Desert Springs, NT 0870 — Suburb Profile

Last reviewed: · By Knowburb Research Team

In short

Desert Springs is a suburb of Northern Territory, postcode 0870, home to 1,536 residents with a balanced age mix. Located in the Alice Springs local government area and roughly 1292 km from the Darwin CBD.

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Snapshot

Median rent$500 /wk
Population1,536
Median age36
Area2.5 km²
To CBD1292 km
LGAAlice Springs

Demographics

Population
1,536
Median age
36 years
Median household income
$3,025 /week
Median personal income
$1,454 /week
Median family income
$3,321 /week
Average household size
2.8
Persons per bedroom
0.9
Local government area
Alice Springs
Statistical region (SA4)
Northern Territory - Outback
Federal electorate
Lingiari
Source: ABS QuickStats
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Property & cost of living

Median rent
$500 /week
Median monthly mortgage
$2,264
Rent share of household income
17%

Schools

  • Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic College - Sadadeen Campus Secondary · Catholic
  • Sadadeen Primary School Primary · Government
  • Acacia Hill School Special · Government
  • Centralian Senior College Secondary · Government
  • Gillen Primary School Primary · Government

Transport

  • Within 800 m walk: 1 bus stop
  • Within 1.6 km: 15 bus stops

Closest stops:

  • Barrett Dr before Cromwell Dr bus · 767 m
  • Barrett Dr Desert Palms bus · 884 m
  • Sadadeen Road bus · 903 m
  • Gap Road bus · 1096 m
  • Alice Springs Hospital bus · 1118 m

Lifestyle & amenities

  • 5 cafés
  • 29 restaurants
  • 4 pubs and bars
  • 57 parks and reserves
  • 3 gyms and fitness centres
  • 1 library
  • 5 supermarkets
  • 4 playgrounds

Counts within roughly 2.5 km of the suburb centre. Data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

Climate

  • Warmest month: Jan (36.6°C avg max)
  • Coolest month: Jun (19.9°C avg max)
  • Annual rainfall: 284 mm
  • Reference station: Alice Springs Airport, 9.5 km away

NBN & connectivity

Fibre to the Node serves 66.8% of the 701 resolvable premises in Desert Springs. Most premises here connect via fibre to a street cabinet, then copper into the home. Speeds depend heavily on the copper run length — NBN 100 is rarely achievable on long runs.

  • Fibre to the Premises: 33.2%
  • Fibre to the Node: 66.8%

Snapshot 2026-04-28. Tech mix from Luke Prior's NBN upgrade map (MIT licensed). Verify any specific address on NBN Co's address tool.

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Safety

  • Recorded offences: 6,868 across the Alice Springs reporting region in the year to Feb 2026 (down 23% on the prior year).
  • Most common categories: 2,222 property damage, 2,181 violent offences, 1,299 theft.

Figures cover the whole Alice Springs reporting region — the Northern Territory publishes counts at the regional level.

Nearby suburbs

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Desert Springs?

Desert Springs (NT 0870) had 1,536 residents at the most recent ABS Census. The median age is 36. It sits within the Alice Springs local government area.

What is the median rent in Desert Springs?

The median advertised rent in Desert Springs is $500/week, based on SQM Research listings data. Rents vary by property type, bedrooms and condition.

Are there schools in Desert Springs?

Yes — 5 schools are listed within or near Desert Springs covering catholic, government sectors. Nearest include: Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic College - Sadadeen Campus (1.3 km), Sadadeen Primary School (1.5 km), Acacia Hill School (1.6 km). School data sourced from ACARA and state education departments.

What NBN technology is available in Desert Springs?

Desert Springs is predominantly served by Fibre to the Node (66.8% of premises). Coverage data is sourced from the NBN upgrade map aggregated from NBN Co address checks.

How safe is Desert Springs?

Across the surrounding area, 6,868 offences were recorded in the 12 months to Feb 2026. The most common offence categories were property damage (2,222), violent (2,181), theft (1,299). Crime statistics are recorded by area (postcode or LGA), not by individual suburb. Data sourced from each state's crime statistics agency.

What is the climate like in Desert Springs?

In Desert Springs, mean daily temperatures range from 13.2°C to 28.9°C and annual rainfall is 284 mm measured at the Alice Springs Airport weather station (9.5 km away). Long-term averages from the Bureau of Meteorology.

What public transport options are in Desert Springs?

15 public transport stops are mapped within 1.6 km of the Desert Springs centroid. Within 800 m, you'll find 1 bus stop. Stop data is sourced from state government GTFS feeds.

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Sources & methodology

Demographics from ABS Census. Property data from SQM Research. Climate from Bureau of Meteorology. Schools from ACARA. NBN from NBN Co. Amenities from OpenStreetMap. See full methodology.

Additional sources for this profile: