When you hear about the Australian outback, what do you think of? Many Americans confuse the scrubby outskirts of Australia where kangaroos live as the outback, but locals say they’re actually thinking of “the bush.” The outback is actually far less populous and more desert-like, with very little plant or animal life. Mining camps and tourist enclaves scatter the otherwise vacuous outback today, yet despite the desolation, there is still a lot to do there.

If you take the Stuart Highway running north from Adelaide to Darwin, then you’re likely to run into most of the tourist attractions in Australia’s outback. At the halfway point of this journey, you will find Alice Springs, which is a good starting point for the weary traveler with limited time. The Alice Springs Desert Park is a one-stop shop for all things outback, such as a botanical garden, a zoo and an Aboriginal culture center.

Nestled at the foot of the MacDonnell Mountain Range, this park will teach you all about the outback, while pleasing the senses with wildflowers and wildlife. The Nature Theater has an excellent “Birds of Prey” show, the Spectator Nocturnal House allows a glimpse of rare endangered animals and “The Changing Heart” documentary takes you through 4.5 billion years of desert evolution.

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