Mount Zeil
NT 872 • Northern Territory
About Mount Zeil
Mount Zeil is a vast and remote locality in the MacDonnell Region of the Northern Territory, centred on the western MacDonnell Ranges approximately 250 kilometres west of Alice Springs and around 1,250 kilometres south of Darwin. The locality, which was gazetted in 2007, covers an extraordinary 6,693 square kilometres of outback landscape and encompasses several pastoral leases including Narwietooma and Glen Helen, as well as the north-western section of West MacDonnell National Park. With a 2021 census population of just 69 residents across this immense area, Mount Zeil is one of Australia's most sparsely inhabited localities.
The locality takes its name from Mount Zeil itself — the highest peak in the Northern Territory and the highest point on the Australian mainland west of the Great Dividing Range, rising to 1,531 metres above sea level. The surrounding landscape is defined by ancient red gorges, spinifex plains, and the dramatic ridgelines of the MacDonnell Ranges, offering extraordinary outback scenery. The nearby West MacDonnell National Park draws visitors for its gorges, waterholes, and the renowned Larapinta Trail, while residents of the locality are primarily station workers and Indigenous community members whose lives are centred on the land.
Mount Zeil falls under postcode 872 and is governed by the local council Council (LGA). For state elections, residents vote in the Namatjira electorate.
Location
Transport & Commute
Bus Services
- No regular local bus service — N/A N/A
Commute to Alice Springs CBD
🛣️ Vehicle access across pastoral stations is required. Namatjira Drive and Larapinta Drive connect the western ranges to Alice Springs. No sealed road to the locality entrance.
Mount Zeil is an extremely remote outback locality with no local services; vehicle access via station roads is the only practical option.
Supermarkets Nearby
No major supermarkets listed for this suburb.
Schools
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Nyirripi Community