Choose from 32 Fun Things to Do in Darwin
Litchfield National Park
- There are no entrance fees or permits required to enter the park, although many campsites do charge a fee.
- Many trails and attractions are only accessible by 4WD.
- Bring comfortable shoes, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, and water.
- Crocodiles are common throughout the park, so it’s important to only swim in designated areas.
- Many attractions are wheelchair accessible.
Mary River Wetlands
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Cullen Bay
Cullen Bay is about 10 minutes outside of Darwin. Its drawcard is a big sleek marina packed with yachts. In an uncertain tropical climate like Darwin's, this marina offers yachting traffic the security of a man-made environment with a locked waterway and sea walls that close. This means it's accessible in the low Spring tides and a registered cyclone haven - hence its popularity.
For the landlubber, Cullen Bay is an equally sleek oasis of shops, restaurants, bars and day spas. It's a popular place for visitors to stay, as its serviced apartments are so close to all these amenities - and water views. It's also close to the ferry terminal, so you can take off on trips to Mandorah and Tiwi islands.
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There are also plenty of charter businesses that can take you out on fishing trips, sightseeing expeditions or sunset cruises.
Darwin Wharf Precinct
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Crocosaurus Cove
Even though it’s located in the middle of the city, Darwin’s Crocosaurus Cove lets you feel like you’ve wandered out into the Top End of Northern Australia's wilderness, where turtles, saltwater crocodiles, and barramundi fish reside in their natural habitat. You can visit the sanctuary full of yellow-faced turtles or observe the fish swimming around in the aquarium, where you can also catch a glimpse of a whipray—the freshwater cousin of stingrays. Throughout the day there are staff-led talks and chances to view trainer-led crocodile feedings.
While Viator tours do not include these activities, visitors have the opportunity to observe crocodiles from an underwater glass enclosure or to hold a baby crocodile under careful staff supervision for an additional fee starting from $120.
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Crocosaurus Cove is located just outside of Darwin city center, close to Bicentennial Park. You can get there via the Stuart Highway, or walking from most downtown attractions and the Darwin bus station. The cove is open every day from 9am to 6pm, and admission costs $35 for adults, and $23 for children agres four to 15. Additional activities must be booked well in advance. There are showers and changing rooms inside the facility.
Did You Know? Saltwater crocodiles are the world’s largest reptiles, and can grow up to 18 feet (5.5 m) long.
Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory has a fine collection, but what is its most popular attraction by far? That's right - a preserved saltwater crocodile called 'Sweetheart.'
Sweetheart, a 50 year-old male, was menacing boats on the Finnis River, so he was captured by rangers. They intended to give him to a croc farm for breeding. Sadly, during the capture, the drugged crocodile drowned and could not be resuscitated. His body was given to the museum.
If you can drag yourself away from Sweetheart, there's a fine natural history collection and plenty of indigenous art. You'll also get a good grounding in the Territory's history, including Cyclone Tracy (there's a room that simulates the cyclone) and visits by Indonesian sailors back in the day. The museum looks beyond the mainland to focus on Southeast Asian and Pacific culture.
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The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory is located on Bullocky Point, on Darwin Harbour and is easily accessible by bus from the city center.
Defence of Darwin Experience
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Fannie Bay Gaol
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Edith Falls
A visit to the falls typically involves swimming, and Sweetwater Pool, as well as both the upper and lower pools, are all particularly suited for the activity. Visitors to the falls during the wet season, however, may find that swimming is off-limits due to potentially dangerous conditions.
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East Point Reserve
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Australian Aviation Heritage Centre
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Magnetic Termite Mounds
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Charles Darwin National Park
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Mindil Beach
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Kakadu National Park
The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park is a massive Northern Territory nature reserve, clocking in at 4.2 million acres (1.7 million hectares). With sandstone escarpments, secret waterholes, billabongs, and lily-strewn waterways, Kakadu is an introduction to wild Australia. Read on to learn what to see and do in the country’s largest national park.
The Basics
On Kakadu National Park tours and Top End adventures, you’ll find opportunities to encounter exotic animals such as dingoes, wallabies, dugongs, and saltwater crocodiles, and also discover Aboriginal culture, from ancient aboriginal rock art at Ubirr and Nourlangie to the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Cooinda, where visitors pore over traditional bush food and didgeridoos. Ubirr is uniquely beautiful, located at the foot of a food plain, with prominent rock formations standing as guardians of the Arnhem Land. If visiting without a tour guide, be sure to stop into the Bowali Visitor Centre to plan your trip with the center’s staff; this rugged outback environment can be hazardous for the unprepared.
Ways to Visit Kakadu National Park
You can take in Kakadu on a guided tour from Darwin, or, if you have your own car, visit the park independently from much farther areas such as Kimberley and Broome in Western Australia. Most day tours depart from Darwin, about 93 miles (150 km) away, and last upwards of 12 hours, including round-trip transportation by a WiFi-equipped coach. Kakadu National Park can be reached in about 1.5 hours from Darwin by road, and travelers can choose from a variety of options, including small-group tours, private tours, and adventure tours. For a longer excursion, multi-day options offer accommodations or camping experiences that can be combined with a visit to Litchfield National Park, Nitmiluk National Park, or Katherine Gorge, other must-see spots in the Top End.
Top Sights to Experience Kakadu’s Natural Beauty
Cruising along the Mary River wetlands or the East Alligator River (Guluyambi) will allow you to spot native birds and possibly catch a glimpse of a crocodile from a safe distance. Travelers also enjoy cruising Yellow Water Billabong near Cooinda and bush camping in Koolpln Gorge, although it’s recommended that this adventure is taken with a guide unless you’re an experienced outback camper, as permits are required and the terrain is rough. The park’s most prominent water features are Jim Jim Falls and the nearby Twin Falls, but they flow mostly in the quiet wet season. The best way to see these falls is on a scenic flight, which allows for spectacular aerial photo ops.Best Times to Visit
Darwin Botanic Gardens
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Adelaide River
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Arnhem Land
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Karlu Karlu
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Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park
Nitmiluk (also called Katherine Gorge) is the deep path cut through the sandstone by the Katherine River, and the Nitmiluk Katherine Gorge National Park is where you can go to lap up the luscious experience of the Gorge, whether that be swimming in it (sometimes with harmless freshwater crocodiles), canoeing in it, hiking around it, gazing it from an observation deck, flying over it on a helicopter...or any combination of the above.
The park is run by the traditional owners, the Jawoyn, in conjunction with the Australian government. It's a well-appointed place with lots of visitor facilities (and lots of visitors, especially in the dry season). You can choose your level of activity, from lounging around at your campsite or the visitor center café to strenuous canoeing trips or hikes. But make sure you take at least one long hike, perhaps to see the Aboriginal rock art, or at least to get sticky enough to make cooling off in the river a delight.
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Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park is swarmed by visitors in the dry season (May to September). In the wet season (November to March), the river goes into spate and swimming and canoeing can be restricted, as can access to the roads.
The park is about 30 km (18 mi) northeast of Katherine, which in turn is about 300 km (180 mi) south of Darwin on the Stuart Highway.