National Road Transport Hall of Fame, Transport museum in Alice Springs, Australia
The National Road Transport Museum, formerly the National Road Transport Hall of Fame, is a volunteer-run transport museum in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, owned by the Road Transport Historical Society. It displays camel trains, road trains and coaches, with vehicles kept as they were in working life, including the rough modifications made by outback mechanics. The Old Ghan Heritage Railway and Museum sits on the adjoining site.
The idea for the museum came to Liz Martin, a former Mack prime mover driver on the Adelaide–Darwin run, around 1990, when old trucks were rusting on rural properties and cattle stations. After a public meeting in 1992 the Road Transport Historical Society formed and volunteers gathered vehicles, photographs and stories. The Society opened the museum on 31 July 1995 as the National Road Transport Hall of Fame; it later became the National Road Transport Museum.
The vehicles display how Australian transport workers customized their trucks over decades, with modifications made by mechanics during daily operations. Visitors can observe the personal touches drivers added to make these machines suited for harsh outback conditions.
The site is best visited during daylight hours when all vehicle displays are clearly visible and indoor areas are accessible. Wear comfortable shoes and bring sun protection, as many exhibits are outdoors and the Australian sun can be intense.
The grounds also contain the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame, the Kenworth Dealer Hall of Fame, and the Old Ghan Train Exhibition alongside the main museum building. These separate sections together create a combined road and rail transport experience in one location.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,170 contributors worldwide.