Ayers Rock (Uluru)The Northern Territory is Australia’s real Outback and home to the natural wonders of Kakadu
National Park and Uluru/Ayers Rock it is home too much of Australia's aboriginal culture. When the six Australian colonies had been established, a large area in northern Australia had not been included. This area was to be the Northern Territory.
The state is largely untouched by western development with countryside ranging from rugged, coastal wetlands to the dry, red desert centre. The few people who live in the Centre are scattered over a wide area. Even today many of the people on stations are isolated to some extent. The two main towns are Alice Springs and Tennant Creek. Alice Springs is the main business and shopping town for the region.
Raising cattle is the main industry outside the towns. The Territory's capital Darwin, beautifully situated on the coast in Australia's far North is a wonderful city.
Darwin is an easygoing place, with a pedestrian Mall, very classy waterfront neighbourhoods, like Cullen Bay and great informal places to go for a meal like the Wharf and Mindil Beach market. But there are also world-class hotels and a casino.
There is plenty to do for everybody and the bush with great swimming places is only a (fairly) short drive away.
ActivitiesAboriginal Art and Cultural Centre: You will see amazing performances by the young locals.
Alice Springs Desert Park: Kids love seeing the desert at night, viewing species rarely seen in the wild.
Crocodiles Park: Feel the fear and let kids and adults touch a real croc
Back to the Never Never Festival: 100 kilometres south of Katherine is mataranka: Never Never country where this festival hosts a variety of equestrian events including a gymkhana, polocrosse matches and a rodeo. Live entertainment and music is on often late in the night, followed by a bushman's breakfast each morning.
Aqua Scene Fish Feeding: It's a rare sight. Every day at high tide hundreds of fish come to shore to be fed by hand.
Australian Pearling Exhibition, located at the Darwin Wharf Precinct, is a fascinating and informative insight into the history and growth of the pearling industry in Northern Australian Waters.
Charles Darwin National Park: This waterfront park located close to the city was developed to show visitors the rich mangrove habitats of Darwin Harbour. Opportunities for a relaxing picnic just a short drive from the CBD make this a popular recreation spot for locals.
George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens: Darwin Botanic Garden's 42 hectares showcase the flora of Northern Australia and other tropical habitats around the world. You can wander through rainforest, coastal fore dunes, mangroves and open woodlands, see orchids, aroids, bromeliads and other striking foliage plants up close. There are over 400 palm species alone growing in the gardens.
| AttractionsAyers Rock Fannie Bay Goal: depicts the early Territory penal system and was in fact still in use until 1979, when the Berrimah Gaol was officially opened. Come and look inside a cell and see the conditions the prisoners of yesterday had to endure.
NT Parliament House : This beautiful building is a magnificent example of tropical architecture. The NT Library is also located here. Kakadu national park
Nourlangie Rock : 12 kms off Kakadu Highway, A 1.5 km circular walk will take you past an ancient Aboriginal shelter and several outstanding displays of Aboriginal rock art.
Twin Falls: 70 kms off Kakadu Highway, twin Falls is accessible only by water. Take a leisurely half kilometre swim or float down on your airbed and you will be rewarded with a secluded crystalline sandy beach surrounded by dense forest - a tropical oasis. Two spectacular waterfalls plunge from the towering escarpment into the crystal clear plunge pool
Arnhem land :Arnhem Land is a huge area of Aboriginal territory occupying about 94,000 square kilometres right at the top of the Top End.
Katherine Hot Springs, are located a 5 minute drive from the town centre. The springs consist of a number of crystal clear pools winding through the trees then out to the Katherine River. The pools are a constant 32 degrees C a perfect swimming temperature to soothe away those aches and pains from travelling.
|
There are not many places left in the world that offers a magnificent, remote natural environment to wander and explore. The Top End is just what it says, the most northern part of the Northern Territory.
Bookmark/Search this post with:
