darwin and surrounds 7 days
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seven daysdarwin and surrounds
With a week in Darwin, you have time to find out why Lonely Planet named it
one of the worlds top ten cities to visit in 2012. Plus, youll get to head out on
daytrips into the Top Ends nearby natural beauty. With this itinerary, well be
introducing you to Darwins Aboriginal art, WWII history and great dining, as
well as taking you to sit in a waterfall in Litchfield National Park, to explore
wetlands, and on a short flight to the nearby Tiwi Islands.
Order your first coffee for the day at one of
the many cafes in the city or watch the
passing yachts from the Boardwalk Cafe
Boatshed Coffee House on the marina.
See Aboriginal art from around the
Northern Territory, and talk to expert
dealers at commercial art galleries in the
city and nearby suburb Parap.
The Museum and Art Gallery of the
Northern Territory is a good place to find
out more about Aboriginal art and to see
local crocodile celebrity, Sweetheart. The
5-metre, 780-kilogram taxidermied
saltwater crocodile is on permanent display
in the museum.
Take a walk through the shady George
Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens to see flora
of northern Australia and other tropical
habitats. Wander through mangroves and
open woodlands, and see 450 species of
palms and plantings from the Tiwi Islands
and Arnhem Land.
day 1.
Litchfield National Park is a great place for a
day trip. Make the easy 90-minute drive on
sealed roads to see its lush wilderness of
monsoon rainforests, cascading waterfalls,
and diverse flora and fauna.
Follow the boardwalk past the magnetic
termite mounds, cool off with a swim in the
plunge pool below the spring-fed Florence
Falls, wade through the rocky pools at Buley
Rockhole, and visit Wangi and Tolmer falls.
Or, join a tour departing from Darwin led by
an Aboriginal guide who explains the
regions traditions and significance to its
traditional owners as well as bush foods and
medicines.
At the days end find a seat to unwind and
take in a flick at Deckchair Cinema, an
outdoor cinema on the Darwin Waterfront
A popular place for fish and chips, Stokes
Hill Wharf is a great place to finish the day
and watch the sun set over the harbour.
day 2.
Exploring a new place on foot is the best
way to find out what makes it tick. Follow
Robbie Mills, a Larrakia man, on a Batji
Tours 90-minute cultural walking tour along
the Esplanade.
Or find out about Darwins wartime history.
Visit the new Defence of Darwin Experience
and historical sites including the WWII Oil
Storage Tunnels and the cenotaph at
Bicentennial Park a memorial to those lost
in WWII which overlooks Darwin Harbour.
For an adrenalin rush and a closer look at
living, breathing saltwater crocodiles, head
into Darwins Crocosaurus Cove and dive
among them in the Cage of Death.
that screens Australian, popular, family,
foreign and classic films during the Dry
(AprilNovember). Relax under the stars and
enjoy their onsite bar and food stall.
day 3.
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seven daysdarwin and surrounds
. . . find out why Lonely Planet
named it one of the worlds top
ten cities to visit in 2012.
As the daylight hours start to wane, head
back to the waterfront to board a cruise on
an historic pearling lugger for a drink or
dinner and to watch a magnificent tropical
sunset from the water.
The Tiwi Islands are famous for Aboriginal
arts and crafts, a passion for Australian
Rules Football (AFL), and fishing.
From Darwin the Tiwi Islands are accessible
as part of an organised Aboriginal tour or
fishing expedition. To get there take a
30-minute flight in a light aircraft from
Darwin.
Art is part of everyday life on the islands.
Make sure your visit includes a stop at an
art centre where you can see artists at work
and purchase craft and artworks. See
traditional art and depictions of the Tiwi
creation stories on display at the Tiwi
Museum, and wander through the unique
Tiwi-style Catholic Church in the Early
Mission Precinct.
Back in Darwin, book ahead to secure a
table at one of the citys gastronomic
must-dos: Hanuman. It combines Asian-style
decor and alfresco dining with a distinctive
menu of Thai, Indian and Nonya cuisine.
Chef Jimmy Shus trumpet mushrooms and
Hanuman oysters come highly
recommended.
day 4.
Treat yourself to breakfast with a view:
make your way to Cullen Bay Marina and
grab a table at Buzz Cafe.
For some R&R, head to Berry Springs Nature
Park. A recreation camp for armed forces
personnel during the war, today it is a
popular spot for a barbecue and a dip in the
freshwater pools. Remains of wartime huts
and weirs are still visible around the main
pool.
Get close to the local wildlife at the nearby
Territory Wildlife Park. Wander through
treetop aviaries, around a natural lagoon
and through the aquarium to see animals,
including saltwater crocodiles, in their
natural habitats.
Darwins popular Mindil Beach Sunset
Markets are held every Thursday and
Sunday evening between May and October.
The region's incredible multicultural mix is
well represented at the market's arts and
crafts and food stalls, so go with an
appetite. Enjoy free entertainment by
magicians and buskers, or take your pick
from the food stalls and picnic on the beach
for sunset.
day 5.
Cruising Top End wetlands teeming with
wildlife should be on everyones bucket list.
A one-hour wildlife cruise on Corroboree
Billabong (a 90-minute drive from Darwin) is
a great way to see, photograph and find out
more about the local wildlife. Expect to see
wetland birds, including the jabiru and
brolga, magpie geese and many others, as
well as crocodiles the billabong is said to
have the highest concentration of saltwater
crocodiles in the world.
To learn about the Northern Territorys
wetlands stop at Window on the Wetlands
where interactive displays explain the
history and ecology, seasonal changes and
abundant wildlife of the northern coastal
wetlands.
Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve is one of
the few wetland systems that is accessible
year-round. Here, boardwalks take you
day 6.
The Northern Territory is a famous
year-round fishing destination. There is a
wide range of fishing options close to
Darwin, and species ranging from mud crabs
to queenfish. Join a blue water charter or
hire your own dinghy for the day to explore
the coastlines many natural and artificial
reefs.
Cool off at Darwins Wave Lagoon a
stinger- and crocodile-free wave and
swimming lagoon on Darwins waterfront.
Paddle, swim, bodysurf or play in this
man-made lagoon, which is like a beach with
no sand, with man-made waves of up to 1.7
metres generated at regular intervals.
Toast a great Darwin day at one of the many
bars and pubs on the citys main
entertainment strip, Mitchell Street. Choose
from traditional pubs with beer gardens,
popular live music venues, terrace bars with
street-side dining, casual backpacker joints,
swanky cocktail bars and night clubs.
through different landscapes and to
observation platforms to view the large
numbers of resident wading birds.
After a busy day in the field, retire to Char
Restaurant to dine on fresh local produce in
the beautiful heritage-listed Admiralty
House.
day 7.
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seven daysdarwin and surrounds
Boardwalk Cafe Boatshed Coffee
House
5456 Marina Boulevard, Cullen Bay
Darwin
Northern Territory 0820
T: +61 (8) 8981 0200
W: www.boardwalkcafe.com.au
1 Parap Shopping Village
Parap Place, Parap
Darwin
Northern Territory 0804
T: +61 (8) 8952 1700
W: www.parapvillage.com.au
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Museum and Art Gallery of the
Northern Territory
Conacher Street, Fannie Bay
Darwin
Northern Territory 0820
T: +61 (8) 8999 8264
W: www.magnt.nt.gov.au
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3
George Brown Darwin Botanic
Gardens
Gardens Road, Darwin
Northern Territory 0820
T: +61 (8) 8981 1958
W: www.nretas.nt.gov.au
4 Stokes Hill Wharf
Darwin Wharf Precinct, Darwin
Northern Territory 0800
T: +61 (8) 8942 1453
F: +61 (8) 8941 5375
W: www.darwinport.nt.gov.au
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Litchfield National Park
Litchfield Park Road via Batchelor
Northern Territory 0845
T: +61 (8) 8999 4555
W: www.nretas.nt.gov.au
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Northern Territory Indigenous Tours
Lyons Cottage, 74 The Esplanade
Darwin
Northern Territory 0800
T: +61 (8) 8983 1434
Toll Free: 1300 921 188 (Australia)
W: www.ntindigenoustours.com/
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Deckchair Cinema
Jervois Road off Kitchener Drive
Darwin
Northern Territory 0800
T: +61 (8) 8981 0700
W: www.deckchaircinema.com/
8 Batji Tours
By the fountain. Corner of Daly Street
and The Esplanade
Darwin
Northern Territory 0800
Toll Free: 1300 881 186 (Australia)
W: www.batji.com
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Defence of Darwin Experience
5434 Alec Fong Lim Drive
East Point, Darwin
Northern Territory 0820
T: +61 (8) 8981 9702
W: www.defenceofdarwin.nt.gov.au
10 WWII Oil Storage Tunnels
Kitchener Drives, Darwin Wharf
Precinct, Darwin
Northern Territory 0800
T: +61 (8) 8985 6333
F: +61 (8) 8985 6366
W: www.darwintours.com.au
11 Bicentennial Park
The Esplanade, Darwin
Northern Territory 0800
T: +61 (8) 8930 0300
W: www.darwin.nt.gov.au
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Crocosaurus Cove
58 Mitchell Street, Darwin
Northern Territory 0800
T: +61 (8) 8981 7522
W: www.crocosauruscove.com.au
13 Darwin Waterfront Precinct
Kitchener Drive, Darwin
Northern Territory 0800
T: +61 (8) 8999 5155
W: www.waterfront.nt.gov.au
14 Tiwi Islands
Nguiu, Bathurst Island
Northern Territory 0822
T: +61 (8) 8923 6523
Toll Free: 1300 721 365 (Australia)
W: www.tiwi-islands.com.au
Hanuman Restaurant Darwin
Holiday Inn Esplanade Darwin Complex
93 Mitchell Street, Darwin
Northern Territory 0800
T: +61 (8) 8941 3500
W: www.hanuman.com.au
16 Buzz Cafe
48 Marina Boulevard
Cullen Bay, Darwin
Northern Territory 0820
T: +61 (8) 8941 1141
W: www.buzzcafe.com.au
17 Berry Springs Nature Park
57 kilometres south-west of Darwin
Cox Peninsula Road
Berry Springs
Northern Territory 0837
T: +61 (8) 8999 4555
W: www.nretas.nt.gov.au
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Territory Wildlife Park
Cox Peninsula Road
Berry Springs
Northern Territory 0838
T: +61 (8) 8988 7200
www.territorywildlifepark.com.au
19 Mindil Beach Sunset Markets
Maria Liveris Drive
Darwin
Northern Territory 0820
T: +61 (8) 8981 3454
W: www.mindil.com.au
20 Wetland Cruises
69 Mitchell Street
Darwin
Northern Territory 0800
T: +61 (8) 8985 5855
W: www.wetlandcruises.com.au
21
Window on the Wetlands
Beatrice Hill, Arnhem Highway
Humpty Doo
Northern Territory 0836
T: +61 (8) 8988 8188
W: www.nretas.nt.gov.au
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Darwin Wave Lagoon
Darwin Waterfront Precinct
Kitchener Drive, Darwin
Northern Territory 0800
W: www.waterfront.nt.gov.au
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Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve
Fogg Dam Road, Humpty Doo
Northern Territory 0836
T: +61 (8) 8999 4555
W: www.nretas.nt.gov.au
23 Char Restaurant at Admiralty
70 The Esplanade, Darwin
Northern Territory 0800
T: +61 (8) 8981 4544
W: www.chardarwin.com.au
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seven daysdarwin and surrounds
Call Territory Discoveries to talk to an NT specialist: 13 31 01
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