About Darwin
| Darwin is like no other place in Australia and offers you an unforgettable holiday. A place to relax and unwind, connect with yourself and with nature, experience our unique multicultural and tropical lifestyle, and go home having discovered something very special.
At Darwin Holiday Apartments, we’re passionate about Darwin and the Top End and passionate about helping make your stay here a memorable one. We have presented below a few snippets of what we think makes this place so special – if there’s something else you think we should add, please, let us know! |
Vibrant Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia |
| Darwin City is a launching pad to the Northern Territory’s vast array of extraordinary natural landscapes and ecosystems, from tropical coastlines to heritage wetlands, wildlife parks and escarpment vistas. Natural wonders such as World Heritage-listed Kakadu, Katherine Gorge (Nitmuluk), and Litchfield National Park are all within driving distance from the city.
Arnhem Land Berry Springs Nature Park Howard Springs Kakadu National Park Litchfield National Park Mary River Territory Wildlife Park |
| Darwin has a tropical climate and although we officially have two seasons – the “wet” (tropical summer) and the “dry” , most locals divide the year into three; “the dry” from around May to September, “the build up” from the first signs of humidity in October to when the rains really kick in sometime in December, and “the wet season” which lasts untill April. When the Dragonflies appear, we know the wet season is over and look forward to months of perfect dry season weather.Warm sunny days are the rule here, even in the wet season the rain usually comes in short, hard bursts and the sun is never far away.
An informal, relaxed lifestyle reflects these conditions. Nothing beats an evening meal on the wharf or overlooking the sea on the Nightcliff foreshore watching a storm roll across the ocean. Temperatures in the dry season sit around 18 degrees in the mornings and around 28 degrees throughout the day. In the wet season temperature sit around 26 – 34 degrees. Darwin itself rarely goes above 34C during the day because it is on the coast. However as you move inland, daytime maximums increase and night time minimums fall sharply. Don’t be put off by stories about the build-up. It’s not that bad – and better than being cold! You just adjust accordingly: slow down a little, don’t go out in the midday sun, seek out shade and cool, drink plenty of water, and wear light cotton clothing. And believe me, the wet is worth the wait – nothing beats the first rains.Although the dry brings day after day of predictably perfect weather and tourists flock here for this (escaping cold winters that we never ever have!), most locals will tell you they prefer the wet, and in our opinion the Territory in the wet is something not to be missed. The rains bring the country to life: fertility and fecundity abound – waterfalls and rivers become raging torrents, everything is green green green, and life and renewal are everywhere. it’s raw and inescapable. It’s tangible. You can touch it, smell it, taste it. |
Tropical summer, Darwin, Australia |
| Lifestyle is perhaps the most important thing to those living in Australia’s far north. Running on ‘Territory time’, life in the Territory moves to the natural rhythm of its surrounds. Soaked in endless sunshine and met by stunning aqua-blue waters, easy-going Darwin locals indulge in an enviable outdoor lifestyle.
Harbour-side cafes serve up locally caught barramundi and jewfish, and make the most of the city’s sultry skies and saturated sunsets. Catch a flick under a canopy of stars before a night out on bustling Mitchell Street. Weekend markets are a favourite local pastime and showcase the city’s numerous cultural and culinary influences. Savour a scrumptious laksa or bite of kangaroo before a dessert of dragon fruit ice-cream. Just a short drive from the city, revel in the natural beauties of Litchfield National Park, where waterfalls and secluded pools provide refreshing swims and idyllic locations to let your stresses float away. |
A melting pot of colour, life and diversity |
| You’ve heard the stories, they’re all true. An absolute must-do in Darwin, 10,000 or more people,80 food stalls, 300 craft stalls, heaps and heaps of live and local entertainment, playgrounds, jumping castles, you name it, it’s at Mindil. Plus the magnificent sunsets across Fannie Bay.
This colourful weekly celebration of food, craft, community, culture and performance from around this world is now recognised as an Australian Heritage Icon of National Significance. Set on the beautiful Mindil Beach join thousands as the sun sets over the Arafura Sea, every Thursday and Sunday in the dry season. Get there before 5 to find a carpark. |
Mindil Beach Sunset Markets, Darwin, Australia |
| An easy hour and half drive on bitumen via the quaint little township of Batchelor sees you enter this national park, with your first stop being Buley Rockholes (cascade after cascade of crystal clear water…. you *must* try the natural massage of sitting on the rocks with the water pumelling your neck and shoulders).Just outside Darwin, Litchfield National Park is one of the Top End’s hidden treasures.This unspoiled wilderness boasts monsoon rainforests, cascading waterfalls, diverse flora and fauna and impressive natural formations.For the more adventurous, take the back-road – turn off at Berry Springs then follow the signs. There’s about 45 kms of unsealed road that winds it’s way past old tin mines, fantastic anthills farms that look like kilometres of tombstones, and the majestic Finniss River (do *not* go swimming!!!!!). Then snake your way up the escarpment, first stop Walker Creek. Walk all the way up to the top pool – it’s well worth it.
For more info visit the NT Government Litchfield website or the Tourism NT Litchfield website. |
Litchfield National Park |
| Tiwi Islands are home to one of the world’s oldest living cultures. Tiwi hosts welcome visitors, share stories of their tribal experience and beliefs, and give displays of traditional ceremonies and artwork.The Tiwi Islands are part of Australia’s Northern Territory, 80 km north of Darwin where the Arafura Sea joins the Timor Sea. They comprise Melville Island and Bathurst Island, with a combined area of 8,320 square kilometres. Bathurst Island is the fifth-largest island of Australia,[1] and Melville Island is Australia’s largest island apart from the State of Tasmania.They are inhabited by the Tiwi people, as they have been since before European settlement in Australia. The Tiwi are an Indigenous Australian people, culturally and linguistically distinct from those of Arnhem Land on the mainland just across the water. They number around 2500. Most residents speak Tiwi as their first language and English as a second language. Most of the population live in Nguiu (pronounced “nooyoo”) on Bathurst Island, and Pirlangimpi (also known as Garden Point) and Milikapiti (also known as Snake Bay) on Melville Island. There are other smaller settlements, including Wurankuwu (Ranku) Community on western Bathurst Island.Dense rainforest, sandy beaches and rock pools combine to create the Tiwi Islands’ coastal landscape. Many Tiwi Islanders are prolific artists who produce distinctive and valuable art, pottery, sculptures and wooden carvings, and the area is renowned for its unique Aboriginal arts and crafts, love of Australian Rules Football or AFL, and blue-water fishing.An easy day trip from Darwin or an overnight tour, visitors to Darwin can experience The Tiwi Islands as part of an organised Aboriginal tour or adventurous fishing expedition. Travel to the Tiwi Islands includes a 20-minute flight in a light aircraft from Darwin, or a ferry across the Timor Sea on a ferry to Bathurst Island (approx 2 hrs).Visit Tourism NT for more info | Tiwi Islands |
| No talk of Darwin would be complete without a mention of Cyclone Tracy. Christmas Eve, 1974, and my family of mum, dad, and the 7 children huddled in the dark and cold under the dining table in our flimsy elevated house, to the sounds of tearing steel and terrible thuds and a roaring wind that sounded like 100 jet engines. In the morning, with bits of houses and trees strewn all around, some ironically draped in shiny Christmas tinsel, the Darwin I grew up in and loved was, simply, gone. It has been replaced by a modern, thriving cosmopolitan city but, even after 35 years, the sound of the siren at the start of this video is still very hard to listen to.People who grew up in Darwin and particularly those who went through Cyclone Tracy are very proud of our rebuilt city. Perhaps this video will give you some insight into why. | Cyclone Tracy Original Archive Footage, 1974 |
| Darwins history has always been about the struggle to get established on Australia’s Northern coastline. Not even Bombs and cyclones could stop Darwin becoming an Icon town. | A brief history of Darwin, Australia |
