As part of my Tourism Australia Corroboree West 2019 conference last month, I got to spend several days in Darwin, Northern Territory and surrounding areas.
Having only changed planes in Darwin before, I was excited and grateful to be able to tour this area.
It has been a city under the radar for many travelers, but has enough to offer for several days in and around town before heading into the Outback (east, south and west) or north to Indonesia and beyond.
Darwin is the capital of the Northern Territory. With a population of about 120,000 people, it is the smallest of the Australian capital cities. It has been destroyed and rebuilt several times, most recently after Cyclone Tracy in 1974. That gives the central business district a modern feel and many new hotels and shops are opening. Darwin is closer to Indonesia than Sydney and has a lively culture with many ethnic groups.
Here is what we did during our 3 days in the city and surrounding area.
Darwin City
Mindil Beach Sunset Markets
These take place on Thursdays and Sundays during the dry season (April through October). We were able to watch the sun set over the water, then wander the food and craft stalls. An interesting feature is Mindil Money. Cleverly designed with different colors and denominations, you use it to buy food from any of the vendors and even some of the crafts vendors. Purchase it at the entrance to the market. There are over 30 food stalls with everything from fish and chips to mango smoothies. Our group chose a range of food: wood fired pizzas, rice and noodle bowls, a french fried spiralized potato on a stick, Korean BarBQue, fish and chips, to name a few.
Hop On Hop Off Bus
The bright red double-decker bus does an hour loop around the city, with stops at about a dozen places. Notice the shade over the top level. Absolutely necessary here! If we’d had more time I would have stopped at the Darwin Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, where you can see (stuffed) Sweetheart the Saltwater Crocodile.(see below) I would also have like to get to the Stokes Hill Wharf, where there is a visitor center and museums dedicated to the WWII bombing of Darwin by the Japanese and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
CBD Street Art and Murals:
Just before we left for home, we had about an hour to explore downtown Darwin. We went shopping on the Mitchell Street Mall to get those last-minute souvenirs and Aboriginal art. We walked just off the main streets and saw many great art murals. My favorite was the tiger cubs just outside of Little Miss Korea restaurant where we had an excellent dinner one night.
Sail Darwin Champagne Sunset Cruise
The 50 ft. catamaran cruises the coastline of Darwin, while the crew treats guests to tapas-style nibbles and champagne. The sunsets were particularly red because of recent fires in the area. This is fun to do with a group. There is commentary about the history of Darwin and the various sights along the way.
On the Adelaide River
Spectacular Jumping Crocodile Cruise
About an hour outside of Darwin you get on a boat but keep arms, legs, and camera inside the railing. These cruises search out the saltwater crocodiles and entice them to jump out of the water with buffalo meat on a pole. Dramatic and scary. There is no swimming here. You can learn a lot about the saltwater crocs and their importance to this area.
Southwest of Darwin
Matt Wright’s Explore The Wild’s Top End Safari Camp
This excursion is about 2 hours southwest of Darwin along the Finniss River flood plain. People can come here for an overnight glamping experience and do different activities. Meals are served on the large covered platform near the tents. There is a campfire circle and a small hot tub in the central camping area.
We had a fun day out here, inspecting the glamping tents, taking a helicopter to Sweet’s Lagoon, and going on a air boat ride up the river. This area had been dominated by a crocodile called Sweetheart who was known for attacking boats in his territory. He was finally captured in 1979 and removed from the area.
The activity not to be missed is the feeding of Tripod, the 17-foot crocodile. The wranglers entice Tripod out of his small lagoon with a buffalo haunch. Tripod poses politely for selfies, gets his reward, and goes back into his pond. Do not try this out in the wild!
Where We Stayed
Darwin has many hotel properties from which to choose.
