Destination Darwin
As winter sets in, our thoughts turn to warmer climates. Luckily, there are plenty of places in Australia to hide out during the big chill. One spot where you’re unlikely to need a jumper is Darwin.
While we’re cranking up the heater, Darwin residents are enjoying balmy weather, al fresco dining and jaw-dropping sunsets.
Relaxed and lively in equal measure, Northern Territory’s capital is not just a destination, it’s an experience.
We start our list of seven local attractions in the CBD, with one of the nation’s most intense wildlife adventures.
1. Crocosaurus Cove
Embracing Darwin’s location on the edge of a vast wilderness, Crocosaurus Cove in Mitchell Street has brought the wilds downtown.
Alluringly named, the Cage of Death is a transparent tube that lowers visitors into the lair of giant saltwater crocodiles, colloquially known as salties.
These 5m-long monsters are the stuff of nightmares, and the cage will bring you within a few centimetres of a croc’s toothy maw.
Outside the acrylic tube of terror, there are lots of other things to do at Crocosaurus Cove. Grab a fishing pole and feed morsels of meat to juvenile crocs, see the world’s largest display of Australian reptiles, check out the salties at feeding time, and get up close to barramundi, whiprays and sawfish in the aquarium.
RAA members save on:
Crocosaurus Cove general admission tickets
Bic Croc Feeding Experience
Whipray Encounter
2. Darwin Military Museum
During World War II, Darwin was a distant outpost isolated from the rest of the country. Hefty artillery defences were being established to defend the town, but most of these were designed for a naval assault.
But on 19 February 1942, the Japanese attacked by air and their aircraft carriers were parked well out of range of the unfinished land-based guns. Over the next two years Darwin endured more than 60 air raids.
The emplacements that housed the massive 9.2-inch guns, capable of firing a shell over 27km, remain in their original locations at East Point.
The nearby military museum is home to a fascinating range of weaponry, memorabilia, photos and interpretive information covering Australia’s military history. There’s also a 15-minute film showing the first air raids.
3. Deckchair Cinema
The outdoor Deckchair Cinema shows movies nightly throughout the dry season.
Get there early and enjoy a hearty meal from a food vendor, and wash it down with a cold beer, wine or soft drink from the bar. Kids can get an ice cream at the kiosk.
As the fruit bats fuss about in the trees overhead and an NT sunset spreads across the sky, settle into your deckchair and soak in the atmosphere – and there’s a movie too.
4. Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
On Christmas Eve 1974, Darwin was destroyed by Cyclone Tracy.
The museum’s cyclone exhibit shows Darwin before and after that fatal night, and serves as a chilling reminder of nature’s wild mood swings.
Head into the dark sound room and hear the cyclone’s unnerving fury, recorded by Father Ted Collins in various locations around the city.
Other permanent exhibits include artworks from the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, and the preserved body of Sweetheart, a once-ferocious 5.1m saltwater crocodile responsible for a number of attacks on boats in the 1970s.
5. Mindil Beach Sunset Market
Open every Thursday and Sunday evening throughout the dry season, Mindil Market is a Darwin institution.
Just back from the foreshore, it’s a great place to sample a world of foods – particularly South-East Asian treats – and wander among an eclectic mix of art, craft and live entertainment.
Don’t forget to wander over the dunes to catch the setting sun.
6. Darwin Waterfront
Swimming in the sea off Darwin is only okay in the dry season months of June, July, August and September. Mindil, Nightcliff and Casuarina beaches have lifeguards, and there hasn’t been a fatal croc attack at these locations for more than 120 years. So, that’s good.
In the wet season, deadly jellyfish turn up. Unfortunately, these stingers don’t always read their calendars right, and it might be wise to cover up as much as possible whenever you take a dip.
Or you could head to Darwin Waterfront, which has a wave pool, a swimming lagoon and artificial beach – which is walled off from the sea – plus an excellent range of restaurants and cafes.
7. Royal Flying Doctor Service
Located on Stokes Hill Wharf, the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Tourist Facility recounts two stories that couldn’t be more different from each other.
One covers the history and current operations of the RFDS through interactive displays and holograms, plus a virtual reality (VR) experience of an aerial medivac.
Visitors can also climb aboard a retired RFDS Pilatus PC-12 plane and view other equipment.
The second story is the harrowing tale of the first bombing of Darwin, which is also told through interactive technology and a frighteningly immersive VR film.
Among the other exhibits, it’s hard to miss the scaled replica of a Japanese Zero bomber hanging from the ceiling.
RAA members save on RFDS Tourist Facility admission.