Ochre Pits

About 100km west of Alice Springs along the Larapinta Drive, the Ochre Pits are a sacred Aboriginal site where generations of Arrernte people have quarried ochre for ceremony, art and trade. The striking orange, red and white pigments that streak the rock face are still used today, and the site remains an important cultural landmark. A short boardwalk leads you past interpretive signs that explain the quarrying process and the ochre’s traditional uses, while the surrounding mulga scrub and red dirt gorge offer a quintessential outback scene.

Highlights & What to See

• The ochre cliffs – multi-hued bands of red, orange, yellow and white that have been mined for thousands of years; you can still see the hand- and tool-marks left by traditional quarrying.
• Interpretive boardwalk – a 300m loop with signs detailing the cultural significance, geology and history of the site; look for grinding grooves and stone tools along the way.
• Photography at golden hour – the ochre colours intensify in the late afternoon light, making this a stunning stop for landscape photographers.
• Nearby walking tracks – the Ochre Pits connect to longer trails through the West MacDonnell Ranges, including the popular 2km walk to the nearby Ormiston Gorge.

Suggested Time to Spend

Plan to spend 30–45 minutes here – enough to walk the boardwalk, read the interpretive panels and take photos. It’s an easy, mostly flat walk suitable for all fitness levels. Most travellers combine the Ochre Pits with other West MacDonnell sites (see below) as part of a half-day or full-day drive from Alice Springs.

Nearby Areas Worth Combining

• Ormiston Gorge – a spectacular waterhole and gorge with a 7.5km rim walk and a shorter 1.5km Pound Walk; perfect for a swim and picnic.
• Glen Helen Gorge – a deep, narrow gorge at the western end of the West MacDonnells, with a permanent waterhole and a historic homestead pub.
• Ellery Creek Big Hole – a popular swimming spot with a huge waterhole surrounded by red cliffs; the 3km Dolomite Walk is a highlight.
• Simpsons Gap – a striking gap in the ranges with a short walk to a permanent waterhole; look for black-footed rock-wallabies at dusk.
• Alice Springs Desert Park – a world-class wildlife and cultural centre in Alice Springs that showcases the desert environment and Aboriginal plant uses.

Please check official sources for current details.