The Emily and Jessie Gaps Nature Park

As you take a drive out of Alice Springs, you come across the stunning East MacDonnell Ranges, with the Yeperenye/ Emily and Jessie Gaps Nature Park being the first sights to greet you.

Pack a picnic, explore the local wildlife, or take a short walk into the two gaps. These two small gaps in the Heavitree Range are of great spiritual importance to the Eastern Arrernte Aboriginal people, and the surrounding landscape is home to a Dreaming Trail that tells the story of the caterpillar Dreamtime. At Emily Gap, you can find a large rock painting depicting the caterpillar dreaming, which dates back to the first European sighting of the gaps in 1871. If you're looking for a quick and easy way to explore the East MacDonnell Ranges, the Ross Highway is only a 15-minute drive away.