Darwin General Tour Information and Travel Guide
Darwin's colourful past as a tropical outpost add character to today's city of five star hotels, fine dining and an international airport. Its tropical climate and rich mix of races give it an exotic character which makes it diffcult to compare with any of the other state capitals. Visitors to Darwin enjoy a relaxed, tropical lifestyle, with wonderful sunsets, city streets shaded by palms, bamboo mango trees and masses of flowering tropical plants like the fragrant Frangipani and the iridescent blooms of the Bougainvillea. Beyond Darwin, the country presents a kaleidoscope of easily accessible touring choices.
Darwin Attractions
Around Darwin
Howard Springs is a crocodile-free swimming hole surrounded by forest. It's about 25 km from the city but can get uncomfortably crowded at weekends. Nevertheless, it's a pleasant spot for an excursion; there are short walking tracks and lots of bird life. Mandorah, a popular beach resort on the tip of Cox Peninsula, is only 10 km across the harbour by boat. The crossing takes about 30 minutes and ferries run three or four times a day from Stokes Hill Wharf. The 400-hectare Territory Wildlife Park is 60 km from Darwin on the Cox Peninsula Road. It has an excellent collection of Australian mammals, fish and reptiles. Nearby Berry Springs Nature Park is a great place for a swim. It has several spring-fed pools and a warm thermal waterfall.
Indo-Pacific Marine & Australian Pearling Exhibition
This excellent aquarium displays living coral ecosystems and an array of exotic creatures associated with coral, such as sea horses, clown fish and butterfly fish. Housed in the same building is the Pearling Exhibition, which deals with the history of the pearling industry and has informative audiovisual displays. The exhibitions are in the Wharf Precinct, once the city's ugly port facility, but now being redeveloped into a tourist drawcard.
The Museum of Arts & Sciences
A highlight of this bright, well-presented museum at Fannie Bay is its collection of Aboriginal art. It's particularly strong on carvings and bark paintings from Arnhem Land, Bathurst and Melville islands. There's also a good collection of artefacts from the Pacific and South-East Asia, including Indonesian ikat (woven cloth), gamelan instruments and a sea gypsies' prahu (floating home) from Sabah, Malaysia.
East Point
This spit of undeveloped bushland north of Fannie Bay is good to visit in the late afternoon when the wallabies come out to feed. A cool breeze usually springs up as you watch the sun set across the bay. There's also a salt-water, jellyfish-free lake where swimming is possible all year round.
Beaches
Darwin has plenty of beaches but you'd be wise to keep out of the water during the wet season because of the deadly box jellyfish. Popular beaches include Mindil and Vestey's. In north Darwin there's a stinger net protecting part of Nightcliff Beach. A stretch of the seven-km Casuarina Beach further east is officially designated for nudie.
Darwin Accommodation Hotels and Motels
Asti Motel Cnr Packard Place and Smith Street DARWIN 800 61 74 78-3733
Darwin Hotel 10 Herbert Street DARWIN 800 61 89 81-9211
Poinciana Inn 84 Mitchell Street DARWIN 800 61 89 81-8111
