Place Names Register Extract

Alice Springs

Extract date: 16/12/2025

Name Alice Springs
Type Designation Suburb
Place Id 22272
Place Type Administrative Area
Status Registered
Date Registered 3 April 2007
Location (Datum GDA94)  
Latitude: -23° 41' S (Decimal degrees -23.6994)
Longitude: 133° 52' E (Decimal degrees 133.88)
Locality / Suburb  
  (None Found)
Local Government Area  
  Alice Springs Town Council
History/Origin The suburb of Alice Springs encompasses the central business district of the town, which takes its name from the nearby waterhole.

The Alice Springs waterhole was named in March 1871 by Government Surveyor W. W. Mills while exploring the MacDonnell Ranges during the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line. He named it after Alice Todd, wife of Sir Charles Todd, the Superintendent of Telegraphs.

The Alice Springs Telegraph Station was subsequently built adjacent to this waterhole.

In 1888, Government Surveyor David Lindsay surveyed the township and named it Stuart, in honour of John McDouall Stuart, the first European to cross Australia from south to north.

Following the arrival of the railway in 1929, the town grew, and in 1932 the 'Alice Springs' post office was relocated into the town of Stuart. This duplicate naming caused confusion, leading to the town being officially renamed Alice Springs in 1933.

Register & Gazettal information

Date Gazettal Comment
03/04/2007 Date of Registration
04/04/2007 NTG 14 Notice of Naming

The Northern Territory Gazetteer is maintained by the Place Names Section,
Department of Lands, Planning and Environment.
GPO Box 1680, Darwin NT 0801. Ph 08 8995 5333.
place.names@nt.gov.au

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