Curtin Springs
Lasseter Highway, Petermann, Northern Territory, 0872
This cattle station (ranch in Australia’s “Red Centre” is bigger than the state of Rhode Island. Curtin Springs is a welcome, comfortable stop on the road leading west toward Uluru/Ayers Rock. Most travelers who stay here use it as a base for exploring Uluru, Kata Tjuta, and Kings Canyon, ,thereby escaping higher prices and crowds found near the rock.
The basics
When the Severin family moved to this remote, arid grassland in 1956, they saw a total of six people in their first year on the station. Gradually, however, hardy tourists heading west toward Uluru would stop for fuel and supplies. What began as a way to help weary travelers has grown to a guesthouse, bar, and ranch that’s an Australian site to itself. Now the million-acre property is a wildlife corridor and home to roughly 4,500 cattle.
Take a guided walk through native grasslands that stretch toward red-earth horizons and learn how the grass is converted on-site into natural, Curtin Springs paper. Hop aboard a 4WD and go bouncing away toward Mt. Conner—an open swath of land and hills that’s covered in kangaroos. Have a yarn at the Curtin Springs pub or simply get some much needed sleep from the long, adventurous drive.
Things to know before you go
- The Wayside Inn has 27 comfortable rooms as well as an outdoor campground.
- Travelers can easily resupply with fuel, ice, and food.
- Homestead meals are served in the historical Bough Shed.
- Artisan jewelry, crafted from handmade paper, is for sale at the gift shop.
- Wheelchair access to rooms and bathrooms is available.
How to get there
Curtin Springs is located 90 minutes and about 60 miles (100 kilometers) east of Ayers Rock. The cattle station and homestead is situated on the paved Lasseter Highway, which makes for an easy stop en route from Alice Springs to further destinations. Round-trip transport is offered on tours from Ayers Rock Resort.
When to get there
Curtin Springs is open year-round, 365 days a year. The store is open daily from early morning until late. Breakfast and lunch are served from early morning until early afternoon, and dinner is served in the evening.
Paper Making Materials
Join a paper-making tour or participate in a workshop and learn how the diverse materials are produced using native grasses such as spinifex and oat grass, which are harvested, pressed, and pulped from the desert landscape. Get hands-on with your creations, including making dyes from natural botanicals like flowers, bark, and sand.
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