Paddling near Alice Springs, Northern Territory

Alice Springs sits in the heart of the Red Centre, deep in the Central Australian desert — not the obvious setting for paddling, yet the area has a genuine on-water scene. The gorges of the West MacDonnell Ranges, including Glen Helen Gorge, Redbank Gorge and Ormiston Gorge, hold waterholes suited to kayaking and canoeing, while the Todd River — normally dry — becomes a rare and demanding whitewater run when it floods. In town, the Central Desert Canoe Club has kept boats on the water for over 30 years through its canoe polo competition at the Alice Springs Aquatic & Leisure Centre.