Northern Territory General Information Area: 1,349,130 sq km (520,902 sq miles). Population: 196,300 (official estimate 2000). Population Density: 0.1 per sq km. Capital: Darwin. Population: 88,100 (official estimate 1999). GEOGRAPHY: A wilderness stretching roughly 1670km (1038 miles) north–south and 1000km (620 miles) east–west, the Northern Territory comprises nearly one-sixth of Australia. The geography of the Northern Territory is the closest to the popular image of the Great Australian Outback. The northern area, centred on the capital, Darwin, is tropical with rich vegetation and a varied coastline. Beyond Darwin, 251km (155 miles) east, is World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park, which is part of the 12,600 sq km (4500 sq mile) area of Arnhem Land. It is an area of vast flood plains and rocky escarpments steeped in natural and cultural heritage. Aboriginal people have lived here for at least 40,000 years. Katherine township is 314km (195 miles) from Darwin and a further 30km (20 miles) northeast is Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Park with 13 gorges towering up to 60m (200ft) high. The southern part of the Northern Territory is centred on the town of Alice Springs, which is almost at the geographical centre of Australia and the starting point of many of the Red Centre’s unique and natural wonders, including Uluru (Ayers Rock) and the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Other notable features of the Red Centre are King’s Canyon, Ross River, Trephina, Ormiston and Glen Helen Gorge, the Olgas near Uluru (Ayers Rock) and the Devil’s Marbles at Tennant Creek. There are also other parks and reserves with abundant bird and animal life. Time: GMT + 9.5. Public Holidays The Northern Territory observes all the public holidays observed nationwide (see the main Australia section) and, in addition, the following are observed: May 5 2003 May Day. Jun 9 Queen’s Official Birthday. Jul 4 Alice Springs Show Day. Jul 11 Tennant Creek Show Day. Jul 18 Katherine Show Day. Jul 25 Darwin Show Day. Aug 4 Picnic Day. May 3 2004 May Day. Jun 14 Queen’s Official Birthday. Jul 2 Alice Springs Show Day. Jul 9 Tennant Creek Show Day. Jul 16 Katherine Show Day. Jul 23 Darwin Show Day. Aug 2 Picnic Day. Travel - International AIR: The Northern Territory can be reached by international flights to Darwin from the UK, Europe, Singapore, Japan, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Bali, Brunei and Timor. At present there are several international carriers operating to the Northern Territory, including Airnorth, British Airways, Garuda Indonesia, Qantas and Royal Brunei. Only the latter two airlines fly directly to Darwin: the rest require connections. Approximate flight times: From Darwin to London is 21 hours 25 minutes, to Singapore 4 hours 30 minutes, to Bangkok 5 hours, to Bali 90 minutes, to Brunei 4 hours and to Timor 2 hours. Connections are available from most Asian airports. Airports: Darwin Airport (DRW) is 13km (8 miles) from the city centre. The airport receives international flights. Airport buses and taxis operate services to the city. For further information, see the main Australia section. Alice Springs Airport (ASP) (domestic flights only) is 15km (9 miles) from the city centre. Airport buses and taxis operate services to the city. Facilities include left luggage, bureau de change, bars and car hire. Uluru/Ayers Rock Airport (AYQ) (domestic flights only) is 7km (4 miles) from the Uluru (Ayers Rock) resort. All scheduled flights are met by a free shuttle service to the resort. Taxi services are also available. Facilities include a gift shop and small refreshment kiosk. Katherine Airport (KTR) (domestic flights only) is 11km (7 miles) from Katherine. There are two domestic airlines (Qantas and East-West) that cover the Territory from all capital cities within Australia with connections from most other towns. Smaller commuter airlines connect some of the remoter areas within the Territory. SEA: International cruise lines call at Darwin, the Northern Territory’s only large port. RAIL: The main rail service to the Territory is by the Ghan from Adelaide which reaches only as far as Alice Springs. There is no internal network. ROAD: There are three main highways serving the Northern Territory: the Stuart Highway, south to Adelaide; the Barkly Highway, east to Mount Isa and Queensland; and the Victoria Highway, which runs west to join an unsealed road running across the top of the Western Desert which runs on to Perth. Off these roads there are many uncharted rough tracks often only suitable for four-wheel-drive vehicles, and often ending in impassable desert. The dangers of travelling off main roads in the Northern Territory without a qualified guide cannot be stressed too strongly. Coach: The national coach services are run by Greyhound/Pioneer Bus Australia and McCafferty’s, all of which serve the main townships within the Territory with direct services to all capital cities. Well-equipped coaches take over 92 hours to cover the distance from Darwin to Sydney; from Darwin, coaches depart daily to Kakadu National Park (travel time – 4 hours 50 minutes) and to Alice Springs (travel time – 19 hours). URBAN: There are local bus services in Darwin (running Monday-Saturday) from the coach terminal located 1km (0.5m) from the city centre and in Alice Springs. Darwin Harbour ferries operate Monday-Friday. Accommodation The Northern Territory Holiday Planner, published by the Northern Territory Tourist Commission, gives details of tours, holidays and accommodation in the Territory for the travel trade. In addition there is a large selection of consumer brochures available from the Northern Territory Tourist Commission (see Contact Addresses section). HOTELS: International-standard hotels are found in Darwin, Alice Springs and Uluru (Ayers Rock), and a good standard of hotel and motel accommodation can be found in all the major tourist areas and centres of population. 2001 saw the addition of 372 more hotel rooms and 85 apartment rooms in Darwin. LODGES/MOTELS: Lodges and budget motels are available in some of the remote areas. CAMPING/CARAVANNING: The Northern Territory contains some of the most inhospitable country in the world. From Alice Springs, the nearest major town in any direction is Tenant Creek, 504km (313 miles) away, and consequently any car or caravan must be in prime mechanical condition. During the tropical summer from November to April, travel in the Outback is advisable only in suitable cross-country vehicles, as many conventional roads become impassable for ordinary cars. The Stuart Highway between Darwin and Alice Springs and through to Adelaide in South Australia is a fully sealed road accessible all year. A number of companies can arrange motor camper rentals, with a range of fully-equipped vehicles. Full details can be obtained from the Tourist Commission (see Contact Addresses section). Introduction The Northern Territory is a huge and diverse region. The north, the ‘Top End’ of Australia, is subtropical, with such high rainfall in the rainy season that much of it is accessible only by air. The south of the Territory is an arid desert, known as the ‘Red Centre’. Note: There are many places and objects in the Territory that are of special significance to the Aboriginal people and laws protecting these sacred sites carry heavy penalties for entering, damaging or defacing them. It is necessary to obtain a permit before entering Aboriginal lands, including by car. These permits are not issued lightly, nor are they generally issued for touristic purposes. Some areas that have historic significance to the Aborigines are open to the public – for example, Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Corroboree Rock near Alice Springs, and Ubirr Rock in Kakadu National Park (see National Parks section). Visitors are welcome at these places, but due respect should be shown for the site and its historical significance. For further information, maps and permit application advice, contact the Tourist Commission (see Contact Addresses section). Darwin and the Top End The territorial capital, Darwin, which was savaged by Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Eve 1974, has been rebuilt and has grown over the years to become a modern, multicultural, provincial city. Darwin and the rest of the Top End have two distinct seasons. In the tropical summer from November to April, monsoon conditions mean late afternoon thunderstorms, high humidity and heavy downpours. This is the green season when the waterfalls flow and the wildlife abounds. From May through to October is the ‘dry’ season, with unlimited sunshine and balmy evenings. The wetlands begin to dry out, confining the bird and animal life to ever smaller areas. The Top End is the area to see lush tropical vegetation, either in Darwin’s Botanical Gardens, the Crocodylus Park just outside Darwin, or in the Territory’s various national parks (see below). Also south of Darwin are the Howard Springs and Berry Springs nature parks, Territory Wildlife Park and the birds’ haven Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve. There are many good opportunities for fishing near the city, for example at Mindil Beach or Vestey’s Beach. The Tiwi Islands, comprising Bathurst Island and Melville Island, are Aboriginal islands rich in history and culture. The islands are a short flight from Darwin, but they are accessible only by organised one- or two-day tours. The Red Centre Alice Springs is located in what is almost the geographical centre of the continent. A pleasant little town, set in red desert country, it is a popular tourist resort and a base for exploring the wonders of the Outback. There are many excellent hotels and motels, a casino, a variety of restaurants and varied sporting facilities ranging from golf and tennis to hot-air ballooning and tandem parachuting. The Royal Flying Doctor Base is open daily to the public (excluding public holidays) and the School of the Air is operational during the school term. There are also museums and preserved buildings which help the visitor to appreciate the history of this remote town. Not least among these are the Dreamtime Gallery and the Aboriginal Arts & Culture Centre. The Telegraph Station Historical Reserve, 3km (2 miles) north of the town, is an historical reserve featuring original buildings, restored equipment and an illustrated display including early photographs, papers and documents. Anzac Hill War Memorial lies just behind Alice Springs and provides a panoramic view of the town and surrounding ranges. The region around Alice Springs is pitted with colourful gorges, canyons, valley pools and awe-inspiring chasms. These include Standley Chasm, 57km (35 miles) west of Alice, Glen Helen Gorge, 140km (9 miles) west, Ormiston Gorge, 130km (80 miles) west, Kings Canyon, 330km (205 miles) southwest and N’Dhala Gorge, 96km (59 miles) east, which is also notable for its ancient rock engravings. Palm Valley lies around one-and-a-half-hours’ drive to the southwest and Rainbow Valley to the southeast on the edge of the Simpson Desert. Château Hornsby, the Northern Territory’s only vineyard, is situated approximately 10km (6 miles) from the town centre and is a venue for tastings, barbecues, and Aboriginal corroborees. Uluru (Ayers Rock) Alice Springs is the main base for tours to Uluru – approximately 460km (285 miles) or five hours’ drive away – and the East and Western MacDonnell Ranges. Uluru is the world’s largest monolith and plays an important part in Aboriginal mythology in which it is believed to have been created by ancestors of the Aborigines. Visitors may still climb the rock, although to do so is considered a gross sacrilege by the indigenous people, or explore some of the fascinating caves at its base. Sunset and sunrise must be seen as the sun’s rays change the rock’s colour from blazing orange to red and even deep purple, depending on the atmospheric conditions. Twenty-two kilometres (13 miles) from Uluru (Ayers Rock) is the Ayers Rock Resort (Yulara) – a village built to cater for the growing number of visitors to the area. The resort contains top-class hotels, lodges, self-catering maisonettes, shops, bank, restaurants, post office, caravan park and campsites and caters for all the needs of the traveller. Tours depart throughout the day for the Rock, the nearby Olgas and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, as well as other points of interest. Uluru (Ayers Rock) has its own airport with daily flights to Alice Springs and direct connections to Sydney and other Australian cities. Car hire is available and all major coach companies service Ayers Rock on a daily basis. Other points of interest in the Red Centre include Aboriginal tours to Pitjantjatjara country, and the Ross River Homestead for horseriding, log cabins and boomerang throwing. Kings Canyon (Watarrka National Park), four hours’ drive southwest of Alice Springs, offers spectacular views, while visitors can discover the ‘Lost City’ (a maze of eroded earth domes) and the ‘Garden of Eden’ (a sheltered green waterhole) when walking around the canyon. Hotel accommodation is available at the Kings Canyon Resort. Campsite pitches are available at Kings Creek Station. Tennant Creek offers trail rides, half-day cattle drives and gold mine tours. One hour’s drive from Tennant Creek is the impressive formation of 7m (23ft) boulders called The Devil’s Marbles. National Parks KAKADU NATIONAL PARK: This may be found about a three-hour drive to the east of Darwin down the Arnhem Highway. The park includes the flood plains between the Wildman and the Alligator Rivers which empty into Van Diemen Gulf to the north. It is bordered by the Arnhem Land escarpment, where the spectacular waterfalls of Jim Jim and Twin Falls cascade hundreds of feet into crystal-clear rock pools below. At Ubirr (Obiri Rock) and Nourlangie Rock are fascinating galleries of Aboriginal rock painting, many dating back over 20,000 years. These paintings show mythical and spiritual figures and an ancient lifestyle which still holds great significance for the Aboriginal people today. Within the park there are several resort-style hotels and a number of camping and caravan sites from which to explore this beautiful area. Numerous creeks, rivers and billabongs provide excellent fishing, particularly for the much prized barramundi, which is found in abundance here. Thousands of birds inhabit the wetlands – over 275 species – and wildlife abounds throughout the year. Aerial tours over the Arnhem Land escarpment depart daily and local fishing trips can be easily arranged. A popular way to explore the waterways is on a boat cruise on the South Alligator River or scenic Yellow Water, giving access to nature at its best. It is possible to spot crocodiles basking on the riverbanks, and the graceful jabiru (Australia’s only stork) wading amongst the water lilies. Kakadu National Park is the habitat for all wildlife common to Northern Australia and as such provides a diverse and exciting experience in the tropical Top End. Tours and safaris from two to 21 days are available by air, coach or four-wheel-drive from Darwin. KATHERINE GORGE/NITMILUK NATIONAL PARK: The township of Katherine is in the area known as the ‘Never Never’ about 350km (220 miles) southeast of Darwin. This is pioneer territory, made famous by Mrs Aeneas Gunn in her book We of the Never Never. Katherine Gorge, some 30km (20 miles) northeast of the town, is one of Australia’s great natural wonders and the famous boat cruises through the spectacular gorges, towering up to 60m (200ft) high, are a highlight of any visit to the region. There are, in fact, 13 gorges and each has its own glowing colours and fascinating outcrops, steep canyon walls above cool, blue waters. Marked walking tracks are well maintained for easy access to features of interest in the park. Canoeing, swimming and boat tours are all available (May to September) along with scenic helicopter rides over the gorges. There is a good range of accommodation both in the town and Nitmiluk National Park and campers and caravanners are also well catered for. LITCHFIELD NATIONAL PARK: Only one-and-a-half-hours’ drive south of Darwin, Litchfield National Park is ideal for day trips or can be included in longer tours of the Top End. Six waterfalls provide the main attraction of the park. Other attractions include rainforest, bush walks, weathered sandstone formations, spring-fed streams, impressive cathedral termite mounds and wildlife, such as birds, possums, wallabies and lizards. Sport & Activities Bushwalking: The ‘Top End’ of the Northern Territory – a vast and beautiful region – contains several national parks and nature reserves, with one of the best walking destinations being the Arnhem Land Plateau (in Kakadu National Park); the West MacDonnell Ranges along Larapinta Trail are also good for bushwalking: see National Parks in Resorts & Excursions section for more information. Walkers are rewarded by regular sightings of buffalo and giant crocodiles. A camping permit is required outside established camping areas. Darwin is the usual starting point for excursions to the area. For further details, contact the Parks & Wildlife Commission of the NT, PO Box 496, Palmerston NT 0831 (tel: (8) 8999 5511; fax: (8) 8932 3849; website: www.nt.gov.au/ipe/pwcnt). Watersports: The wetlands, with their numerous freshwater rivers and waterholes, offer excellent fishing, particularly the barramundi (renowned for its aggressive nature and fighting characteristics), which is so abundant that the Northern Territory is known as Australia’s ‘barramundi capital’. For details of state fishing regulations, contact the Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries, Fisheries Division, Berrimah Farm, Makagon Road, Berrimah NT 0828 (tel: (8) 8999 2384; fax: (8) 8981 2010; website: www.nt.gov.au/dpif). Good diving can be found around Darwin Harbour and the offshore islands and reefs, including the Cobourg Peninsula (680km/423 miles from Darwin); the Vernon Islands (64km/40 miles from Darwin); and the seas around Nhulunbuy on the Gove Pensinsula (1114km/692 miles east of Darwin), where hundreds of islands and reefs are located. As an alternative to the sea, swimming holes can be found at Jim Jim Falls and nearby Twin Falls in Kakadu National Park. It is important to check that the area is safe for swimming, as salt water crocodiles are found throughout the region. Canoeing is possible in Katherine Gorge (Nitmiluk) and on the Victoria River. Social Profile Food & Drink: Barramundi (fish) is the local speciality. Dining out has been made even more special by the addition of new restaurants at Cullen Bay Marina, offering outdoor dining with beautiful ocean views. Cuisine from many countries, including Creole, Greek, Indian, Japanese, Malaysian, Mongolian and Thai, is available in Darwin’s restaurants. Nightlife: There is plenty of exciting nightlife in Darwin, which also boasts the MGM Grand Darwin, built in an extraordinary modern architectural style. This A$30-million casino complex also encompasses luxury accommodation, restaurants, discos and sporting and convention facilities and is surrounded by lush gardens perched along the shores of Mindil Beach. Alice Springs also has a casino. Shopping: Darwin specialities include Aboriginal artefacts and Outback clothing. Aboriginal items, bush clothing and opals are available in Alice Springs. Darwin's markets are great attractions. Special Events: For a full list of events see the Northern Territory Tourist Commission (website: www.ntholidays.com/nt_te_events). The following is a selection of festivals and special events taking place in 2003 in the Northern Territory: Jan 26 Australia Day, throughout territory. Mar St Patrick’s Day Races, Tennant Creek; Darwin’s Irish Festival. Apr Heritage Week, Alice Springs; NT Variety Club Black Tie and Swag Ball, Daly Waters. May Back to the Never Never Festival, Mataranka; Pine Creek Cup Meeting (horse races). Jun Lijakarda Cultural Festival, Borroloola; Burunga Cultural & Sports Festival, Barunga. Jul Northern Territory Self Government Day, throughout territory; Lions Camel Cup, Alice Springs. Aug Oenpelli Open Day (Aboriginal Culture); Darwin Cup Carnival. Sep Festival of Darwin. Oct Rydges Henley-on-Todd Regatta, Alice Springs. Nov Melbourne Cup Day, Darwin. Dec New Years Eve. Business Profile Commercial Information: The following organisation can offer advice: Northern Territory Department of Business, Industry and Resources Development, Second Floor, Development House, 76 The Esplanade, Darwin, NT 0800 (tel: (8) 8924 4280; fax: (8) 8999 5333; e-mail: info.dbird@nt.gov.au; website: www.dbird.nt.gov.au). Conferences/Conventions: Major convention centres in Darwin are The Beaufort Hotel, Darwin Performing Arts Centre, MGM Grand, Marrara International Indoor Sports Stadium and the Plaza Darwin. The Alice Springs Convention Centre opened in March 2002. It boasts seven large function suites, that have a total capacity of 2000 persons, 140 hotel rooms and the latest conference facilities. For further details contact the Alice Springs Convention Centre, 93 Barrett Drive, Alice Springs, NT 0870 (tel: (8) 8950 0200; fax: (8) 8950 0300; e-mail: info@aspcc.com.au; website: www.alicespringsconventioncentre.com.au). Other major convention centres in Alice Springs are Aruluen Arts Centre and Plaza Hotel Alice Springs. There is also a number of resort convention facilities outside the cities, such as at Ayers Rock Resort. For more information on conferences and conventions in the Northern Territory contact the Northern Territory Convention Bureau, PO Box 2532, Alice Springs, NT 0871 (tel: (8) 8951 8427; fax: (8) 8951 8550; e-mail: info@ntconventions.com.au; website: www.ntconventions.com.au). Climate Hot most of the year; the Top End has two seasons, dry and wet, whilst the Red Centre has the usual four: summer, autumn, winter and spring. Required clothing: Lightweight cottons and linens most of the year. Waterproofing is necessary in the northern areas during the rainy season. A warm sweater or jacket is advised for the centre during winter months, as evenings can be quite cool. Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.