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==History== ===Traditional owners=== [[File:Alice Springs.jpg|thumb|[[Todd River]] spring, the "springs" that give the town its name|left]] The [[Arrernte people|Arrernte]] people are the [[traditional owners]] of the Alice Springs area and surrounding [[MacDonnell Ranges]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Local Community & Culture |url=https://alicesprings.nt.gov.au/about-alice-springs/living-in-alice-springs/local-community-culture|access-date=2021-03-17|website=Alice Springs Town Council|language=en-AU}}</ref> They have lived in the area for at least 30,000 years.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Thorley |first=Peter |title=Rock-art and the archaeological record of Indigenous settlement in Central Australia |journal=Australian Aboriginal Studies |year=2004 |volume=2004 |issue=1 |pages=79–90 |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A125955412/AONE?u=googlescholar&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=714231f7 |access-date=26 February 2023 }} </ref> The traditional name for the township area is ''Mparntwe''.<ref name="a town like mparntwe">{{cite book |last=Brooks |first=David |title=A town like Mparntwe: a guide to the dreaming tracks and sites of Alice Springs |year=2003 |publisher=Jukurrpa Books |location=Alice Springs |isbn=1-86465-045-1 |url=https://iadpress.com/shop/a-town-like-mparntwe-reprint/ |access-date=18 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110601022559/http://iadpress.com/shop/a-town-like-mparntwe-reprint/ |archive-date=1 June 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> Mparntwe is Arrernte for "watering place", referencing Atherreyurre,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Traynor |first=Stuart |title=Alice Springs: from singing wire to iconic outback town |publisher=Wakefield Press |year=2016 |isbn=9781743054499 |location=Mile End, SA}}</ref> a waterhole in the Todd River at Old Telegraph Station (known as Alice Springs). Mparntwe refers to the majority of the Alice Springs township, with two additional names - '''''Irlpme''''' covering the south and '''''Antulye''''' the east.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Do you know what Aboriginal land you're on today? |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/do-you-know-what-aboriginal-land-youre-on-today/ytff85vi1 |access-date=2023-05-01 |website=NITV |language=en}}</ref> Arrernte has been spelt in various forms, including Aranda, Arrarnta, and Arunta. There are five dialects of the [[Arrernte language]]: South-eastern, Central, Northern, Eastern and North-eastern.<ref name="austlang_c8">{{aiatsis|C8|Arrernte}}</ref> Arrernte country is rich with mountain ranges, waterholes and gorges, which create a variety of natural habitats. According to Arrernte traditional histories, the landscape was shaped by the Yeperenye, Ntyarlke, and Utnerrengatye caterpillars<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-09-07|title=Alice Springs Aboriginal elder's bid for better understanding |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-07/sacred-sites-alice-springs-aboriginal-elder-leads-tours/6744524|access-date=2021-03-17|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Sacred caterpillars plentiful after the rain - ABC (none) - Australian Broadcasting Corporation|url=https://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2015/02/05/4174922.htm|access-date=2021-03-17|website=www.abc.net.au}}</ref> and Akngwelye or wild dogs.<ref>{{Cite web|title=NAIDOC celebrates the Wild Dog Story of Alice Springs |website =[[Alice Springs News]] |date =9 July 2016 |url=https://alicespringsnews.com.au/2016/07/09/naidoc-celebrates-the-wild-dog-story-of-alice-springs/|access-date=2021-03-17|language=en-AU}}</ref> Sites of traditional importance include [[Emily Gap|Anthwerrke]] (Emily Gap), [[Billy Goat Hill (Alice Springs)|Akeyulerre]] (Billy Goat Hill), [[Heavitree Gap|Ntaripe]] (Heavitree Gap), [[ANZAC Hill|Atnelkentyarliweke]] (ANZAC Hill) and Alhekulyele (Mt Gillen).<ref name="a town like mparntwe" /> ===European settlement === In 1861–62, [[John McDouall Stuart]] led an expedition through Central Australia to the west of what later became Alice Springs, thereby establishing a route from the south of the continent to the north.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks/e00040.html|title=Explorations in Australia|last=Stuart|first=John McDouall|publisher=Saunders, Otley, and Co.|year=1865|location=London|pages=1|access-date=25 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190317064614/http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks/e00040.html|archive-date=17 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> [[File:Alice Springs Telegraph Station, 2015 (02).JPG|thumb|The original [[Alice Springs Telegraph Station]] was built in 1872 to relay messages between [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]] and [[Adelaide]].|left]] A settlement named after Stuart was necessitated ten years later with the construction of a repeater station on the [[Australian Overland Telegraph Line]] (OTL), which linked [[Adelaide]] to [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]] and [[Great Britain]]. The OTL was completed in 1872. It traced Stuart's route and opened up the interior for permanent settlement. The [[Alice Springs Telegraph Station]] was sited near what was thought to be a permanent waterhole in the normally dry [[Todd River]],<ref name="ausgeorc" /> named Alice Springs<ref>[https://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/placenames/view.jsp?id=23882 Alice Springs (waterhole)] Northern Territory Government Place Names Register Retrieved 9 June 2020.</ref> by W.W. Mills after the wife of the Superintendent of Telegraphs and Postmaster General of South Australia, Sir [[Charles Todd (pioneer)|Charles Todd]], who was the driving force for constructing the OTL. The nearby settlement of Stuart was renamed Alice Springs on 31 August 1933.<ref>[https://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/placenames/view.jsp?id=10219 Alice Springs (town)] Northern Territory Government Place Names Register Retrieved 9 June 2020.</ref> The Todd River<ref>[https://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/placenames/view.jsp?id=19020 Todd River] Northern Territory Government Place Names Register Retrieved 9 June 2020.</ref> and its tributary the Charles River,<ref>[https://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/placenames/view.jsp?id=11704 Charles River] Northern Territory Government Place Names Register Retrieved 9 June 2020.</ref> which meet near the telegraph station, were named after Sir Charles. [[File:Adelaide House, Alice Springs, 2015.JPG|thumb|The historic [[Adelaide House (Alice Springs)|Adelaide House]], built 1926, the town's first hospital]] It was not until [[Alluvium|alluvial]] gold was discovered at Arltunga, {{convert|100|km|mi}} east of the present Alice Springs, in 1887 that any significant European settlement occurred.<ref>Kelham, Megg "Discovering Local History Through Museums in Central Australia" published by the National Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame as educational resources [http://www.pioneerwomen.com.au/content/view/87/62/educational_resources available on-line] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029193408/http://www.pioneerwomen.com.au/content/view/87/62/educational_resources |date=29 October 2013 }}</ref> The town's first substantial building was the [[Stuart Town Gaol]] in Parson's Street; this was built in 1909, when the town had a European population of fewer than 20 people. Many of the gaol's first prisoners were first-contact Aboriginal men imprisoned for killing cattle.<ref>{{cite web |author=Kelham, Megg |hdl=10070/233508|title=A Very Short History of the Stuart Town Gaol |url=https://territorystories.nt.gov.au/10070/656925/0/0 |website=Territory Stories}}</ref> The first aircraft, piloted by [[Francis Stewart Briggs]], landed in 1921.<ref>State Library of South Australia, [https://web.archive.org/web/20151017024334/http://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/searcy/35/PRG280_1_35_262.htm "De Havilland D.H.4 flown by Francis Briggs after landing in Central Australia"], ''State Library of South Australia''. Retrieved 16 June 2014.</ref> Central Australia's first hospital, Adelaide House, was built in 1926 when the European population of the town was about 40. It was not until 1929, when the train line to Alice was built, that the town's European population began to grow. Aboriginal Centralians outnumbered European Centralians until the mid-1930s.<ref name="flynntrail.org.au">Kelham, Megg 'Flynn's Alice' – a pictorial history of Alice Springs with documents available on line at {{cite web |url=http://www.flynntrail.org.au/discovery_resources/Reading/Flynn's_Alice.pdf |title=Following in Flynn's footsteps|access-date=26 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316124723/http://flynntrail.org.au/discovery_resources/Reading/Flynn%27s_Alice.pdf |archive-date=16 March 2016 }}</ref> From 1926 to 1931, Alice Springs was the seat of government for the now-defunct [[Central Australia (territory)|Territory of Central Australia]].<ref name="act1926">{{cite web |title=North Australia Act, No. 16 of 1926 |url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/legis/cth/num_act/naa192616o1926264/ |publisher=Commonwealth of Australia |access-date=2 October 2018 |date=4 June 1926 |quote=Clause 51; Seat of government of Central Australia |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002090210/http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/legis/cth/num_act/naa192616o1926264/ |archive-date=2 October 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C1931A00005|title=Northern Territory (Administration) Act 1931|publisher=Commonwealth of Australia|access-date=22 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181203202747/https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C1931A00005|archive-date=3 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Until 31 August 1933, the town was officially known as Stuart.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.alicesprings.nt.gov.au/alice-springs/history |title=About Alice Springs – History |publisher=Alicesprings.nt.gov.au |date=31 August 1933 |access-date=30 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524153936/http://www.alicesprings.nt.gov.au/alice-springs/history |archive-date=24 May 2011 }}</ref> [[File:The Flying Doctor Service, Alice Springs, Australia.jpg|thumb|Main dispatch centre of the [[Royal Flying Doctor Service]]]] [[File:Alice Springs Panoramic View(GN05767).jpg|thumb|The township in 1935]] The original mode of British-Australian transportation in the outback were [[camel]] trains, operated by immigrants from [[Pashtun people|Pathan]] tribes in the [[Military history of the North-West Frontier|North-West Frontier]] of then-[[British India]] (present-day Pakistan), known locally as [[Afghan (Australia)|Afghan]] cameleers based at Hergott Springs, or Marree as it is now known. Many cameleers moved to Alice Springs in 1929 when the railway finally reached the town. They lived on the block where the town council is now, transporting goods from the rail head to stations and settlements to the north. A gold rush in Tennant Creek in 1932 kept the wheels of the Alice Springs economy turning until the outbreak of [[World War II]].<ref name="flynntrail.org.au"/> In 1941 Father [[Percy Smith (Australian priest)|Percy Smith]], an Anglican minister, founded St John's Hostel in Bath Street.<ref name=cofehostel>{{cite web | title=Church of England Hostel for Inland Children| website=Find & Connect | publisher=Commonwealth of Australia | date=5 December 2017 | url=https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/sa/biogs/SE01190b.htm | access-date=30 January 2024| first1=Karen |last1=George | first2= Gary |last2=George}}</ref> The hostel provided accommodation for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children from remote areas who were attending school in Alice Springs. He had been concerned at the lack of opportunities for children housed in the government facility for Aboriginal children in Alice Springs, called [[The Bungalow]]. Smith went on to found and run [[St Francis House]] in [[Adelaide]] in 1945, but St John's continued to operate. Children under the care of the Welfare Branch were also placed there, and the building had to be expanded. During World War II, the hostel served as a recreation centre for troops. The new two-storey building was designed to accommodate up to 50 children, with separate dormitories for boys and girls, each with separate study area and library. Several of the children were transferred to St Francis House over time, and St John's Hostel continued to operate until the 1970s.<ref name=stj>{{cite web | title=St John's Hostel | website=Find & Connect |date=20 May 2021 | url=https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/guide/nt/YE00263 | access-date=30 January 2024}}</ref> === World War II === [[File:Dowling_066.jpg|thumb|Army camp in Alice Springs during World War II, photo taken from the top of ANZAC Hill]] [[World War II]] brought significant changes to Alice Springs. Prior to the war, Alice Springs was an isolated settlement of fewer than 500 people. During the war, however, the town was an extremely active staging base, known as No. 9 Australian Staging Camp, and a depot base for the long four-day trip to Darwin. The railway hub in Alice Springs was taken over by military operations, and the number of soldiers posted in Alice Springs grew rapidly, as did the number of personnel passing through on their way to and from Darwin. When Darwin was threatened by Japanese forces, the sea routes—the Northern Territory capital's primary means of transportation and resupply—were cut off. The evacuation of Darwin first brought a large number of civilians including elected officials and many of the territory government's records. Alice Springs became the war-time civilian capital of the Northern Territory. When Darwin was bombed by Japanese air forces, a large number of military personnel and their heavy equipment were rapidly moved south to Alice Springs. The number of soldiers posted in Alice Springs peaked at around 8,000, and the number of personnel passing through totalled close to 200,000.<ref name=thewaryears>{{cite web |title=Central Australia the war years 1939–1945 |url=http://www.thewaryears.alicespringsrsl.com.au/townlife.shtml |work=RSL On-Line Museum |publisher=RSL Sub Branch Alice Springs |access-date=8 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110217185555/http://www.thewaryears.alicespringsrsl.com.au/townlife.shtml |archive-date=17 February 2011 }}</ref> Once the war ended, the military camps and the evacuees departed, and Alice Springs' population declined rapidly. After being visited by nearly 200,000 people, including the American General [[Douglas MacArthur]], Alice Springs gained considerable fame. The war years also left behind many structures. The historically listed [[Totem Theatre]], created for the entertainment of this camp, still exists today. The [[Australian Army]] set up the 109th Australian General Hospital at Alice Springs. [[Alice Springs Airport|Seven Mile Aerodrome]] was constructed by the [[Royal Australian Air Force]]. War-related operations necessitated the first sealing of the road between Alice Springs and Larrimah, expansion and improvement of Alice Springs' water supply, and improving the rail head. The war-related operations left behind thousands of pieces of excess military equipment and vehicles and a marked increase in Alice Springs' population.<ref name=thewaryears/><ref>{{cite web |title=Alice Springs (Mparntwe) NT |url=http://www.southaustralianhistory.com.au/alicesprings.htm |work=Flinders Range Research |publisher=Flinders Ranges Research |access-date=8 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716051742/http://southaustralianhistory.com.au/alicesprings.htm |archive-date=16 July 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> During World War II, Alice Springs was the location of [[List of RAAF inland aircraft fuel depots|RAAF No. 24 Inland Aircraft Fuel Depot]] (IAFD), completed on 20 May 1942 and closed in November 1944. Each IAFD usually consisted of four tanks; 31 fuel depots were built across Australia for the storage and supply of aircraft fuel for the [[RAAF]] and the [[US Army Air Forces]], at a total cost of £900,000 ($1,800,000).<ref>{{citation |author1=Australia. Royal Australian Air Force. Historical Section |title=Logistics units |date=1995 |publisher=AGPS Press |isbn=978-0-644-42798-2}}</ref>{{Clarify|reason=modern currency conversion?|date=August 2024}} ===After World War II=== During the 1960s, Alice Springs became an important defence location with the development of the US/Australian [[Pine Gap]] joint defence [[satellite]] monitoring base, home to about 700 workers from both countries. By far the major industry in recent times is tourism. Almost in the exact centre of the continent, Alice Springs is some {{convert|1200|km}} from the nearest ocean and {{convert|1500|km}} from the nearest major cities, Darwin and [[Adelaide]]. Alice Springs is at the midpoint of the [[The Ghan|Adelaide–Darwin Railway]]. <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.travelnt.com/en/experience/outback/the-ghan.htm |title=The Ghan – Outback experiences – Northern Territory Official Travel Site |publisher=Travelnt.com |access-date=30 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927013949/http://www.travelnt.com/en/experience/outback/the-ghan.htm |archive-date=27 September 2007}}</ref> [[File:Todd Tavern, 2015 (01).JPG|thumb|Todd Tavern]] Alice Springs was connected to Darwin by rail on 4 February 2004, when [[The Ghan|the first passenger train]] arrived in Darwin from Adelaide.
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