Sanne Dekker ended up in Alice Springs by chance, though her experiences in the Red Centre turned out to be life changing. As a Working Holiday Maker, she quickly found a great job, a supportive community and made lifelong friends who became her extended family.
Why did you choose to live in Alice Springs?
I was in Victoria and planning a big adventure up the east coast of Australia, but my car broke down two days before leaving. I called a friend who was working as a tour guide in Alice Springs and she told me to “come to Alice Springs and life will work itself out.”
She was right. The lifestyle in Alice Springs is awesome – a lot of it is outdoors, which I really enjoy, and it is so easy to connect with people. I immediately felt welcomed into the community and absolutely fell in love with Uluru and Kings Canyon.
My life here is spent outdoors. I spend my days adventuring with friends hiking, camping, swimming in waterholes, being creative, going for drives or sitting round the campfire playing music and sharing heartfelt conversations.
When did you know Alice Springs was home?
Not long after I arrived in Alice Springs I received bad news from home that a loved one had passed away. All the beautiful people surrounding me welcomed me with open arms and hearts. I found family and really dear friends who supported me in a difficult moment in my life. This community and support network were a reminder that I was at the right place at the right moment.
Have you experienced the kindness of locals?
One day I was having a massage and mentioned to the therapist about my struggles with grief. They offered me a place to stay while being surrounded by their family network. I ended up staying for 9 weeks and found my Alice Springs family. 15 months later I still have family dinner with them almost every week.
What opportunities have helped your career or personal growth?
I started working as a host for Autopia Tours, based at Yulara with the chance to see Uluru and Kata Tjuta every single day, which was such a special opportunity. After one month I had the opportunity to become a tour guide. It has been a dream to become a tour guide so of course I couldn’t say no to this amazing opportunity.
I went back to university, then got my first aid certificate and truck driving licence and other certificates. Then I went on training tours with other guides, learnt so much and have now been solo guiding for almost 9 months. I’ve had some amazing opportunities guiding hiking tours on the Larapinta Trail which is absolutely magical!
The thing I find beautiful in this job is that you’re immersing yourself in the place, culture and nature. I’m learning a lot about the places I’m guiding in – it's so different to just passing through. This job has shown me that its easy to travel for your job and it has opened up opportunities all over Australia and the world!
How welcoming is the Alice Springs community?
My personal experience is that Alice Springs is one of the easiest places to connect with other people. Most of the people here have a similar lifestyle and mindset. We live in the middle of Australia, which sounds isolating, but it is one of the beautiful things because people out here are yearning connection. You can’t live and thrive here if you don’t have great connections surrounding you. Everyone is up for a chat if you’re out and about.
I have lived in different places all over the world and I find Alice Springs community one of the most amazing ones I’ve experienced.
What's special about the lifestyle in Alice Springs?
The lifestyle in Alice Springs is awesome! The most rewarding thing has been the friendships and connections that I’ve made here. It is something that I will never forget. I have found my family here and made some really close friends. It is the first place where I’ve felt home and at peace since leaving the Netherlands. Alice Springs will always have a special place in my heart and I will return whenever I have the chance!
Where are your favourite places to explore around Alice Springs?
My favourite places are the waterholes surrounding Alice Springs - there are a couple of waterholes in the East and West MacDonnell Ranges that I absolutely love. They are all different, some of them with rock art, others where you can go canyoning.
I absolutely love swimming (and sometimes miss the ocean), so those waterholes are my favourite places to cool down on a hot day or when we are on tour.
It is really easy to find things to do. There is something on almost every day, like an open mic evening, live music and ice baths on the weekend.
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