The Northern Territory is the least populated and most barren area of Australia. It encompasses the Red Heart of the country: an untamed, picture-book, surreal wilderness at the centre of the national psyche. The territory has been administered by NSW, South Australia, and the Federal Government, but has been self-governing since 1978. Nearly a quarter of its population are Aboriginal people, who have reclaimed ownership of some 45% of their land since the passing of the Aboriginal Land Rights (NT)Act in 1976.
The Northern Territory of Australia Attractions and Place to See
Alice Spring
Alice Spring, the "Red Center". It is located within the MacDonnell Ranges, the surrounding area is downright astonishing. It is no longer an outback town but a convenient tourist center for exploring the real outback. It was war and the WW II Darwin bombing that created a comparable population explosion. as a major military base, postwar rumors about the area's attributes were leaked, creating tourist interest and subsequent development.
Darwin
The Northern Territory's capital city. After WW II, Darwin was rebuilt into a durable, modern center, punctuated here and there by the few surviving historical structures, accented by flowering bougainvillea, frangipani blossoms, and swaying palms.
Kakadu National Park
Kakadu National Park is one of the natural marvels of Australia. Here, a variety of superb landscapes, and some of Australia's best Aboriginal rock art can be found. The vast park is 153 km by road from Darwin and stretches more than 200 km north to south and 100 km east to west. It is on the World Heritage list both for its natural and cultural importance. Part of the park is Aboriginal land and there are three contentious uranium mining leases operating in the east.
Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas)
Both of these places are located in Uluru National Park, which contains one of the world's great natural wonders and one of the Australia's top tourist destinations. It is also the heart of Australia - the big red heart. Uluru National Park encompasses more than 400 plant species, 150 types of birds, and about 25 mammal varieties in a sensitive geological landscape that contrasts drastically from sandy flat plains to those big old rocks.
Ayers Rock is a breathtaking sight - a 650 million year old sandstone behemoth, rising 348 meters above the pancake like surrounding plain. The Olgas just as old and once much larger than Ayers Rock, are a jumble of more rounded monoliths, separated by gorges, valleys, and chasms.
