Darwin (Northern Territory, Australia)

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Cyclone Tracy, which devastated Darwin in 1974, saw to it that the town is far more modern looking than its isolated situation might suggest. Stretching around 3 mls N to S, the compact city centre consists of a series of wide main roads, paralleling the sea-facing Esplanade, after which the city straggles N along the Mindil and Fannie Bay beaches as far as East Point Nature Reserve. Shops and restaurants are concentrated along the S end of the 3 main streets, and many of the best hotels straddle the Esplanade. Another area of interest is Darwin Harbour, at the SE end of town overlooking Frances Bay, which has been redeveloped as the Wharf Precinct, offering a mix of attractions, bars and restaurants. Overall, the city has a well-spaced, flat feel, just as well if you're to move around comfortably in the intense heat of the dry season.

Locality:

Darwin is the capital of the Northern Territory, in the far N of the continent, within easy flying distance of Indonesia. It is 925 mls N of Alice Springs, 100 mls W of Kakadu National Park, 158 mls W of Jabiru, 7½ mls SW of the international airport, connected by shuttle buses and taxis. It is located on a spit of land overlooking the Timor Sea and surrounded by mangrove swamps.

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Darwin is particularly suited to couples and families, especially those with children keen on the environment. Accommodation is plentiful and virtually all accommodation post-dates Cyclone Tracy and comprises mainly mundane skyscraper blocks, with a few striking exceptions. Mostly 3- to 5-star hotels, with a scattering of lower-grade motels too.

Beaches: Darwin is fringed with beaches (the best are Mindil and Fannie Bay), although they all attract deadly box jellyfish, Oct to May. Naturist beach at Casuarina.

Shopping: Although most of Darwin's city-centre shops lack distinction (they're often best as refuges from the intense heat outside!), this is a good place to shop for Aboriginal art. Several markets, at Parap (Sat) and Mindil Beach (Thurs).

Activities : pearling exhibition and World War II storage tunnels at Wharf Precinct; modern Christchurch Cathedral; Fannie Bay Gaol; East Point Nature Reserve; fish feeding at Aquascene; Crocodylus Park for crocodiles and other wildlife.
Nightlife: range of bars and cafes, including Irish-themed pubs; cinema complex and performing arts centre; casino at MGM Grand hotel.

Restaurants: Diners have a few good restaurants in the city centre and Wharf Precinct; otherwise, most hotels have their own eateries. A good place to sample barramundi, a type of fish.

Excursions: Local excursions include trips to Kakadu National Park and smaller Litchfield National Park, both with crocodiles, waterfalls and wonderful birdlife; Kakadu also has Aboriginal rock art. Fishing charters. Flights to Bathurst and Melville Islands. Arnhem Land Aboriginal Reserve (permits needed to enter).

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Population: 20.090.400
Languages: English 79%, native and other languages
Currency: Australian dollar
Currency code: AUD
Local Times:
Australia - Australian Capital Territory - Canberra

Australia - New South Wales - Sydney

Australia - Tasmania - Hobart

Australia - Western Australia - Perth

Country Dialling Code: +61
Voltage: 240V 50Hz
Electrical plugs:
Flat prongs, inverted 'V' positioned with earth connector

Flat prongs, inverted 'V' positioned with earth connector

Australia, officially called the Commonweath of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the continental mainland (the smallest of the World\'s continents).

The continent of Australia, with the island state of Tasmania, is approximately equal in area to the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). Mountain ranges run from north to south along the east coast, reaching their highest point in Mount Kosciusko (7,308 ft; 2,228 m). The western half of the continent is occupied by a desert plateau that rises into barren, rolling hills near the west coast. The Great Barrier Reef, extending about 1,245 mi (2,000 km), lies along the northeast coast. The island of Tasmania (26,178 sq mi; 67,800 sq km) is off the southeast coast.

It may be one of the world's most ancient lands with its mystical red centre and brooding rock formations, but Australia is also characterised by its youthful energy, its freshness and its \'no worries\' philosophy.

Most of the population lives within a few miles of the beach and with the working day beginning and ending early, it\'s not uncommon to see city slickers out of their suits and into the surf come 4.30pm.

In high summer many families will enjoy a simple backyard barbecue several times a week.

The 22-hour journey means most European people visit for at least a couple of weeks, allowing time for all that the country has to offer, including its chic cities, terracotta desert, lush bush and magical ocean reefs.

But the sheer size of Australia means that one visit is unlikely to be enough.

The most popular attractions are undoubtedly Uluru (Ayers Rock), the Great Barrier Reef and the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, but there are now more subtle incentives for a visit.

The wonderful fusion cuisine, the café society, the burgeoning art, culture and fashion scene, and the very real possibility of being the only person for miles around all conspire to make it a wholly alluring experience.

Australia is politically divided into six states and two territories, each one offering a different experience for the traveller. There is the drama of the remote \'Outback\', the colourful spectacle of the Great Barrier Reef and its coral islands, the excitement of the cosmopolitan cities, the sun and surf at some of the best beaches in the world, and the tropical rainforests of Western Australia. The list is endless in this diverse land of adventure, which boasts 2,000 national parks and 14 World Heritage-listed areas, along with more than 7,000 beaches.

Australia is a land of character too, with its melting pot of cultures. For more than 50,000 years the Aboriginal people lived and thrived in the continent\'s unique environment. It is believed the Aboriginals are the world\'s oldest civilisation, and in recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in keeping the Aboriginal culture alive and flourishing.

The vast continent at the bottom of the world was the last landmass to be discovered by European explorers. Captain James Cook arrived in Botany Bay in 1770 and sparked off generations of emigration to Australia, which for some time served as a penal colony. It was not until 1860 that two explorers - Robert Burke and William Wills - became the first Europeans to cross Australia from south to north. The country remains a magnet for modern explorers and adventurers and has a great deal to offer tourists and holidaymakers.