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“We’re inviting everyone to celebrate Easter in true Aussie style – with our beloved bilbies! Join us for nocturnal talks, Easter egg hunts, and plenty of other fun activities. And then to round out the school holidays we will commemorate Anzac Day at the park and have echidna and dingo encounters available for the public,” said Holly Wyatt – Business Development Coordinator from the Desert Park.
“We are part of a national conservation program to protect the endangered bilby, and our bilbies have had babies over the years – it’s our way of helping to boost their population. By purchasing an Alice Springs Desert Park membership or choosing to spend Easter with us it will directly support our conservation efforts.”
Looking ahead to May, Alice Springs Desert Park is preparing a heartwarming celebration for Mother’s Day. Thanks to recent early rains, desert wildflowers are already beginning to bloom, promising a spectacular display of colour just in time for the occasion.
Even the park’s resident matriarchs are getting ready to mark the day. Among them, the fascinating stick-nest rats – known for building intricate nests and living cooperatively in female-led family groups – will be celebrating in true Mother’s Day style. These clever creatures only welcome males for conjugal visits, otherwise leaving them to live solo in simple burrows.
Also marking a milestone this year are the park’s new young thorny devils and their devoted mum as well as our new tawny frog mouth babies who will celebrate their very first Mother’s Day.
Across the park, mother animals have played a vital role in the success of conservation breeding programs, having welcomed 362 baby animals – many from species that are vulnerable, endangered, or extinct in the wild.
Since the project began, 300 red-tailed phascogales have been born, including more than 70 in the past year alone. The program has also seen the birth of 46 central rock-rat pups, 10 brush-tailed mulgara (now with their own exhibit in the Nocturnal House), and six greater bilbies born since 2022.
“Why settle for a bouquet that lasts a week when you can gift Mum a whole year of natural beauty?” said Holly Wyatt.
“For just $79, an annual Alice Springs Desert Park membership gives her access to vibrant wildflower displays and the chance to experience the park’s changing beauty all year round – and our café will also have specials for Mother’s Day. And if she visits again in late May, she can take part in our 10th annual Botanic Gardens Week.”
Running from 19–25 May 2025, Botanic Gardens Week celebrates Alice Springs Desert Park as a registered botanic garden and an active member of the Australian Seed Bank Partnership. Home to more than 400 Central Australian plant species - including several rare and threatened varieties – the park collaborates with 15 partner organisations across Australia, as well as the prestigious Millennium Seed Bank at Kew Gardens in the UK.
Despite the region’s arid climate, Central Australia boasts an extraordinary variety of plant life. These species provide food, medicine, and artistic inspiration through their vivid blooms, and they hold deep cultural significance for Aboriginal communities. They also form critical habitats for some of Australia’s most endangered wildlife.
Alice Springs Desert Park continues to champion conservation and education, working to protect this delicate and unique ecosystem.
During Botanic Gardens Week, visitors can enjoy a series of engaging botany talks designed to deepen their understanding and appreciation of Central Australia’s remarkable flora.
This May also marks the launch of the Alice Springs Desert Park’s new booking system, making it easier than ever to purchase memberships and donate online – helping the community support vital conservation work with just a few clicks.
What: Easter and Mother’s Day at Alice Springs Desert Park
Where: Larapinta Drive, NT
(7 km from Alice Springs at the base of the Tjoritja /West MacDonnell Ranges)
When: Easter celebrations will take place from18–21 April 2025
Mother’s Day is Sunday May 11, 2025
Information: alicespringsdesertpark.com.au
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