Springs Desert Park.


Albert Namatjira Gallery

The Albert Namatjira Gallery is found inside the Araluen Arts Centre.

The gallery is named after the Aboriginal watercolourist Albert Namatjira who began painting during the 1930s. 

Namatjira was the first Aboriginal artist from Central Australia to be recognised nationally and internationally for the way his works captured the light, colour, beauty and essence of Central Australia.

The gallery showcases Namatjira's watercolours, along with works by his contemporaries and the subsequent generations of watercolourists who have continued his tradition. 

This gallery also provides an insight to the diversity, evolution and innovation of Aboriginal art from Central Australia. 

It includes works from the following collections:

  • Araluen Art Collection 
  • Rex Battarbee Collection owned by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory 
  • Ngurratjuta Pmara Ntjarra Aboriginal Corporation Collection 
  • Papunya School Collection 
  • Warlukurlangu Collection 
  • Keringke Arts Collection.

A key feature is important Papunya boards from the early 1970s, which mark the beginning of the Western Desert art movement. These reflect major developments in contemporary Aboriginal art. 

Other works exhibited in the gallery include more recent contemporary Aboriginal art, including sculpture and acrylic paintings from a number of Central Australian Aboriginal communities.

These works show the energy and vibrancy of this art movement, supported by Aboriginal-owned art centres. Many of these works have been acquired from the annual Desert Mob exhibition, held at Araluen Arts Centre since 1991. 

The Albert Namatjira Gallery will give you a unique chance to see art from some of the most important Aboriginal art movements and contemporary Aboriginal artists from Central Australia.

The works exhibited show the diversity and richness of Aboriginal art from this region. It highlights the intimate knowledge held by the artists of the country, its stories and ceremonies.


Araluen Arts Centre

The Araluen Arts Centre is the hub of Alice Springs' performing and visual arts scene. 

Araluen Arts Centre was designed and built around the 300-year-old Corkwood Tree in the Sculpture Garden. This tree, another at the front of the building and Big Sister Hill, are also sacred for the local Arrernte people.

Country is central to the experience of Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents of Alice Springs and the centre was built to celebrate this connection.

To find out what's on, go to the Araluen Arts Centre website.  

Theatre

Each year, the Araluen Arts Centre produces a theatre program that includes performances by national touring companies such as plays, dance, circus and cabaret. There are also a number of local productions from artists and schools.  

The theatre is also available to hire for corporate functions and conferences.

Galleries

The galleries in the Araluen Art Centre feature a yearly program of exhibitions focusing on Aboriginal art from Central Australia and contemporary art by local and national artists.

Araluen Arthouse Cinema

The Araluen Arthouse Cinema program brings both national and international arthouse films, many that have won international film awards, to the people of Alice Springs. 

For more information or to read the cinema program go to the events section on the Araluen Arts Centre Facebook page.

ReelPix membership

Through the support of its members, Reelpix aims to extend and expand the Araluen Arthouse Cinema program. 

Twelve month memberships are available, these expire on 31 December each year.

Costs are $25 for adults and $20 for concessions.

One of the important goals of ReelPix is to let you have more input into the choice of films screened.

To suggest a film screening or to become a member contact the Araluen Box Office.


Central Australian Aviation Museum

EJ Connellan was an aviation pioneer in the Northern Territory (NT). He established Alice Springs' first aerodrome on the current precinct site in 1939.

Connellan Airways operated aircraft for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. 

The Central Australia Aviation Museum is in the original Connellan Airways Hangar. It houses two early flying doctor planes among other historic aircraft and aviation memorabilia.

For more information contact the Central Australian Aviation Museum.

Kookaburra Memorial

The Kookaburra Memorial is dedicated to Keith Anderson and Bob Hitchcock. 

Anderson and Hitchcock died after their aircraft, the 'Kookaburra', was forced to land in the Tanami Desert on 10 April 1929 while searching for Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm. 

The wreck was found after fourteen days. 

It was then abandoned until 1978 when it was recovered by aviator and adventurer Dick Smith. 

The memorial was erected to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the crash. You can see parts of the plane wreckage on display at the memorial.


Yeperenye Sculpture

The Yeperenye Sculpture is a collaborative public artwork.

It was developed by metal artist Dan Murphy and students from the Centre for Appropriate Technology's ATWork program.

The three-metre high project celebrates the Yeperenye (pronounced Ayepe-arenye) caterpillar, the most important of the three caterpillars that are the major creative ancestors of Alice Springs.

On entering the Yeperenye Sculpture you will find information and artworks on the caterpillar's habitat, life cycle and cultural significance.

The caterpillar was decorated with panels created at workshops with local artists and school children.

This project was created by the support of the Grand Circle Foundation. Each year the foundation brings American visitors to Alice Springs. Money raised from their travels contribute to community projects all over the world.


Museum of Central Australia

In the Museum of Central Australia you will learn about the unique story of this region's natural and geological history. 

Exhibitions in the museum include all of the following: 

  • meteorite fragments
  • fossils
  • displays of creatures you might encounter in the region, including: 
    • birds
    • mammals
    • reptiles
    • insects.

The museum also houses the Strehlow Research Centre.


Strehlow Research Centre

The Strehlow Research Centre manages one of Australia's most important collections of film, sound, archival records and museum objects relating to Indigenous ceremonial life. 

The Strehlow Collection was put together by Professor TGH Strehlow in his lifetime of anthropological research with the Aboriginal people of Central Australia. 

A significant part of the collection relates to 'men's-only' sacred and secret ceremonies. 

A display on the life and work of TGH Strehlow is in the Museum of Central Australia.

How to access the collection

Access to the Strehlow Collection by researchers and other interested parties is governed by the Strehlow Centre Board.  

Many elements in the collection can only be accessed by the appropriate traditional Aboriginal custodians, or by people acting with their consent and approval. 

Contact the Strehlow Research Centre or go to the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory website for more information.


Central Craft

Central Craft is a not-for-profit member organisation that supports and promotes contemporary craft and design in Central Australia. 

Central Craft building is found in the original single staff quarters and mess for Connellan Airways.

You can find all of the following at Central Craft: 

  • support and promotion
  • professional development opportunities
  • access to studios
  • public workshops
  • June Marriott Gallery
  • a retail outlet selling members' work.

It's free for you to visit the retail outlet, June Marriott Gallery and craft studios. 

Types of craft and design offered

The range of craft and design you can access includes all of the following: 

  • ceramics
  • woodwork
  • silk
  • painting
  • watercolour
  • weaving 
  • knitting
  • jewellery
  • lapidary
  • fabric printing and dyeing.

June Marriott

June Marriott was a foundation member of Central Craft in 1974, then called the Craft Association. 

She studied at the Royal School of Needlework in London and had a big influence on the growth of craft helping many people develop in Alice Springs. 

To find out more go to the Central Craft website or contact Central Craft.


Contact Araluen Cultural Precinct

To contact the Araluen Cultural Precinct use the details in the table below.

Office Phone Email Fax
Araluen Box Office (08) 8951 1122 araluen@nt.gov.au
boxoffice.araluen@nt.gov.au
(08) 8953 0259
Group or tour bookings (08) 8951 1120 araluen@nt.gov.au (08) 8953 0259
Araluen Theatre Hire (08) 8951 1129 araluen@nt.gov.au

(08) 8953 0259  

Central Australia Aviation Museum (08) 8953 8776 NA (08) 8952 4241
Central Craft (08) 8952 4417 info@centralcraft.org.au (08) 8953 5465
Strehlow Research Centre (08) 8951 1111 strehlow@nt.gov.au (08) 8951 1110

Go to the Strehlow Research Centre website.

Go to the Central Craft website.