Thursday, April 18, 2013

Darwin and the Northern Territory - The Undiscovered Jewels of Australia.

By Tim J. Ahern


The Northern Territory is the central northern state of Australia and is famous for marvelous outback adventures. Often known as the Never-Never by the customary owners on account of it's timelessness and mythical stories, the Northern Territory delivers more exciting activity than most of Australia's states and the chance to get truly lost in the beauty and ruggedness of what is the quintessential "Australian Outback".

The best method to travel this vast red, green and azure terrain is with a vehicle of your own rented in Darwin or Alice Springs - the 2 leading cities. There is only one issue to keep in mind when driving a vehicle in the Northern Territory, Western Australia or anyplace in the outback: if you want to be leaving the black tar, you MUST be in a 4wd!

Where is Darwin. Darwin is the capital town of the Northern Territory, and is the largest in the state. It is situated on the central north coast of Australia on the Timor Sea and is found between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Equator.

About Darwin. Darwin is the gateway to the outback of Australia - the rugged, stunning, red, green and blue lands which have made Australia celebrated the world over. From Darwin you get quick access to some of Australia's most iconic landmarks. Kakadu National Park - the world heritage listed park lands, Litchfield National park - the inland treasure of the Northern Territory, Uluru - the worlds largest monolith, and a plethora of other attractions which make you gaze in wonder. There is no better way to visit these timeless, rugged sites than with your own 4wd camper hire from Darwin.

The Northern Territory is sparsely populated and is primarily outback bushland and national parks. Darwin has a population of around 130,000 defining it as the largest city in the Northern Territory, however is only 16th largest in Australia. It's an important gateway to South East Asia and has quite a military significance to Australia. As a result, you will normally find Navy ships in the harbour. It is the northernmost point of the popular Ghan railway that crosses the country in a North/South direction with the other end being Adelaide some 2979km away.

Like all leading cities in Australia it has a bountiful supply of shops, pubs, restaurants, fuel, lodgings and everything a traveler will need to have a wonderful time.

When to Go. Darwin is in a tropical region so is hot and humid all year round. It is more defined by a wet and dry season. The best time to go is the dry season, but in particular the times when there are no school breaks is the best of the best.

Dry Season: Late April to September/October. This the best time of the year to go. In this time there is less rain and the night times become a little cooler. "A little cooler" in Darwin means an average of around 20 deg C (68F) as apposed to 24 deg C (75F). The days stay about the same average all year at 32 deg C (90F) but they seem far more tolerable during the dry season with about 50% the humidity of the wet season.

School holidays: These are the dates which will raise crowds in Darwin and other sights in the Northern Territory throughout the dry season. Dates vary from state to state, but taking in to account the beginning dates of the first state(s) to go on break and the end of the last state(s) to go back, these are the dates of school holidays. (Subject to minor change annually).

29th March - 26th April 1st July - 21st July 23rd September - 13th October

Wet Season: October/November to around April. The wet begins with particularly steamy, hot conditions accompanied by some incredible lightning storms. The rainfall increases as you get to the end of the year. The wettest section of the year is from January to March. During this time many unsealed roads will close to all but locals and it is not recommended to go at this time except if you like being wet. Even 4wd campers will get bogged at this time of year. This is also the part of the season that is most prone to cyclones.

What to See. Darwin is the gateway to outback Australia. With a 4wd campervan hired from Darwin you can get to all the places you want to go and even to a few you don't know you want to get to yet. From Darwin it is only a road-trip to the likes of Litchfield National Park, Katherine, Uluru & Kings Canyon, Alice Springs and The Kimberly in Western Australia. And don't forget Darwin itself for a little fun and relaxation. Less than three hours drive from Darwin, Kakadu National Park possesses an uncommon dual World Heritage listing for both its natural beauty and its ancient Aboriginal culture, dating back 50,000 years. It is one of the more popular points of interest in the north, with Uluru being the most desired in the south.

Transport. There are no trains or trams around Darwin, it is just buses. There are lots of attractions around Darwin which are not central to town and you will save yourself much waiting around at a hot bus stop if you splash out on a campervan. As soon as you are ready to see the places that are further afield, make sure you get yourself a 4wd camper hire to do the long miles with. There is virtually no effective public transport options outside of Darwin. The only train operates from Darwin to Adelaide 2 times a week (The Ghan).

Darwin and the Northern Territory are where many of the most well-known photographs of Australia are taken, not to mention movies like Crocodile Dundee and Kangaroo Jack. It is a destination where time simply stopped tens on thousands of years ago and now offers the modern tourist a glimpse in to the past when only the Aboriginals inhabited the land along with the indigenous animals. No other place in Australia or the globe can provide astonishment, peace, pleasure and adventure like that which is on offer in the "Never Never".




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