Travelbeat Editorial Review Northern Exposure Darwin in Winter Story and photos by Kerry Hennigan At a time of the year when Australia's southern states are shivering in the grip of winter, Darwin is flourishing in warm sunshine, staging events not possible during the Wet, and playing host to AFL teams from below the Tropic of Capricorn. Even if you're one of those people who enjoys the drama of the Top End's wet season, there's no doubt that Darwin during the drier months has a lot more to offer the visitor. Whether it's the Deckchair Cinema, V8 car racing, the Darwin Cup, or the aforementioned Australian Football League games at TIO Stadium, or simply a chance to soak up sea and sand on one of the many beaches close to the city, Darwin is a happening place in winter. There's no shortage of accommodation in the city or on its fringes, with peak season being June, July and August - the months when we're all looking to escape the cold and damp down south. Budget backpacker options are readily available in and around the Mitchell Street bar and bistro hub, while name brand hotels occupy central positions close to Smith St Mall or along the Esplanade, where they overlook lush Bicentennial Park and the blue waters of the harbour beyond. Holiday apartments are also popular, and a cluster of these can also be found in the vicinity of Cullen Bay Marina, near a stunning range of waterfront restaurants occupying the marina wharves. Just a few minutes from the middle of town, this is a great place to end the day enjoying some locally caught seafood or Greek, Thai or Italian cuisine. There's plenty to choose from. A short hop from the marina is SkyCity (top left), the casino, restaurant and hotel complex with its extensive grounds and facilities located at the far end of Mindil Beach. Mindil is where the famous night markets are held every Thursday and Sunday nights. Locals gather here to browse the crafts, grab some tucker from one of the many and varied food stalls, listen to some live music, and enjoy their meal while watching the sun go down. And what a sunset it is. Whether it's in Darwin, Broome or somewhere in between, there's something about a Top End sunset - the colours of sea, sky and the sinking sun, which is quite unlike anywhere else in the country. Or perhaps it has more to do with the languid tropical air and laid-back atmosphere of the north? To rush around madly sight-seeing in order to cram everything in during a brief visit defeats the purpose of visiting a place like Darwin. Here you're meant to wind down, slow down, and do things at a gentle pace, letting all your senses savour each experience as you go. Something unexpected for the interstate visitor is a wildlife park smack in the middle of the city. Crocosaurus Cove, in the midst of busy Mitchell Street's tourist-oriented businesses, provides easy access to viewing the type of wildlife the Territory is famous - or notorious - for: saltwater crocodiles. If you don't have the time or transport to get out to the Territory Wildlife Park, this is an easy way of letting the kids get (safely) up close and personal to some real "star personalities" - like Burt (pictured right), who had an important role in the first Crocodile Dundee movie, and who is the largest resident in the Cove. History lovers also have plenty of opportunity to indulge in the Territory's colonial, war-time and more recent past - the latter being the ruins of Cyclone Tracey preserved in the park at the end of Smith Street Mall. For an evocative, walk-through display of life in Darwin on the eve and in the aftermath of Tracey, a visit to the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory is a must. Here you can also meet another of the Territory's famous, albeit sadly deceased, crocodile characters, Sweetheart, who liked to attack aluminium dinghies. There are extensive displays on Aboriginal art and culture, local natural history and, probably most spectacular of all, the maritime collection of dugouts, outriggers, fishing boats, refugee boats and a traditional pearl lugger. This most impressive collection of craft occupies a vast hall which visitors can walk above (on an elevated walkway) or around at ground level. After taking in the Museum's extensive collections you can't do better than grab a table at the Museum's Cornucopia Café, overlooking the pandanas-lined shore across the museum lawns. Try the baked barramundi (top right) for a real Top End treat, kick back with a cool drink, and think about all the other things you can see and do in Darwin… but not just yet. This is a place where it pays to pause and smell the frangipanis while considering yourself lucky to be exactly where you are, doing what you're doing. As far as all those other sights and activities go, as Scarlet O'Hara said, tomorrow is another day. For more information visit: www.tourismtopend.com.au Back to Front Page