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We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
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- Destinations
- Australasia
- Australia
- Northern Territory
- Darwin
Darwin
The city of Darwin, capital of the Northern Territory, presides
undefeated over the top end of Australia. Set on a rocky peninsula
that stretches into one of the most beautiful natural harbours on
the north Australian coast, it is surrounded by water on three
sides, which allows it to be fanned by cool breezes that temper the
tropical heat and humidity of its climate.
Darwin has survived destruction three times. Firstly by a
cyclone in 1893; it was then bombed by the Japanese in 1942 during
World War II; and more recently in 1974 Cyclone Tracy levelled the
city on Christmas Eve. It is a tribute to the pioneering spirit of
its cosmopolitan population of 87,000 that it has not only overcome
these calamities, but gone on to thrive.
The city is compact, and easy to explore on foot. The tropical
climate encourages outdoor living and simply strolling through the
leafy streets, browsing art galleries and enjoying refreshments at
a sidewalk cafe is a pleasure for visitors. Shady parks are to be
found behind busy shopping streets and are a delight with exotic
flowering trees like frangipani, banyan and tamarind.
The Tour Tub, an open-air bus, is a good way to tour the city
and view its major attractions, which include the Museum and Art
Gallery of the Northern Territory; the Overland Telegraph Museum;
Fannie Bay Gaol; the Botanic Gardens; the Australian Pearling
Exhibition; and East Point Military Museum. The city is a good base
from which to explore the surrounding national parks. Note that sea
swimming, particularly between October and May, is generally unsafe
around Darwin because the sea abounds with deadly box
jellyfish.
Information & Facts
Climate
Darwin experiences two distinct seasons known as the 'Wet' and
'Dry' seasons. The dry season is almost always rain free and
extends from May to October with temperatures averaging around 77ºF
(25ºC) during the day and becoming cooler in the evenings. The
weather during these months is pleasant and consistent. The wet
season from November to April brings high humidity and high
temperatures resulting in electric storms in the afternoon that
leave the countryside lush and green.
Getting Around
City bus services run from the terminal on Harry Chan Avenue and
the Smith Street corner. Fares are on a zone system and routes take
in the main attractions. Buses do not run on Sundays. Darwin also
has a number of bicycle trails and from the city there are easy
rides to picturesque destinations such as Fannie Bay or the
Botanical Gardens. Taxis are available and a private bus company
offers a tourist circuit of the city for a flat rate. However
Darwin is small enough to get around most of it on foot.
Language
English is the official language of Australia.
Money
The Australian Dollar (AUD) is divided into 100 cents. Banks and
bureaux de change exchange most foreign currencies. Travellers
cheques are also welcome everywhere, but banks take a small
commission and it is better to take cheques in major currencies
(e.g. US dollars or Euros) to avoid additional charges. Credit
cards are widely accepted and ATMs are freely available throughout
the country. Banking hours are generally 9.30am to 4pm Monday to
Thursday, and 9.30am to 5pm on Friday, but some banks offer
extended hours and some are open on Saturday mornings.