It can take a while to really get under the skin of the tropical Northern Territory, but you can make a good start with a few carefully planned days spent within cooee of Darwin.
It’s not that Territorians don’t have to deal with the same issues that engender insecurity in us all: Darwin property prices are just as overinflated as in any other major city; secure employment is as tenuous; and the cost of living spirals along the same upward trajectory. Maybe the freewheeling, laid-back approach to life is just a front or stems from living way beyond the physical reach of the rest of the country in a dynamic, dramatic and occasionally dangerous climate. It’s hard to know. But the Territory and those who call it home are different alright.
THIS IS MY FIRST time in the Top End and what-ever preconceptions I had about Darwin dissipate with every kilometre as I’m whisked by taxi from the wonderfully central international airport to my waterfront hotel. We head along a six-lane highway flanked by utes and four-wheel-drives, passing blocks of industrial and retail sprawl with the occasional hint of a smart suburban estate in between. Gleaming multi-storey office buildings and apartment blocks reflect a cloudless blue sky and a blinding sun. I soon realise that my notion of Darwin is woefully outdated. This is a city that has risen from the ashes on numerous occasions and today reveals scant evidence of past incarnations.
The Darwin Waterfront Precinct betrays some familiarity in its distinctive bent arm of Stokes Hill Wharf elbowing into the Arafura Sea, recognisable from photos of the 1942 bombing of Darwin and Baz Luhrmann’s classic movie Australia. But between my hotel, the Adina, and the wharf is a sight I didn’t expect to see – kids swimming and messing about in the water.
Complete with wave pool and beach, it’s possible to swim, surf and sunbathe here, safe from any potential crocodile interference. Lining the water’s edge are bars and restaurants and smart new apartment blocks; absolute waterfront and no crocs! Who knew?
Denne historien er fra November - December 2018-utgaven av Australian Geographic Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra November - December 2018-utgaven av Australian Geographic Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
SULAWESI SENSATIONS
There are worlds within worlds and marvels untold waiting to be experienced on Indonesia's remote islands.
SEARCHING FOR AUSSIE DINOSAURS
Our understanding of where to find ancient life in Australia has been turned on its head by a new appreciation of the country's geology. Now the world is looking to our vast outback as the latest hotspot to locate fossils.
THE HARDEST NIGHT
The first Australian ascent of Mt Everest in 1984 is one of the great feats of mountaineering. Climbed by a small team semi-alpine style, with no bottled oxygen, via the Great (Norton) Couloir, it remains unrepeated 40 years later.
WEDGE-TAILED WONDER
The chance discovery of an eagle nest leads to an extended vigil observing normally hidden behaviours of one of nature's supreme winged marvels.
BURDENED BY BEAUTY
Northern Australia's Gouldian finch survives in huge numbers in cages around the world, but its wild population continues to struggle.
A TELESCOPE FOR A GOLDEN AGE
After a stellar 50 years as one of the country's major scientific assets, the AAT continues to play a major role in keeping Australian astronomy on the world stage.
COCKY WHISPERING AT COOMALLO CREEK
This patch of remnant bush on the edge of the West Australian wheatbelt is a place loved by one of Australia's rarest bird species and the man who has studied the site for more than 50 years.
A PIONEERING PAIR
Louisa Atkinson and her mother, Charlotte, were among Australia's earliest authors, and pioneers in women's rights.
THE LONGEST WALK
Lucy Barnard is walking from Argentina to Alaska -the length of the Americas - on an extraordinary journey of endurance and adventure.
SECLUDED, BUT NOT ALONE
In an era of heightened social isolation, where many of us lead lonely lives, Dangar Island offers the chance to be part of a supportive, connected community.
