Visit Darwin in the Green Season
The Top End of the Northern Territory is an exciting destination at any time of the year. This is frontier Australia, renowned for its rich indigenous culture and magnificent national parks, as well as its tro
pical weather and laid-back lifestyle. Most people come here during the 'Dry' season from May to September when the weather is cooler, but a visit during the 'Wet' or 'Green' season has its own distinctive rewards. At this time of the year there are some pretty special additions to the Northern Territory’s long list of attractions – spectacular tropical thunderstorms with stunning cloud formations and lightening displays, brilliant lush green plant growth and fabulous wetland wildlife. And then there’s the benefit of low season prices and less people to share all the amazing sights. And there’s still that famous laid-back lifestyle……only even more so. Take a trip to the Top End this Green Season and enjoy some clean, green scenes.
Around and about DarwinTake a day trip to the
Territory Wildlife Park. You won’t get hot and bothered – there’s a train to get you around the 400ha natural bushland with its diverse range of habitats including monsoonal rainforest, woodlands and wetlands. Walk through one of the largest aviaries in the Southern hemisphere, watch crocodiles in the under-water aquarium, and discover some of the secret lives of rare and endangered animals at the Nocturnal House. Have a snack in the kiosk or pack a lunch and relax in the picnic area and playground. Pop in to nearby Berry Springs Nature Reserve on the way back to Darwin for a cool dip in the deep freshwater pools.
Don’t miss the fish feeding at
Aquascene. This unique Darwin activity is a great way to have a first hand introduction to the hundreds of fish species that live along the Darwin coast. Check out the
feeding times for November and
December.
For an insight into the regional Aboriginal art and culture, the NT’s history and maritime exploration, visit the
Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. One of the “must see” exhibitions is the Cyclone Tracy gallery, with its chilling soundtrack and photos of the devastation wreaked on D
arwin 33 years ago. The museum’s restaurant Cornucopia, with its tropical garden setting overlooking the Timor Sea is the perfect place for lunch or dinner or a relaxing brunch on the weekend.
Explore the National Parks This is the best time of the year to experience the things that make
Kakadu National Park – a World Heritage listed site – waterfalls, billabongs, rivers and wetlands and their unique wildlife. The entire catchment area of the East Alligator River lies within the park and is home to thousands of plant and animal species.
Take a cruise on Yellow Water to see crocodiles, water birds and lotus lilies. Go birdwatching at dawn. Visit the ancient rock art sites with an Aboriginal guide. Take a scenic flight for a bird’s eye view of the escarpment and waterfalls. For the hardy there are 4WD camping tours; if you prefer to spend the evenings in air-conditioned comfort or enjoy sipping a cold drink by the pool, then there are several accommodation options to cater for a range of budgets.
Just 140km from Darwin is beautiful
Litchfield National Park, with waterfalls, gorges and crocodile-free pools for swimming. A popular dry season camping spot for Darwinians, Litchfield is also an easy day trip. Stop off on the way to marvel at the amazing giant magnetic termite mounds and the sandstone block formations known as
the 'Lost City'.
Darwin lifestyleDiscover Darwin’s cultural melting pot at the Parap Village markets, held every Saturday morning in the Parap Shopping Village. With its huge array of fresh local produce, mouth-watering exotic foods and stalls selling craft, knick knacks and second hand books, this is one of the most popular weekend meeting places for locals and visitors. On Sundays check out the markets at Rapid Creek and Nightcliff, or pop out to Palmerston for a family outing to the Palmerston Markets on Friday evening. For more information on markets in Darwin visit
www.darwindiary.com.au Take a sunset harbour cruise and see why people fall in love with the Top End! You may never want to leave. Watch a tropical sunset while you sip champagne and nibble hors d’oevres on the deck of an old pearling lugger. Life doesn’t get much better than this.
Eat out Darwin style. Check out the café culture and sidewalk eating in Mitchell Street or soak up some balmy Darwin ambience with a meal at the Darwin Wharf Precinct or Cullen Bay Marina. There are also some wonderful fine dining experiences, and the choice of cuisine is endless.
For more information visit
Tourism Northern Territory websiteImages courtesy of: Tourism Northern Territory