Darwin

Darwin isnt really worth going to except as a place to pass through to Kakadu National Park. That, however, is worth seeing.

Darwin isnt really worth going to except as a place to pass through to Kakadu National Park. That, however, is worth seeing.

Darwin is a place like no other, the locals are a breed apart. true multiculturalism to the extreme, you see groups of kids walking around and they don’t care for colour they all mix. Black, White, Asian you name it they mix there.
The locals have a very, very laid back attitude. Those of us from the south like to comment that NT {Northern Territory} really stands for Not Today, Not Tomorrow, Not Tuesday, Not Thursday. No one in Darwin seems to rush, yet everything gets done.
The population is very transient and the population more than doubles in size over the dry season which is winter in the rest of Australia.
Still it is a great place to visit even if just for a short time.

My parents lived in Darwin in the 70s but like most people were chased away by the cyclone (both were on holidays elsewhere at the time but my mum lost alot of stuff). Their experience of darwin was that because everyone there was from somewhere else, they were all looking for friends, and anyone who offered you a beer was an instant friend – even if they spoke no english. If events had turned out differently I might have grown up there but grew up in Canberra instead.

After 23 years of ‘20-years ago in darwin’ stories, which progressively became ‘30 years ago in darwin’ stories from my parents, I decided to visit there while my friend was up their for field work for her PhD.

I took some side trips to Litchfield and Kakadu national parks, which were great, but only gave me a short time to spend in darwin itself.

The highlights were: the markets, the climate, the storms and lightning, the food, the beaches (though not to swim in the wet season of course), the wildlife (dancing frill necked lizards), and yes the cosmopolitan nature, but I found people were still pretty blatantly racist towards aboriginal people (less politically correct is how they would put it I’m sure) – not everyone though, it just stood out where I did see it. oh and the frozen mango pulp crushed through a meat grinder!!! i might go back just for that!!!

The people here are very laid back (even for Australians). I’d like to return some day.

My sister is living in Darwin at the moment & it sounds like a nice place to visit—I think I’ll have to go up there one of these days to see for myself!

It is Australias gateway to asia, it’s very multi-cultural, it has the most indigenous people in a state capital, hot all year round, it’s the only place in Oz that got bombed from WWII, Litchfield and Kakadu are just next door, the people are very laid back and they know how to drink.

Transfered to Darwin and enjoyed it. Ate crocodile and buffalo. Git a job in a gold mine (no really, literaly). Got bored and oppressed by the heat and returned home.

Going to Darwin for an internship this, er, winter? May-August. Can’t wait? Can anyone recommend any books about Australian history that reach more modern times? Any books about aboriginal civil rights? Guide books? Ways to find an apartment in advance?

So excited!

I’m Darwin born and bred. I left there 13 years ago for university in Sydney but still return fairly regularly to visit family and friends.