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North offers slice of real Australia THE Northern Territory is the quintessential Australian experience. It's an enormous wedge of dramatic landscape, roughly the combined size of Spain, France and Italy, which hosts a diverse profusion of wildlife. The journey from the southern border to the northern tip winds through a gradually unfolding landscape. It begins in the vibrant red desert of Central Australia, passes through grassy savanna plains and ends abruptly at the palm-fringed shores of the Timor Sea in Darwin. The place The Northern Territory is made up of six main destinations and their surrounds:* Darwin * Kakadu * Katherine * Tennant Creek * Alice Springs * Uluru Each destination has its own appeal and offers a unique range of experiences for travellers. Darwin, the Territory's capital city, and Alice Springs are the main gateways to explore these destinations. The people The Northern Territory's way of life is tied closely to the land. Aboriginal people, whose fascinating culture remains strong, make up one third of the population. Territorians are regarded as friendly, easy going and down to earth. The youthful population is made up of many nationalities. Culture and history Indigenous culture The Aboriginal people's history dates back an amazing 40,000 years and has been handed down from generation to generation in the form of rock art and stories. There are many ways visitors can experience this rich culture of Australia's first people. Pioneers It is also possible to follow the paths of pioneers and gold miners, drovers and soldiers in what was truly the final frontier for Australia's European settlers. Gold rushes and gem hunts, early pastoral leases and lone drovers brought it galloping into the early 20th Century, and there are many tourism products on offer for visitors to experience it for themselves. Explorers John McDouall Stuart's epic journey from south to north in 1862 resulted in South Australia taking control of the Northern Territory and set the foundation for the laying of an overland telegraph line from Port Augusta to Darwin. Many original sites along the route of the line - now the Explorer's Way (Stuart Highway) - are testimony to the spirit and struggles of its hardy pioneers. World War II Darwin was bombed to near devastation during WWII and so the Top End became Australia's frontline in the Pacific. Visit any one of the Territory's many museums, memorials and historical sites for a better understanding of its surviving spirit. Climate and Geography Australia's Northern Territory has two very distinctive climate zones. The first is the Territory's tropical north, which includes the Darwin, Kakadu and Katherine regions. This northern region starts and ends the year with tropical rains that brings the landscape to life. Towards mid-year, the humidity levels drop and the days are warm and sunny and nights are cool. The second zone is Central Australia, which includes the Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Uluru (Ayers Rock) regions. This central region is semi-arid and experiences Australia's four typical seasons: summer, autumn, winter and spring. The tropical rains generally do not extend this far south, and as it's a desert environment, nights can be surprisingly cold during winter. Flora and Fauna The Northern Territory is one of the most sparsely settled environments on the planet - one of the last places on earth where ancient woodlands meet untouched beaches and even older desert dunes support bizarre rock formations and strange arid flora and fauna. It is, put simply, paradise for true lovers of nature, boasting some of the most unusual flora in the world- salmon gums, cabbage palms and wetlands covered in lotus lilies. Darwin's frangipani-scented air is legendary, and after the rains is the best time to spot colourful wildflowers. The Top End's monsoonal climate ensures rich wetlands remain a unique breeding ground for huge saltwater crocodiles and a multitude of waterbird species, including brolgas, jabiru, bee-eaters and rare species like the hooded parrot. Others that call the Territory home are wallabies, flying foxes, goannas and lizards. In Central Australia, visitors experience a completely different type of wilderness; the endless serenity of the outback, the magic of natural landmarks like Uluru and unique desert characters like the thorny devil and the western quoll. Huge red kangaroos can be seen bounding across the desert and visitors can see huge eagles circling the desert sky. These amazing habitats are rare and precious and they exist side by side in the Northern Territory. |
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