Ever since moving to Australia in 2010, I have wanted to visit the red centre. For a variety of reasons, this did not happen until recently. In 2025, when I saw where ANPSA intended to hold its next conference, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to make this long-held dream a reality.
I had never been to an ANPSA conference before and wasn’t sure what to expect. Upon contacting Chris Dayson, I realised I was in kind and capable hands. Chris helped my companion Joe and I attend the conference (we both have disabilities) and before we even arrived in Mparntwe-Alice Springs, a coach stop had been arranged a very short walk from our holiday apartments.
Right from the start, everything was well organised. Our friendly coach drivers took us to and from the conference centre, which was abuzz with excitement. To kick off the week, we were starting with one of the two full day tours on offer.
We had chosen to do Mparntwe and surrounds as we were keen to see the land care and regeneration work being done by the local community.
Spencer Valley and Alice Springs Landcare
After getting our lanyards and a helpful welcome package with pamphlets about the local plants, we piled into the coach and headed for our first stop at Spencer Valley. Despite the ominous forecast of heavy rain, we were largely able to avoid the showers. It was, in fact, a great privilege to see water flowing through the Todd River – a rare sight. The region has enjoyed some decent autumn and winter rainfall this year – perfect timing for a conference all about arid plants!
Our charming and knowledgeable local leader, Sue, took us out to see the re-gen work that had been done so far at the Spencer Hill site. The area has been a focus of Alice Springs Landcare Inc. We were informed of the terrible impact that the invasive buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) has had on Central Australia, where it has become an indomitable weed that has encroached further and further up the hills and slopes of the MacDonnell ranges. Both drought and fire tolerant, it is exceptionally difficult to control and needs to be sprayed and/or pulled up with mattocks from the root, making for painstaking work.
Nonetheless, the landcare group has done admirably well to control it. The site was teeming with small herbs and wildflowers.
As we began our walk, I noticed Brachyscome ciliaris, Chrysocephalum apiculatum subsp. racemosum, sandmats (Euphorbia sp.), Swainsona phacoides and Erodium crinitum, all small plants that need space to emerge. There were also native grasses that had taken up where the Buffel had been removed, such as Enneapogon polyphyllus, E. avenaceus, Themeda avenacea and Chrysopogon fallax.
Plenty of birds were visiting the area, including galahs and crested pigeons, which were feeding in sizeable mixed flocks on the ground. There were the occasional bursts of zebra finches – a delight to see!
We slowly meandered along the trail, stopping frequently to listen to Sue as she showed us some of the species making a comeback, or answered questions. Along with grasses and herbs, we were treated to the fruity scent of the Apple bush (Pterocaulon sphacelatum) which were in bloom.
There were a great many yellow flowers, from the vibrant Senecio magnificus, to the abundant Senna artemisioides ssp. dilifolia, to various Sida species and Xerochrysum interiore.
Highlights for me included my first ever sightings of Eremophila longifolia and E. latrobeii, along with the beautiful, silver-foliaged Indigofera leucotricha and the pleasant-smelling Prostanthera striatiflora. These last two shrubs were near a gorgeous Ghost Gum (Corymbia apperinja), the white bark of which stood out against the red earth and looming grey cloud.
Araluen Cultural Precinct Gardens
After enjoying many lovely plants at the site, we had morning tea then headed off to the Araluen Cultural Precinct gardens where we met our charismatic guide, Ameuus.
We were shown some of the native plantings of the gardens, including Hakea divaricata (which looks so different to the ones I am used to in the Blue Mountains), Acacia cyperophylla with its red, peeling bark, and Acacia peuce (Waddy-wood), a hardy and unusual plant that grows very slowly and lives up to at least 200 years.
There were also a number of plants from around the country, including a delightful variety of Eremophila. I especially enjoyed the display of Sturts Desert Pea (Swainsona formosa) along the footpath skirting the edge of the gardens.
Other plants of interest included Solanum cleistogamum (there are a good diversity of Solanum species in arid Australia) as well as the desert quandong (Santalum acuminatum) which was sporting bright red fruits at the time.
Ameuus was keen to engage with members of the group, feeling that we could all learn from one another through collective knowledge and shared enthusiasm.
Honeymoon Gap, White Gums and Simpsons Gap
After this spirited tour around the gardens, we headed to Honeymoon Gap where we had our picnic lunch, then onto a private property near White Gums.
Keith, the land owner, moved to the area from Sydney a few decades ago, and took it upon himself to remove as much of the buffel grass on his many acres as he could. The results have been both fascinating and rewarding.
He gave us a history of the place while we walked approximately 2kms through twisting trails. There were hills and flat areas, creeks and dips, with the flora changing accordingly. The hill sides were awash with colour as numerous small plants bloomed after the rains, including Calotis latiuscula, Ptilotus xerophilus, Rhodanthe sp. and Xerochrysum sp. and several Swainsona and Sida species.
In a more sheltered area, there were Cheilanthes lasiophylla which had erupted over a few days in response to the rain. Lichen grew on the rocks, which supported other species such as Calandrinia eremaea.
While examining the hot pink blooms of the Calandrinia, I spied a peacock jumping spider (Maratus chrysomelas) which, when entered into iNaturalist, turned out to be the first observation of that species in the Northern Territory.
Truly, the work Keith is doing to rehabilitate his land is creating vital habitat for a diversity of flora and fauna. This year he reported that he’d seen certain plants blooming for the first time, adding to his joy and satisfaction.
We all relished examining the area with its sweeping views of the quartzite sandstone hills, but soon enough it was time to move onto our final stop at the magnificent Simpsons Gap.
There we encountered plants such as Goodenia grandiflora, Isotoma petraea, Ficus brachypoda and Pandorea doratoxylon. There was water in the creek, which brought in wildlife such as the Black-footed rock-wallaby and numerous birds.
We spent a good hour shuffling and photographing along the creek, before a rolling thunderstorm sent us rushing to the coach and back to the conference centre, very tired and exceptionally happy.
Tuesday: Conference talks and Desert Park
The following two days saw us at the conference for a variety of talks for the first half of the day, followed by afternoon outings.
Tuesday’s talks provided excellent overviews and introductions, informing the 300+ strong audience about the ecology of Australian deserts, the plants and rocks of the ranges and other marvels of arid Australia.
Our afternoon outing for Tuesday was Desert Park, a wildlife park at the foot of the West MacDonnell ranges, which was packed full of both plants to see and activities to enjoy.
We started with an entertaining bird show, then spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the many sections of the park, photographing the abundant blooms (and the birds and reptiles!) in the warm but comfortable sun.
The park showcases many of the species of Central Australia, with education a primary focus. An important emphasis was placed on the signs and boards about the significance of the area and its flora to the local Arrernte people, whose knowledge of the plants, and their uses, goes back many thousands of years.
I was astounded by how many plants were edible or medicinal, which would be a focus of the talks on Thursday morning. The park also has a nocturnal house for those interested in the desert’s night creatures, as well as several aviaries and enclosures.
I especially loved the Sand Country section, where daisies covered the red earth in a riot of colour. A variety of paper daisies, Olearia, Eremophila and pea flowers could be seen interspersed with spinifex and native grasses. It was a feast for the eyes (and the camera)!
Wednesday: A buffet table of knowledge
Wednesday saw concurrent sessions running, so Joe and I split and went to different sessions so as to get the most out of the experience. We both took many notes, as we found the content of the talks highly engaging.
I attended talks on the local Olearia by David Albrecht, and Acacia peuce by Catherine Nano, getting an overview of the research into these species. I was also fascinated by the findings of PhD student Rebecca Greening on what a century without grazing livestock had yielded at Koonamore in terms of the recovery and health of endemic plants.
It was such a treat to get insight into the work being done in these areas of study. I then went to the session on pea flowers by Shirley McLaren, who has started to turn me into a “pea-nut” as my enthusiasm for this family of plants increases!
That was followed by a session on the “Eucalyptus of the Red Centre”, a talk by Warwick Varley which only deepened my respect for these amazing trees. My only complaint was that the speakers were so interesting, the short time allocated to them went by so quickly!
The experience was akin to a buffet table of knowledge, where one could only reasonably sample a little of the huge amount on offer.
In the second session, I attended a talk by Suzanne Lollback on the specialist plants of arid and semi-arid Australia. We then stopped for lunch, before the entire audience reconvened in the main hall to attend a lecture by Professor David Lindenmayer, titled “New perspectives on disturbances and how they influence fire and flammability”.
This was a powerful and sobering session, as much a sharing of information as a call to push for change.
The focus was less on arid Australia and more the temperate forests of the east and south, and how fire management of these areas is causing more havoc than harm-reduction. We left the conference centre with much to think about.
Personally, I felt enlightened and moved by the important work Professor Lindenmayer has done, which he has received hate mail and death threats for. It is often a difficult role to be both truth-seeker and truth-teller, especially when what one finds is politically inconvenient.
Olive Pink Botanic Gardens
Wednesday afternoon’s outing saw us visit the Olive Pink Botanic Gardens, named after the impressive gardener, activist and botanical illustrator who lived, worked and lobbied in the Mparntwe area from the 1930s onwards.
Pink founded the gardens in 1956 and, with the help of her Warlpiri assistant gardeners, spent decades rejuvenating the formerly grazed land. It was finally gazetted as a flora reserve in 1956 and Pink and her assistants put in a variety of plants native to the area, along with some other eclectic collections.
After her death in 1975, the government took control of the reserve and by 1985 it had opened to the public. Today, the garden boasts over 600 species, a number of which are rare, and remains an important cultural site in the region.
Highlights for me were the many habitats that the gardens showcased, such as mulga woodland, riverine, spinifex sand dune and sand plains, and rocky desert ranges.
Standout plants were the Witchetty Bush (Acacia kempeana), Finke River Mallee (Eucalyptus sessilis), the dainty Crimson Foxtail (Ptilotus sessilifolius) and Frankenia cordata.
We saw wallabies and numerous birds, including the Australian ringneck and the Grey-crowned babbler, as we walked some (but not all) of the many trails. One could easily spend the entire day taking in the plethora of beautiful and interesting plants and animals that call the gardens home.
Thursday: Indigenous plant knowledge, bush foods and medicine
Thursday was a full day of conference sessions. We were most excited by the number of talks on indigenous uses of the plants as both food and medicine.
Of particular note was the talk given by Rayleen Brown, who told us the story behind her Kungkas Can Cook enterprise. “Bush tukka” has started to become popular in Australia and even abroad, with many foodie brands and businesses benefiting from indigenous knowledge.
Despite this, sadly (if predictably), little of the profit make it to traditional owners, and some businesses do not practice sustainable harvesting, either.
Learning how an indigenous-run business makes products from local plants was both illuminating and inspiring, and I hope that going forward Australians choose to support more enterprises like Rayleen’s.
Sessions that day covered a variety of topics, from land care to adaptation to taxonomy to medicinal plants and bush foods.
Friday: East MacDonnell Ranges
Friday was the final day of the conference and concluded with a full day tour. We chose the East MacDonnell Ranges and visited impressive sites such as Jessie’s Gap, where water had collected after the rains, as well as Corroboree Rock Conservation area, which is a sacred place to the local Arrernte people.
After marvelling at the incredible geology, I was soon enraptured by the wide swathes of Ptilotus sessilifolius, Ptilotus clementii and Swainsona burkei. I was especially delighted to see and photograph some native bees on these plants, while Joe spied several reptiles and birds.
We saw the pretty purple flowers of Eremophila christophori and reddish-pink flowers of E. longifolia, among many others. The plants at the base of this 800 million year-old rock were wonderful to explore, and it was hard to tear ourselves away after our picnic lunch (where we were visited by a friendly Central Whipsnake) to go onto our next stop.
However, when we arrived at Trephina Gorge, I could see why this was the final and longest stop. Wow! What a spectacular area, with so much to see!
Water was flowing through the gorge, where some chose to wet their feet and check out the riverside flora. At the car park, bees were visiting the Swainsona flavicarinata while Rainbow bee-eaters flitted above.
We decided to hike up the cliff walk, where we encountered spectacular views along with magnificent blooms. Along the way we saw Grevillea wickhamii subsp. aprica (Holy-leaved Grevillea), Trichodesma zeylanicum, Dodonaea viscosa ssp. mucronata, Trachymene gilleniae, Senna, Sida and Crotalaria species.
I even managed to snap another photo of a native bee on Prostanthera striatiflora. The area was ablaze with flowering plants, which, juxtaposed against the dramatic and rugged scenery, made for a sensational afternoon hike.
We barely made it back in time to board the coach, so engrossed were we in the many plants, birds and insects on display.
An experience of a lifetime
The trip back took just over an hour, and while we were sad to be leaving, we were able to take in the ancient and majestic ranges all the way to the conference centre.
There we said our goodbyes to the friends we had made over an intense but wonderful 5 days. Phone numbers were exchanged, invitations extended and inquiries made as to whether or not we’d be making the next conference in Toowoomba.
After having what was the experience of a lifetime at the Amazing Arid Australia Conference, we both feel very strongly about attending the next one! What a phenomenal trip we had.
The conference was expertly organised, from the program and speakers, to the coaches and food to the information stalls and pop-up shops within the centre. We left with full notebooks and SD-cards, as well as many fantastic memories.
If ever you have the chance to visit Mparntwe, especially after rain and in the spring, we encourage you to do so. And if you are able to attend the next conference, we are sure it too will be marvellous.
Special thanks to Chris Dayson and the organising committee for their support.
The author would like to stress that, while she has done her best to get the names of plants and people correct, any errors are entirely her own and do not reflect the knowledge or views of ANPSA.