| Area: |
1,349,130
sq kms (520,902 sq miles) |
| State
Population: |
197,700 |
| Capital:
|
Darwin |
| Population:
|
88,100
(official estimate 1999) |
 About
the Northern Territory Region
The
Northern Territory makes up nearly one-sixth
of Australia and geographically most closely
resembles the popular image of the Great
Australian Outback.
The
north or Top End, centred on the capital,
Darwin, is tropical with rich vegetation
and a varied coastline. 251km east of
Darwin is World Heritage-listed Kakadu
National Park (the third largest National
Park in the world and about half the size
of Switzerland), an area of vast flood
plains and rocky escarpments steeped in
natural and cultural heritage and home
to Aborigines for at least 40,000 years.
Katherine
is 314km south of Darwin and just beyond
that is Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National
Park, a striking system of 13 gorges towering
up to 60 metres high.
The southern part of the Territory is
centred on Alice Springs, which is virtually
the centre of Australia and the starting
point to explore many of the Red Centre's
highlights including Uluru (Ayers
Rock), which is located about 465kms to
the south-west.
Other
of the Red Centre's natural and geological
wonders include Kata Tjuta (the Olgas),
King's Canyon, the Western MacDonnell
Ranges and the Devil's Marbles.
Culture:
Some
areas that we visit have great significance
to the local Aborigines and as such are
culturally sensitive. Access to these
areas (which includes the Uluru (Ayers
Rock) climb) may be restricted for cultural
reasons for unspecified times and with
little prior notice. We reserve the right
to amend our itineraries or visit alternative
areas in these circumstances and no refunds
will be given.
Red Centre:
Uluru-Kata Tjuta Aboriginal Cultural Centre:
in keeping with the park's importance
to indigenous people, major emphasis is
placed on helping visitors understand
Aboriginal traditions and lifestyle. The
Cultural Centre houses the park's information
services with displays presenting the
sights and sounds of Tjukurpa (creation
stories and laws) and the local culture.
Top End:
Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre:
the centre's circular design represents
a warradjan (pig-nosed turtle). As well
as providing detailed information about
Aboriginal culture in Kakadu, there is
also a video room and a gallery that sells
Aboriginal arts and crafts plus books
and cards.
Aboriginal Rock Art:amazing
examples of rock art dating back an estimated
40,000 years can be seen throughout Kakadu
but most notably at Ubirr and Nourlangie.
Wildlife
Red
Centre:
You may see kangaroos, emus, wild camels,
goannas, thorny devils and more.
Top End:
You may see wallabies, salt and fresh
water crocodiles, buffalo, frill-neck
lizards, wild pigs and a huge variety
of bird life including wedge-tailed and
sea eagles, jabiru and herons.
Climate
Seasonality
of the Top End
Located in the Arid Tropical region of
Northern Australia means that you enjoy
beautiful weather for the majority of
the year. The Top End experiences 2 distinct
seasons as outlined below.
|
Average
Minimum
|
Average
Maximum |
Description |
| Tropical
Winter |
21.5°C
|
31.5°C |
Unlike
most southern capitals which usually
experience cool temperatures at
this time of the year, the Top End
enjoys blue skies, warm dry days
and cool nights...perfect for outdoor
adventures and touring. |
| Tropical
Summer |
24.6°C |
32.2°C |
Spectacular
electrical storms, sun showers and
warm, humid weather are the characteristics.
The waterfalls are in full flow,
flocks of birds spread across the
wetlands, and a rich lush green
becomes the dominant colour scheme |
Due to
rainfall and distinct seasonality, access
into parts of Kakadu National Park will
be restricted from Dec-Apr. At this
time of year, some travellers may feel
that Kakadu is a harder adventure than
the soft nature of our other tours.
Interest
Adelaide
River township: approximately
110kms south of Darwin along the Stuart
Highway you will find the World War II
Cemetery.
Alice Springs: Alice
Springs is the famous geographical centre
of Australia. This town is situated on
the Stuart Highway and is a place where
the traditional Arrernte Aboriginal owners
have lived for about 20000 years. About
29000 people live in the town nowadays.
Alice Springs is unique insofar as the
town is situated 'in the middle of nowhere'
but the atmosphere there is really warm,
the nightlife is just amazing, and the
attractions nearby are numerous.
Annaburroo: a saltwater,
crocodile free swimming billabong.
Barramundi Gorge (Maguk):
one of the few permanent waterfalls in
Kakadu, it has cut its path through the
ancient sandstone creating an oasis where
we can swim.
Barrow creek pub: this
pub is a typical stopover point on the
Stuart Highway and is located about 280
kilometres north of Alice Springs.
Buley Rockhole: with
Wangi Falls this series of small waterfalls
is certainly the most popular and beautiful
swimming spot in the Litchfield National
Park.
Carr Boyd ranges: located
south of Kununurra Carr Boyd Range offers
beautiful sceneries with deep gorges,
nice waterfalls and pretty fern pools.
The wildlife is also abundant there.
Coober Pedy: is the opal
capital of the world, producing 95% of
the world's opals and attracts a special
breed of people. There are 41 different
nationalities living in a population of
just over 4000 people. 80% of them live
underground to avoid the heat. There are
underground shops, churches, hostels and
hotels. We accommodate our guests in an
underground bunkhouse, but also offer
the opportunity to upgrade accommodation
to a 4 star hotel for those who want to
break the journey. Passengers will be
taken on a mine tour and given the opportunity
to βnoodleβ for their own opals.
Curtin Springs Station:
a working cattle station of some 4000
square kms, on which is located Mt Connor.
Cycad Gorge at Palm Valley:
clumps of tall, slender palms lending
a tropical atmosphere to their barren
setting. These pre-historic palms are
leftovers from much wetter times in Central
Australia.
Daly Waters: the famous
pub at Daly Waters, the oldest in the
Northern Territory, is situated 588kms
south of Darwin and also acts as a bank,
post office and police station. It dates
back more than a hundred years and was
originally built for the pioneer drovers
on the long cattle drives through this
part of the Outback.
Darwin: This is the most
popular town and also the territorial
capital of the Northern Territory. It
is a city of about 110000 inhabitants
with a large proportion of Aboriginal
people, which justify the fact that the
town is sometimes called 'the multicultural
capital of Australia'.
Devils Marbles: massive
red granite boulders balancing precariously
on top of each other located some 100kms
south of Tennant Creek.
Edith Falls: located
about 60 kilometres north of Katherine,
Edith Falls is a series of superb waterfalls
and beautiful pools cascading into a lake.
An ideal place for swimmers.
Finke River: this River
is the main river in Central Australia
and also one of the oldest rivers in the
world.
Florence Falls: situated
in the Litchfield national park near the
rainforest, it is an impressive and beautiful
double waterfall dropping down into a
clear rock pool where people can enjoy
a swim.
Fogg Dam: a conservation
reserve about 60kms from Darwin, where
permanent wetlands are alive with bird
and wildlife and water lilies. Anbangbang
Billabong - a small and picturesque seasonal
billabong that's home to a variety of
bird-life.
Glen Helen Gorge: situated
about 130 kilometres from Alice Springs
Glen Helen gorge is one of the six waterholes
along the Finke River and is a beautiful
spot for swimming and enjoying what nature
has to offer.
Gosse Bluff: a spectacular
remnant of a huge meteor crater believed
to be about 130 million years old.
Gunlom Falls: a large
waterfall situated in the southern end
of Kakadu National Park, it offers scenic
swimming holes etched into the Escarpment
by the relentless action of erosion. The
climb to the top is rewarded with fantastic
views over the park.
Gregory National Park:
situated about 350 kilometres from Darwin,
this National Park is the second-largest
in the Northern Territory. It is a mixture
of beautiful sandstones, escarpments and
gorges.
Jim Jim & Twin Falls:
spectacular waterfalls accessible only
during the Dry Season (May to November)
by 4WD vehicles. Swimming ability is a
must (1km return paddle to the base of
Twin Falls)
Kakadu National Park:
this National Park situated about 250
kilometres from Darwin is an Australian
icon and one of the most visited National
Parks in Australia. It is renowned for
its diverse environment from amazing waterfalls
and to beautiful Aboriginal rock art.
Between Alligators, birds and kangaroos,
the wildlife is rich and numerous.
Kata Tjuta (the Olgas):
this 'place of many heads' has 36 domes
that make up a site of even greater cultural
significance to the Aborigines than Uluru.
There are two permitted walks in Kata
Tjuta (no climbing is allowed as requested
by the traditional owners), the Mt Olga
pass, which is around 3km return and the
Valley of the Winds which is approx 8km
return.
Katherine Gorge: actually
consisting of 13 gorges which are best
viewed from the air, you can canoe or
cruise around the first few gorges appreciating
the striking landscape.
Kings Canyon (Watarrka):
is a canyon almost 275 metres deep. A
6-8km walk around the canyon gives spectacular
views of the surrounding desert and special
features such as the 'Lost City', the
'Amphitheatre' and the 'Garden of Eden'.
Litchfield national park:
situated about 130 kilometres from Darwin,
this National Park is a mixture of dense
tropical rainforest, eucalyptus, and magnetic
termite mounds.
Mamukala Wetlands: Mamukala
Wetlands is one of the most visited places
in Kakadu National Park, and an ideal
place to see thousands of magpie geese
and lots of other birds.
Mary River Wetlands:
is the largest system of its kind in the
Northern Territory. It boasts the highest
concentration of salt-water crocodiles
in the Southern Hemisphere, as well as
an amazing profusion of other wildlife.
'
Mataranka: this is a
small town located along the Stuart Highway
about 100 kilometres south of Katherine.
Mataranka thermal springs:
these thermal springs are situated underground
in the Elsey National Park and are incredibly
clear and hot.
Mereenie 4WD Track/Loop Road:
completed in 1994, this 4WD road loops
around the western edge of the MacDonnell
Ranges linking Kings Canyon with Alice
Springs.
Motorcar falls: with
its amazing 25 metres waterfall dropping
down into a pretty rock pool, Motorcar
Falls is one of the best wet season areas
in Kakadu National Park.
Mt Connor: higher than
Uluru and often mistaken for it, we pass
this flat topped monolith on the way to
Yulara.
Nourlangie Rock: located
approximately 330km east of Darwin in
the heart of Kakadu National Park, another
ancient rock art site famous for its dynamic
display of art and panoramic views of
the Escarpment country.
Nungulawar art site:
a site which allows people to see aboriginal
art, paintings, dreaming stories etc.
Ormiston gorge: this
gorge has a beautiful waterhole surrounded
by nice tropical plants and flowers.
Point Stuart Wilderness Lodge:
this Lodge, just 30kms outside Kakadu
National Park, offers travellers the opportunity
to explore the pristine Mary River Wetlands
renowned for its abundance of wildlife,
beautiful billabongs, cool rainforests
and excellent barramundi fishing. The
Lodge has a range of accommodation from
air-conditioned units with en-suite facilities
to backpacker dorms and camping. It also
has a swimming pool and fully licensed
bar and bistro.
Robin falls: located
about 17 kilometres south of Adelaide
River, Robin Falls is a beautiful little
waterfall.
Small gorge: this gorge
is, as its name says, a pretty small gorge,
however this is a really beautiful double
fall with a nice clear pool.
Tennant Creek: about
986 kms south of Darwin was the centre
of Australia's last gold rush in 1930.
Passengers enjoy a gold mine tour here
on our trips between Alice and Darwin.
Ti Tree: Ti tree is a
small service town and supply point on
the Stuart Highway, and is located about
190 kilometres from Alice Springs. Lots
of Aboriginal people (about 1300) still
live there.
Timber creek: this small
town of about 600 inhabitants is situated
about 290 kilometres from Katherine. It
lies on Victoria Highway which connects
Australia's top end and the Kimberley
region in Western Australia.
Tolmer falls: this long
and narrow waterfall is one of the highest
and most spectacular in the Litchfield
National Park.
Tropic of Capricorn:
This is one of the five main circles of
latitude on Earth maps. It passes about
30 kilometres north of Alice Springs.
Ubirr Rock: approximately
280km east of Darwin, Ubirr has been home
to Aborigines for an estimated 25,000
years. They have recorded and documented
the changing landscapes and social occurrences
in the rocks at this site. The art is
endemic to this region.
Uluru (Ayers Rock):
the second largest Monolith in the world
and centre of the sacred heart of Australia,
it is of deep cultural significance to
local Aborigines. Though the traditional
owners would prefer if they didn't, visitors
can still climb it. Our guides give clients
the information to make an informed decision
and then the choice is up to the individual
(the climb is 1.6km from base to top and
people with heart conditions or breathing
difficulties should not attempt it). Climbing
is not permitted if the Rangers consider
it unsafe due to extreme temperatures,
wind or rain. Photography is limited in
some sites because of their significance.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta
Aboriginal Cultural Centre: In
keeping with the park's importance to
indigenous people, major emphasis is placed
on helping visitors understand Aboriginal
traditions and lifestyle. The Cultural
Centre houses the parkβs information
services with displays presenting the
sights and sounds of Tjukurpa (creation
stories and laws) and the local culture.
Valley of the Winds (Kata Tjuta):
this spectacular hike, varying in length
from (approx) 6-8km depending on the trip
chosen, winds through some of the 36 weathered
domes. NB: The trail is closed when temperatures
rise above 36°C.
Wangi falls: situated
in the Litchfield National Park, Wangi
Falls is a renowned area for swimming
and picnicking.
Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural
Centre: The centre's circular
design represents a warradjan (pig-nosed
turtle). As well as providing detailed
information about Aboriginal culture in
Kakadu, there is also a video room and
a gallery that sells Aboriginal arts and
crafts plus books and cards.
Western MacDonnell Ranges:
form an imposing red barrier from east
to west for 400kms across the vast central
Australian plain with Alice Springs situated
in the centre. The Ranges stretch 160kms
west of Alice Springs offering spectacular
landscapes and gorges.
|
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