The Alice Springs Reptile Centre has a collection of local reptiles large (a saltwater crocodile) and small. It was a perfect fit after our five-hour drive from Yulara to Alice Springs.
We attended the educational talk where we learned how to avoid getting bit by one of Australia’s many venomous snakes (wear long pants, because they have short teeth) and were able to hold some the “friendlier lizards and pythons.” We opted to take a photo of our presenter rather than hold the snake ourselves. (We did graduate to that when we went to the Belize Zoo.)
We also lucked into being there for snake feeding time. They remove the glass to put the mice inside the snake enclosure. In one case the snake was right up against the glass, which made it challenging to get the mouse inside while keeping the snake inside.
The monitor lizards were impressive. And after 27 years Terry the Saltwater Crocodile still tries to eat his trainer.