Darwin

Darwin, capital city of the Northern Territory, is the smallest of all Australian capitals.  With a population of approximately 130, 000 (which is half of the entire Territory) it has had considerable growth in the last couple of years.  Situated on the Timor Sea, you can see from the map that it is surrounded by water on three sides.  You'll sometimes hear Aussies refer to this area as the 'Top End'.

City of Darwin

Now is the best time to visit Darwin, during the dry season, which typically runs from about April to October.  The wet season brings some spectacular lightning shows along with cyclones and monsoon rains.  Keep this in mind when planning your travels as you can expect up to 420 mm (approximately 16 inches) in a single month!  Of course, these rains are essential to keep the Kakadu wetlands teeming with wildlife.

Darwin is a major access point for Kakadu National Park and Litchfield National Park.  You have lots of different options of day tours, overnight tours or multi-day tours of both of these areas from Darwin.  Have a look at our Darwin activities and tours page to give you some specifics and plenty of links to book your travel plans.

When you're looking for Darwin hotels to book, you've got quite a few choices.  If you're going to incorporate Kakadu into your plans (and why wouldn't you??) then I suggest staying right in the heart of it - in Jabiru (about 250 km [150 miles] from Darwin).  Click on the map link to get an overview of the area.  Are you one of those people who think that pretty much all Holiday Inns look the same?  Think again!!  The picture below is the Gagudju Crocodile Holiday Inn.  Obviously you don't get the same perspective from the ground, but I think the aerial view is pretty cool.

Gagudju Crocodile Hotel

The Northern Territory in general is rich with Aboriginal history and culture.  Consider a visit to the Tiwi Islands just north of Darwin to submerse yourself in culture and indigenous artwork.  There are many festivals, markets and events throughout the year, including the Darwin beer can regatta in August.  Aussies do love their grog!  For the history buffs, a visit to the Northern Territory Museum and Art Gallery is in order for a multi-media display on the WWII Darwin air raids.

Aboriginal Art Work in Kakadu

Whilst you're in the neighbourhood of Darwin, it's not far to hop a flight down to Uluru Ayers Rock to visit one of the most recognizable Aussie icons.  I'll save that for another post.  Stay tuned!

Kangaroo Island

Kangaroo Island, once part of mainland Australia thousands of years ago, is now the third largest island, although that fact is a bit deceptive when you look on a map.  Considered part of South Australia, it is located approximately 113 km (70 miles) south west of the capital city, Adelaide.  Although I briefly mentioned Kangaroo Island in a previous post, it's a destination that deserves its own story.

Kangaroo on Kangaroo Island

This is a great place to holiday for many different reasons.  One of the biggest draw-cards is the wildlife.  It was given its name by British explorer, Matthew Flinders, for the Western grey kangaroo.  You'll see an abundance of kangaroos and wallabies over most of the island.  Sea lions and seals can be seen in great numbers around Seal Bay and Admiral's Arch.

Sea Lions on Kangaroo Island

You've got a good chance of seeing koalas (who doesn't love that?), goannas (big lizards), possums and plenty of species of birds.  The best way to see some of the wildlife in their natural habitat is to get out of your car and hoof it (walk) around the island's many national parks and conservation areas.  At least a quarter of the island is conserved, allowing the wildlife to flourish.  Just remember not to feed your picnic scraps to the animals, as you'll do more harm than good regardless of your intention.

To see some great wildlife and scenery photos check out this previous post that has a Smilebox dedicated to Kangaroo Island.

Below is a sight you may recognize - the Cape Willoughby lighthouse, located on the eastern tip of the island, closest to Cape Jervis and the first lighthouse built in South Australia.

Cape Willoughby Lighthouse

There's more than just beautiful scenery and unique wildlife to capture your imagination though.  For alternate activities you can consider a number of art galleries, lavender farms, a Eucalyptus distillery, go scuba diving or watch a shearing demonstration.  Rich in history, there are a number of museums to peruse where you might even learn a thing or two.

If you're planning to visit, you have 2 options - see Kangaroo Island in a day tour from Adelaide or stay in a hotel on the island.  Either way, Australian.com can help you out.  To get across to the island you can fly or take a ferry.  Due to the size and popularity, this is one destination that I'd definitely recommend making advance bookings.

We hope to see you there soon!

Cairns - Hot Air Ballooning - A First Timer's Journey

When the Montgolfier brothers made the first manned, 20 minute hot air balloon flight in Paris in 1783, they were two months behind an earlier, unmanned French flight carrying a sheep, a rooster and a duck. The earlier flight crashed, killing all on board.  The Montgolfiers landed safely.

While Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier saw Paris from the air, they could not have imagined the sun rising out of the Coral Sea in Far North Queensland, nor watching kangaroos jumping in the Australian bush.

Hot Air Ballooning has thrived since that first manned flight, and modern materials and technology have made it possible for hot air to carry people as high as 68,986 feet (21,027 metres). The longest flight is 320 hours and 33 minutes.

While there is plenty of hot air in the world - particularly in the political arena - and using it for flight is a great way to experience the still of early morning.

The Atherton Tableland is an escarpment that runs parallel to the coast behind Cairns, and it provides excellent conditions for hot air ballooning. The Tableland is a northern part of the Great Dividing Range, the inland range that runs all the way up the East Coast of Australia. Near Cairns it varies in height from 1,600 to 4,200 feet (500 - 1,280 metres). The height tempers the tropical climate of the coast. 

Atherton Tableland

First explored in 1875, it was settled by John Atherton - the town of Atherton bears his name - when he discovered tin and gold in 1877. The Chinese who came to the area to work on the goldfields created what was the largest Chinatown in Australia by 1900, and they pioneered the agricultural industry.  Little remains of the Chinese influence, though it can be seen at the recently restored Hou Wang Temple near Atherton. Today, the crops grown are sugar cane, mangoes, peanuts, avocados and macadamia nuts. Beef and dairy cattle are also raised.

So, let's take a hot air balloon ride. You will be picked up at your hotel well before sunrise, and by the time the sun climbs out of the Coral Sea on the Eastern horizon, you will be high in the air. Kangaroos graze mainly at sunrise and sunset. As the sun rises, it shines almost parallel to the ground, throwing a giant shadow of a jumping 'roo over the landscape. It can only be seen from the air with the right conditions.  If you are lucky - and most are - this will be one of your great memories of Australia.

Cheers,

Matt

>>> More Information on Hot Air Ballooning…       

>>> More Information on The Atherton Tableland…      

Cairns - The Daintree Tropical Rainforest - A First Timer's Journey

In June of 1770, Captain James Cook and his crew were exploring the Australian coastline, and the Great Barrier Reef about 110 Kms (65 mi) to the north of where Cairns is today.  They turned seawards into what they thought was deeper water to avoid a large point of land. Bam!  They ran aground on the Endeavour Reef,  having just discovered it by punching a hole in the bottom of their boat.  They named it Endeavour Reef after their unfortunate ship -  It really ruined their day!  They managed to stay afloat and headed for shore to beach the Endeavour for repairs.  It took a while, but they fixed the hole, then sailed on. They named the cape that caused the whole incident Cape Tribulation.

Cape Tribulation

Cape Tribulation is at the northern end of the Daintree Rainforest.  The dark green of the rainforest runs straight into the blue of the Coral Sea. The Daintree Rainforest stretches from Mossman Gorge to Cape Tribulation. Check it out on the map.  It is a place of steep mountains, deep gorges, high rainfall, flood prone rivers, and incredible plant and animal bio-diversity. Walking along the nature trails is like being in a huge, leafy, green cathedral.  Moist air, everything drippy and wet, tall trees, jungle vines trailing, and a carpet of dead leaves and twigs.

Daintree Rainforest

The plant species in the Daintree are very ancient. They include types of ferns and trees that date back before the dinosaurs, up to 135 million years ago. The Daintree is home to 30% of the reptile, frog and marsupial species in Australia, 18% of the birds (over 400 species), 65% of the bats and butterflies and over 12,000 types of insects.  And all of this bio-diversity is crammed into an area under 1% of Australia. Now this is the place to go bird, bat and nature watching!

When Captain Cook ran aground in 1770, you can be sure the local Kuku Yulanji Aboriginal tribe who had been living in the Daintree River area for over 9,000 years knew about it.  They would also have seen the white man rush for gold in the 1870's as the Daintree Village was founded to supply the miners.  One of their descendants, Juan Williams, runs  Walkabout Cultural Adventures out of Daintree - his tours are worth checking out for an authentic experience. Another Aboriginal Cultural Daintree Rainforest Tour leaves Cairns and Port Douglas also.

As an alternative, to really discover the Daintree on your own, rent a car, then stay a few nights in the Daintree Village area and get to meet some of the locals.

Cheers,

Matt

>>> More Information on the Daintree Rainforest…  

>>> More Information on Cape Tribulation…