The city of Darwin, capital of the Northern Territory, presides
undefeated over the top end of Australia. Set on a rocky peninsula
that stretches into one of the most beautiful natural harbours on
the north Australian coast, it is surrounded by water on three
sides, which allows it to be fanned by cool breezes that temper the
tropical heat and humidity of its climate.
Darwin has survived destruction three times. Firstly by a
cyclone in 1893; it was then bombed by the Japanese in 1942 during
World War II; and more recently in 1974 Cyclone Tracy levelled the
city on Christmas Eve. It is a tribute to the pioneering spirit of
its cosmopolitan population of 87,000 that it has not only overcome
these calamities, but gone on to thrive.
The city is compact, and easy to explore on foot. The tropical
climate encourages outdoor living and simply strolling through the
leafy streets, browsing art galleries and enjoying refreshments at
a sidewalk cafe is a pleasure for visitors. Shady parks are to be
found behind busy shopping streets and are a delight with exotic
flowering trees like frangipani, banyan and tamarind.
The Tour Tub, an open-air bus, is a good way to tour the city
and view its major attractions, which include the Museum and Art
Gallery of the Northern Territory; the Overland Telegraph Museum;
Fannie Bay Gaol; the Botanic Gardens; the Australian Pearling
Exhibition; and East Point Military Museum. The city is a good base
from which to explore the surrounding national parks. Note that sea
swimming, particularly between October and May, is generally unsafe
around Darwin because the sea abounds with deadly box
jellyfish.
Alice Springs, the vibrant hub of central Australia, grew up
around a permanent waterhole that was a key terminal for the
Overland Telegraph Station in 1870. It became a tough frontier town
serviced by camel trains from the railhead at Oodnadatta, until the
railway reached it in 1929 and it became a major terminus centre.
Today the city, with a population of 25,000 and stylish shopping
and dining facilities, provides a perfect base from which to access
all of the surrounding natural wonders, including Uluru (Ayer's
Rock), and learn more about the local Arrernte Aboriginal tribal
group who have inhabited the area for 20,000 years. The city is
also the point from which intrepid adventurers strike south to
explore the Simpson Desert, or east to visit the ghost towns of the
MacDonnell Ranges. Alice Springs has good connections to
Australia's capital cities; there are daily flights to and from the
capitals and road and rail access from all capital cities is
possible.
