Northern Territory

Australia and New Zealand

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Northern Territory

The Northern Territory is a sprawling, timeless frontier land of geographic, climatic and cultural diversity and wonderful to visit. The 1,350,000 square kilometers with only 156,000 people (25 per cent being Aboriginal) creates a spectacular wilderness with breathtaking landscapes and unique wildlife.

The Northern Territory is everything you ever dreamed it to be, an exciting, exotic wonderland with diverse attractions that will ensure the most intrepid traveler a feast of adventure and rewarding experiences.

There are two distinct regions, the Top End and Central Australia. The Top End usually experiences relatively high humidity during the summer (December to March) and clear sunny days during the dry season (April to October).
Central Australia enjoys a more comfortable climate. The winter days are pleasant but it is much cooler at night. In the north the great attraction is the Kakadu National Park.

Here visitors can see Aboriginal rock art and the magnificent scenery of the Arnhem Land escarpment, go bush walking or take a boat cruise through the wetlands. Bird wildlife and recreational fishing are the main attractions.

There are 7 other national parks in the Top End, all with their great individual attractions. In National Parks, reserves and some other areas, salt water and fresh water crocodiles can be found among the waterways, so heed local warning advice and signs.

The town of Alice Springs is at the heart of the Red Centre and 1500 kilometers from the nearest capital city. The Flying Doctor, based at Alice Springs, services the people who live on remote properties in the Red Centre.

The best known National Park in the Centre is World Heritage- listed Uluru-Kata Tjuta which contains the monolith Uluru (Ayers Rock), and Kata Tjutu (The Olgas). The area is of vital cultural significance to Anangu (the original Aboriginal owners), whose ancestors have lived in the area for at least 30,000 years. In the Centre, daytime heat can be extreme in summer so avoid walking in the heat of the day and carry plenty of water.

Traveller's Notes

We flew to Alice Springs from Perth in Western Australia and connected with a flight to Ayers Rock staying at the 5 star "Sails in the Desert" resort. Their swimming pool is magnificent. The choice of accommodation varies from backpacker to indulgence.
>The next day a bus took us to the Rock allowing us time to scale the Rock, about an hour to reach the top. It then conveyed us around the Rock We talked to many Aboriginal people before returning to our lodging. Next morning we flew in a helicopter over the Olgas comprising 36 magnificently rounded and coloured dome -like shapes covering 35 square kilometers in area.
There is a 3-hour Valley of the Winds walk through the crevices and gorges of the rock system. We regretted not doing this. We returned to Alice Springs to the Sheridan Hotel near the golf course and visited the Casino nearby. Next day, before returning home, we hired a taxi to show us around the town, the MacDonnell Ranges and Simpson's Gap.

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