Olive Pink Botanic Garden

Description

Olive Pink Botanic Garden is Australia's only arid zone botanic garden. Located adjacent to the Todd River and not far from the centre of Alice Springs, it is a great place to wander along trails to see the hundreds of plant species that are native to the Red Centre.

There are over 500 Central Australian plant species to see as you wander around the 16hectare garden. Learn more about the founder Miss Pink or desert habitats and plants from the interpretation material around the garden or by going on one of the self-guided walks.

After heavy rainfall, the garden comes alive with wildflowers and attracts many species of butterflies and birds. Euros (hill kangaroos) are regularly seen grazing here and the threatened black-footed rock wallaby resides in the rocky hill habitat. Western bowerbird bowers are at home and in summertime, many different reptiles sun themselves within the grounds.

Miss Olive Muriel Pink, anthropologist, Aboriginal rights campaigner and artist, was responsible for the gazettal of the garden area in 1956. Some of her original plantings still survive on display today.

The site includes a well-developed garden area and a Visitors Centre incorporating a Meeting Room, Offices and a Cafe with outdoor seating, as well as numerous shade structures for formal and informal community activities including weddings, memorials, concerts, exhibitions and public forums.

The Garden also includes Tharrarltneme (Annie Meyer Hill), a sacred site important to Arrernte people.