Australia Guide
Northern Territory
For most Australians the Northern Territory – known simply as "the Territory" or "NT" – embodies the antithesis of the country's cushy suburban seaboard. The name conjures up a distant frontier province, and to some extent that's still the case. Within the Territory's boundaries are some of Australia's oldest sites of Aboriginal occupation and some of the last regions to be colonized by Europeans – even today, a little over one percent of Australians inhabit an area covering a fifth of the continent, which partly explains why the Territory has never achieved full statehood.
Travellers flock to the prosperous city of Darwin, the Territory's capital, making it their base for explorations around the Top End, as tropical NT is known. Most make a beeline for World Heritage-listed, Aboriginal-managed Kakadu National Park to take in its astonishing array of wildlife, waterways and wonderful Aboriginal art sites. Adjacent Arnhem Land, to the east, is Aboriginal land, requiring a permit to enter – Darwinites think nothing of getting a permit every weekend to go fishing – while if you don't want to go it alone, certain tours are authorized to visit the scattered indigenous communities.
Around 100km south of Kakadu, the main attraction near the town of Katherine is the magnificent gorge complex within Nitmiluk National Park. By no means a dusty Outback town, Alice Springs makes an excellent base to explore the region's natural wonders, of which the famous monolith, Uluru – formerly known as Ayers Rock – 450km to the southwest, is one of many.
The onset of the Dry season in April sees an upsurge in activity as the city shakes off the languor of the Wet. As well as agricultural shows, rodeos and racing, Darwin plays host to theatre, cabaret, music and movies around the city for June's Fringe Festival and August's Festival of Darwin. In July, the famous Beer Can Regatta – wacky boat races in sea craft made from beer cans – takes place on Mindil Beach in Fannie Bay.