Visit Darwin and Kakadu
18 May 2017
Darwin, you sense, is a city in transition. The harbour front is the most obvious place where change is happening. There are the new waterfront apartments and restaurants, the walled-in beach that has allows city dwellers to swim without fear of crocodiles, and plans for a new six star hotel next to wharf one and a ship terminal to cater for the projected growth in cruise visitors.
So before everyone catches on, take time to explore a city that is full of hidden gems. Here are some things to do, that you really shouldn’t miss.
Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
I instantly warm to an exhibition space as eclectic as this one. The collection ranges from a giant stuffed crocodile to the latest student artworks and one of the best maritime collections of boats and canoes I’ve seen. There are so many highlights: a fascinating history of the devastation caused by cyclone Tracy that pretty much destroyed Darwin in 1974, including moving oral accounts of living through it; a natural history collection of flora and fauna, and geological exhibits that underscore the ancient and decidedly odd evolution of this part of the world; and contemporary art and photography exhibitions, which sit comfortably alongside the history. To top it all off, the cafe and gift shop are both excellent.
Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Darwin Tourist Facility
Positioned on Stokes Hill Wharf, the RFDS features two iconic stories: the history of the unique RFDS and the bombing of Darwin harbour in 1942. Climb aboard a decommissioned RFDS plane to marvel at how medics perform miracles in such a small space. Equally awesome is the new immersive virtual reality experience that puts you on the ships and in the cockpit during the bombing. It’s quite chilling to look out of the museum windows afterwards at the exact spot where the attack took place.
Crocodiles!
Another kind of interactive experience can be found at the Crocosaurus Cove aquarium and park. Step inside the ‘cage of death’ for a close encounter with the Top End’s most fearsome beasts. Being lowered in a glass cylinder into a pen with 5-metre crocodiles is not for the faint hearted (unless they’re asleep). An alternative is to take a trip along the Arnhem Highway, about an hour south of Darwin, to the Adelaide river, where the Spectacular Jumping Crocodiles cruise will allow you to see these amazing creatures up close. Chunks of chicken dangled over the side lure them from the shore. (The guides know all of them by name.) Watching the crocs propel themselves upwards by the strength of their tails is quite a sight.
Kakadu
If time is limited, or if hiking in 90 per cent humidity sounds off-putting, then take to the air to see Australia’s largest national park, covering a similar area to Fiji. An hour-long scenic flight takes in the mighty Jim Jim Falls and the Twin Falls (there had been a lot of rain when I visited) and skirts Arnhem Land and outlying Aboriginal settlements. Plus there’s a great view of the uranium mine site that caused such controversy when it was built.
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