A FIRE that destroyed two Ghost Gums painted by renowned Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira may have been deliberately lit, police believe.

The fire started around the trees on Larapinta Drive 16km from Alice Springs about December 30, causing them to topple over.

The trees were a stopping point for admirers of Namatjira's watercolour depictions of the Australian outback.

The Northern Territory's Minister for Indigenous Advancement, Alison Anderson, said on Thursday the loss of the trees would sadden many Territorians.

"The twin Ghost Gums were a wonderful reminder of his connection to the land and many who visited the site would have felt a connection to this great Territorian," she said in a statement.

Ms Stowe said the Department of Lands, Planning and the Environment notified police who believed the fire may have been deliberately lit.

"Only recently work was done around the trees to try and protect them from fires and allow as much moisture as possible to get to their roots," she said.

Born at Hermannsburg in the territory in 1902, Namatjira held his first exhibition in 1938 and painted for the following two decades, earning international acclaim before his death in 1959.