Ellery Creek Big Hole, 91km from Alice Springs, has a large permanent waterhole and is a beautiful spot. It's a popular place for a swim on a hot day (the water is usually freezing), but be very careful – a swimmer drowned here in December 2016. If you're really lucky, you might see a dingo coming down to drink late in the day or early morning, when no-one else is around.
The Dolomite Walk (3km, 1½ hours return) takes you through the surrounding spinifex country with good views en route.
Birdwatchers come here for the rufous-crowned emu-wren (check the spinifex grasses close to the turn-off from Namatjira Dr), as well as the honeyeaters (pied, black, grey-headed and white-fronted), white-winged fairy wren and little button-quail.
The car park is 2km off Namatjira Dr down a dirt track that should be accessible in a 2WD vehicle, except after heavy rains.
