Darwin CBD

Darwin is the capital of the Northern Territory and is located on Australia's far northern coastline. It is the only Australian capital city to have come under substantial attack during any war: On 19th February 1942 Japanese planes made two major air raids on Darwin from the aircraft carrier fleet that had attacked Pearl Harbor less than 3 months earlier. These were the first of 64 air attacks experienced by the city during World War II, the last being 12th November 1943.

Darwin has two seasons, the dry season runs from May to September (the southern hemisphere winter), during which nearly every day is warm and sunny, and afternoon humidity averages under 50% and there is usually no rainfall from June to September. In the coolest months of June and July, the daily minimum temperature may dip as low as 15°C (59°F). The wet season is associated with tropical cyclones and monsoon rains. There have been three major cyclones about thirty years apart. Much of the city was destroyed by Cyclone Tracy in 1974. The majority of rainfall occurs between December and April (the southern hemisphere summer) when thunderstorms are common and afternoon relative humidity averages over 70% during the wettest months. It does not rain every day during the wet season, but most days are hot with plentiful cloud cover with sunny intervals. The hottest month is November, just before the onset of the rainy season. Darwin has the most daily average sunshine hours (8.4) of any Australian capital.

Palmerston Town Hall after Cyclone Tracy

CLIMATE DATA

Month                                      Dec                  Mar                  Jun                   Sep

Max Temp                                33.6                32.7                   31.2                   33.0

Min Temp                                 25.6                25.0                   20.8                     23.3

Rainfall Total mm                    241.8               258.3                  0.1                   12.8

Rain Days                                14.5                 16.1                    0.6                   12.8

Buying a Home

Darwin is growing at an alarming rate but houses are still affordable compared the rest of Australia. Many new apartments are springing up close to the CBD and its suburbs.

Public Transport

Buses are the major mode of public transport around Darwin. They run 7 days a week and run to most areas every half an hour on weekdays and although less frequent on weekends they are regular and reliable. The buses are well maintained and air conditioned for passenger comfort. A standard gauge railway connects Adelaide via Alice Springs with Darwin, replacing earlier narrow gauge railways which were never connected through.

The Northern Territory is currently one of the few places in the world that has no road speed limits on the majority of its roads.

Darwin International Airport is the primary airport serving the Northern Territory. It is located 13 kilometres northeast from the CBD of Darwin. It shares runways with the Royal Australian Air Force's RAAF Base Darwin.

Darwin Memorial

Education

Charles Darwin University covers both vocational and academic courses, acting as both a university and an Institute of TAFE. While it has a number of campuses across the Northern Territory, its primary campus, is located in the Darwin suburb of Casuarina.

There are government and private pre-schools, primary and secondary schools spread throughout Darwin.

Demography

Darwin has the largest proportional population of Indigenous Australians of any Australian capital city. A significant percentage of its residents are recent immigrants from South East Asia adding to the mix of racial and cultural groups, including Timorese, Vietnamese, Filipinos, Papuans, Northern Europeans, Greeks and Italians, as well as residents of English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish descent.

                                     Health Care

The main public hospital in Darwin is the Royal Darwin. There are also many private hospitals along with both public and private clinics, doctors and specialist rooms.

Recreation

Every two years Darwin plays host to the Arafura Games, a major regional sporting event. In July 2003 and 2004, Darwin had the first cricket match as part of the 3 Mobile cricket tour. Australian-rules football and rugby league are played all year round. Melbourne's Western Bulldogs Australian Football League side plays several 'home' games at Marrara Oval each year. The ATSIC Aboriginal All-Stars also participate in the AFL pre-season competition.

Darwin also hosts the V8 Supercars. This event attracts thousands of locals, interstaters and international tourists. This event occurs in the mid-year period and lasts 3 days.

Darwin also has a horse racing cup carnival that starts in the last week of June and goes through to August. While it is not as popular as the Melbourne Cup, it does draw a crowd. The Darwin Cup day is a Public Holiday for the Northern Territory.

Most popular sports are catered for at club level and are played according to seasons.

Fishing is one of the most popular recreational past times of Darwin locals. Visitors from around the world flock to Darwin aiming to catch the prized barramundi, an iconic fish for the region. The Mary River, Daly River, South and East Alligator River are just a few of the water bodies where the barramundi thrive. Outstanding blue water fishing are also available off the coast of Darwin, Spanish Mackerel, Jewfish, Queenfish, Snapper and countless more are all prevalent in the area and accessible in a day trip from Darwin.

The city has many miles of unpolluted beaches, including the Casuarina Beach and well renowned Mindil Beach, home of the Mindil Beach markets. The Casuarina Beach also offers a designated nudist beach area since 1976.Swimming in the sea during the months of October - May should be approached with caution due to the presence of Box jellyfish. Saltwater Crocodiles are very common in all waterways surrounding Darwin (more common than almost anywhere else on the planet) and occasionally are even found swimming in Darwin Harbor and on local beaches.

Arts and Entertainment

Darwin is especially proud of the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets, which are held twice a week during the dry season, and could probably be said to be the finest example of the city’s multiculturalism.

On July 1, Territorians celebrate Territory Day. This is the only day of the year, apart from the Chinese New Year, when fireworks are permitted. In Darwin, the main celebrations occur at Mindil Beach, where a large pyrotechnical display is commissioned by the government.

The Darwin Festival, held annually, includes comedy, dance, theatre, music, film and visual art and the NT Indigenous Music Awards. Other festivals include the Glenti, which showcases Darwin's large Greek community at its most colourful, and India@Mindil, a similar festival held by the smaller Indian community. The Chinese New Year is also celebrated with great festivity, highlighting the Asian influence in Darwin.

Darwin's Mitchell Street is lined with nightclubs, takeaways, and restaurants, many with al fresco-style dining.

The Darwin beer-can regatta, held in August, celebrates Darwin's love affair with beer and contestants' race boats made exclusively of beer cans. Also in Darwin during the month of August, are the Darwin Cup horse race, and the Rodeo and Mud Crab Tying Competition.

Darwin is also home to the Indo-Pacific Marine & Australian Pearling Exhibition, which houses an aquarium complete with living coral, and its complementary sea life.

The Museum of the Northern Territory in Darwin gives an excellent overview of the history of the area, including exhibits on Cyclone Tracy and the boats of the Pacific Islands.

The Museum of the Northern Territory in Darwin gives an excellent overview of the history of the area, including exhibits on Cyclone Tracy and the boats of the Pacific Islands.

The Business Environment

The Economy

East Arm Wharf

Darwin is an important port, particularly for the live export of cattle, minerals and gas. It is also the site of a large Australian Army base and a naval facility supporting patrol boat activity off Australia's northern coastline.

The most important mineral resources are gold and bauxite, along with manganese and many others. The energy production is mostly off shore with oil and natural gas from the Timor Sea, although there are significant uranium deposits near Darwin. Tourism is growing in Darwin as domestic and international tourists are now spending time in Darwin during the Wet and Dry seasons.

There is a significant military presence that is maintained both within Darwin, and the wider Northern Territory. This is both a substantial source of employment and an avenue for federal investment of infrastructure. There is also a substantial United Nations presence in Darwin, since Darwin serves as the staging center for U.N. workers and contractors en route to nearby East Timor.

Darwin's importance as a port is forecasted to grow in the future, due in part to the increased exploitation of petroleum in the nearby Timor Sea, and to the completion of the railway link and continued expansion in trade with Asia.

Shopping

In 2005 the redevelopment of the Wharf Precinct began it includes a large convention and exhibition centre, apartment housing, retail and entertainment outlets including a large wave pool and safe swimming lagoon. Also the Chinatown project with plans to construct multi-level carparks, Chinese-themed retail and dining outlets.

Darwin has the usual large department stores and supermarkets as well as many specialty outlets.

Darwin and Surrounds

Things to Do

There are much to visit in Hobart such as museums, monuments, parks, gardens, the beaches and the markets at Mindil Beach.

National Parks

Yellow waters Billabong

Kakadu National Park is171 km east of Darwin. The park has two seasons, 'wet' and 'dry'. In the wet (October to April) many of the attractions are impossible to get to, so the dry season (May to September) is the peak period for visitors. The attractions include the opportunity to learn about the people, geology, plants and animals which make Kakadu a unique and precious resource, not only for Australians but for all the people in the world. The Bowali Visitor Centre contains a wealth of information about Kakadu. The Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre presents the culture of the local Aboriginal people in an accessible way.

However, the wetlands provide the greatest visual pleasure. The freshwater and estuarine (saltwater) crocodiles sleep on the banks of the Alligator Rivers or the many billabongs for most of the day but can also be seen floating or swimming in the water. Birdlife abounds from the stately Jabiru to the amusing "Jesus" bird (Jacana) as it steps from lily pad to lily pad. At dusk on the Yellow Water billabong (Ngurrungurrudjba), hundred of herons circle overhead landing and taking off from half-submerged trees. Ospreys sit on termite mounds or soar on high looking for prey beneath the still waters. The billabongs of the Kakadu national park are anything but "stagnant pools of water".

Rock painting of a sailing ship

Aboriginal paintings can be studied in overhangs in the Nourlangie area and there are waterfalls and plunge pools in various parts of the park.

Litchfield National Park is 129km out of Darwin and covering around 148 square km of land. The park features include the termite mounds and the "Lost City", an area of bizarre sandstone block and pillar formations which have been sculpted by wind and rain over thousands of years. The landscape of Litchfield National Park is made up of open Eucalyptus bushland, dense monsoonal rainforests and the rocky escarpement of the Table Top range, which feeds the many waterfalls and the clear pools of water they cascade into. During the dry season the park is a magnet for people looking for a refreshing swim. Crocodiles do not seem to be as much a threat in Litchfield as they are in other Northern Territory parks, such as Kakadu. This is due to the safety-conscious and conservative nature of Park Rangers who oversee the national park year-round.

Termite Mounds

Notable tourist locations include: Wangi Falls Buley Rockhole Florence Falls Sandy Creek Falls and more

There are many National Parks around the Northern Territory and are great holiday destinations from Darwin.