John Flynn’s Grave Historical Reserve

Welcome to John Flynn's Grave Historical Reserve, a site of high historical significance located at the base of Mount Gillen on Larapinta Drive in the Alice Springs suburb of Flynn. This 4-hectare reserve is dedicated to honouring John Flynn, an Australian Presbyterian minister who founded the Australian Inland Mission (AIM) and the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and the memory of his wife, Jean Flynn, who was buried here in 1976.

The reserve is also known as Flynn's Grave and is a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. It offers visitors a chance to reflect on the life and legacy of John Flynn while enjoying a scenic view of the nearby MacDonnell Ranges. He was temporarily buried near the current location of his permanent resting place. The permanent memorial was completed in August 1953, which included a newly built monument and an eight-tonne boulder from the Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve located 400 kilometres (250 mi) north. The use of the sacred stone brought concerns from the Warumungu and Kaytetye people, the Traditional Owners of the site, and the Arrernte people. Vandalism to the site occurred in 1972 when four young men covered the grave in psychedelic designs. After negotiations between the Central Land Council, the Uniting Church, the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority, and the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the NT, a replacement Arrernte boulder was identified in late 1998, and the Warum