The City of Alice Springs
Alice Springs is a large town in Australia's Northern Territory. It has a population of 28,178 (as of 2001), which makes it the second-largest settlement in the territory (the only other towns of significant size are Darwin, the capital, and Katherine). It is popularly described as "the Alice" or simply "Alice." Alice Springs is known as Mparntwe to its traditional owners the Arrente.

The town is best-known outside the region because of its proximity to Uluru, formerly known as Ayers Rock, the monolithic hill that is one of Australia's best-known natural landmarks, as well as an important focus of Aboriginal culture and beliefs.

Alice Springs is almost exactly in the center of the continent, and is some 700 km from the nearest ocean and 1500 km from the nearest major cities, Darwin and Adelaide. Uluru is about 40 km to the west of Alice Springs.

Originally named Stuart, the town was established almost as a frontier settlement for north-south travel by camel trains through the desert of the outback. A telegraph station was placed near a permanent waterhole called Alice Springs. Sir Charles Todd, Postmaster General of South Australia, after whom the River Todd (which is usually dry) was named. The Ghan railway from Adelaide reached Stuart in 1929, and the town moved away from the waterhole, but locals kept the name. After much debate, the town of Stuart was officially renamed Alice Springs in 1933. The north-south road between Darwin, Alice Springs and Adelaide is still called the Stuart Highway.

Alice Springs Airport (ASP/YBAS)
Location: S 23° 48' 24" - E 133° 54' 8"
Elevation: 1789 ft / 545 m
Magnetic Variation: 5.112° East

Runways Heading Length
06 55 3376 ft / 1029 m Gravel
12 115 7999 ft / 2438 m Asphalt
17 173 3717 ft / 1133 m Asphalt
24 235 3376 ft / 1029 m Gravel
30 295 7999 ft / 2438 m Asphalt
35 353 3717 ft / 1133 m Asphalt

Airport Website
Airport Overview
Airport Terminal

SimAirline.net Flights to/from Alice Springs
Virgin Blue: Adelaide, Sydney

Looks like a fun destination Glenn. I love small airports.

Yes I like small airports aswell, my hometown airport Rajkot is the best for me because a B737 takes up to 90% of the runway for takeoff. I love airports where landings and takeoffs require some skill.

Karan, I am the same way. I like a challenge. Especially when I'm in like a 747 or something big. Try flying into Quito Ecuador also. The code is SEQU. It's one of my favorites.

Nice destination, Glenn. I will try to fly into there on Monday.

I flew over this airport yesterday going from Brisbane to Broom. It was one of my waypoints. It looks like it is situated just on the outskirts of the outback. You are right that airport is very small.