Months of unusually heavy rain in Central Australia has transformed the desert landscape.

The Red Centre has become a lush, green oasis.

And this rare phenomenon is making it a special time to visit.

Images from a recent satellite comparison from NASA captures the scale of the transformation. They show the region on January 21 compared to two months later.

The landscape shows a dramatic shift from red to green. It’s my favourite time to be there, though I may miss out this year (shame on me).

For such a transformation, there needs to be sustained rainfall through February and March. February 2026 was the Northern Territory’s third-wettest on record, with an area average of 239mm across the region, according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.

A spokesperson for Tourism Central Australia says: “Right now, the best way to experience the ‘green centre’ is on foot or by bike, with travellers taking to the region’s iconic trails and vantage points to see the landscape in full bloom before it dries out.”

TOP HIKING & BIKING EXPERIENCES

+ Larapinta Trail A 223km trek through the West MacDonnell Ranges, with flexible sections and guided or eco-camping options

+ Kings Canyon Rim Walk A 6km walk in Watarrka National Park featuring the iconic Garden of Eden waterhole.

+ Uluru Base Walk A 10.6km, mostly flat circuit offering a full perspective of the rock.

+ West MacDonnell Gorges Day hikes including Ormiston Gorge, Redbank Gorge and Standley Chasm.

+ Uluru Circuit Bike or e-bike the 10km-plus loop around the base with Outback Cycling.

+ Alice Springs Mountain Biking Extensive trail networks plus guided tours with Red Centre Adventures.

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FLYING THERE

+ Fly to Alice Springs direct from Perth with AirNorth (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) or Qantas (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays). Flying time is only about two and a half hours. Then hire a car or take tours to the West MacDonnell Range and Uluru.

+ The best way to fly to Yulara (Uluru’s airport) is via Melbourne.

BIKING

+ Outback Cycling Operating bike hire in Alice Springs and hire or guided rides around Uluru. outbackcycling.com/

+ Red Centre Adventures Hire e-bikes, commuter bikes, mountain bikes and kids bikes in Alice Springs, or join a mountain bike, sunset e-bike or bike and beers tour . redcentre.fun/

+ My Ride Bike hire in Alice Springs. myride.com.au/pages/store/alice-springs

HIKING

+ Trek Larapinta Small group guided walks. treklarapinta.com.au

+ World Expeditions Best of the Larapinta guided walk. worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Walking/Best-of-the-Larapinta-Trail

+ Larapinta In Comfort Trek the track without having to camp or carry your gear. australianwalkingholidays.com.au/Australian-Regions/Larapinta-Uluru

+ Uluru-Kata Tjuta Walk with Tas Walking Co A new operator in the area. taswalkingco.com.au/discover/uluru-kata-tjuta/

MORE

Tourism Central Australia. discovercentralaustralia.com/