Darwin & surrounds

Darwin, Australia’s tropical capital city, is closer to some Indonesian destinations than it is to southern Australian capitals, which makes it an ideal entry or exit point to the country.

It’s a young city of about 100,000, with an average age of around 30, and the population is rich in cultural diversity.

Darwin can already accommodate large meetings and events, but with the completion of the Darwin Convention Centre in 2008, Darwin will have every imaginable facility for conferences and events. A wide selection of restaurants, accommodation from five-star to under the stars, attractions and activities are all available.

There are numerous unique activities to include in a conference program, from sunset harbour cruises and cocktails with crocodiles, to an Andrews Sisters night at the Aviation Museum or your own event at the famous Mindil Beach Sunset Markets.

Getting to Darwin

Darwin is situated only two hours from Bali and Brunei and four hours from Singapore with direct international air access to both and connections onto the rest of Asia and the world. Darwin also enjoys direct domestic air access from Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Cairns and Alice Springs.

Climate

The Territory’s tropical north experiences warm and sunny weather for most of the year.

The Northern Territory’s Aboriginal people have their own interpretation of the Territory’s seasons. In the Kakadu National Park region, the Aboriginal people’s seasonal calendar has six seasons, which are closely linked to the natural cycles of the region’s plant species and foods:

Yegge – cooler but still humid season (May to mid-June)
Wurrgeng – cold weather season (mid-June to mid-August)
Gurrung – hot, dry weather season (mid-August to early October)
Gunumeleng – pre-monsoon storm season (early October to late December)
Gudjewg – monsoon season (January to late March)
Banggerreng – ‘knock ‘em down’ storm season (all of April).

What to pack

In tropical areas like Darwin, Kakadu and Katherine, the weather is always warm, so lightweight summer clothing is worn all year round. Casual clothing is very much a part of the Territory lifestyle. Pack light, comfortable clothing, comfortable walking shoes, a hat, swimwear and sunglasses.