About Darwin
Darwin has a fascinating history despite it's consistently modern architecture. Darwin was a base during WW2 and suffered from Japanese air raids. The city was ravaged by Cyclone 'Tracy' on December 25, 1974, and evidence of it's fury is still to be seen. Darwin was flattened, with "Tracy" taking many lives in the process. Australians awoke on this Christmas Day to one of Australia's worst natural disasters and the way in which the country pulled together was amazing and with a spirit that was uniting to say the least. The reconstruction began in earnest and the disaster brought the Australian community a lot closer together.
Darwin recovered from this event with tenacity and today it stands as a modern lively city, with an ambience that rivals its southern counterparts. It has been rebuilt with the local lifestyle in mind and the city's natural relaxed feel still in the air. A tropical city, our advice is to pick the time you visit carefully, preferably from May to October.
Once in the city the usual variety of activities are to be found from 5 star accommodation houses to city tours. The Hotel Darwin is a tropical colonial building and a great starting point to meet the locals. To see the famous north's brilliant red sunsets, go and have a B-B-Q at the Darwin Yacht Club. Friendly locals and one of the best views in the world make it a must.
The Mindil Beach Casino will keep the gamblers happy and every Thursday between April and October they hold a sunset market which is a great way to experience the many ethnic groups that make up this vibrant city. One word of advice - do not swim in the waters between November and April, as deadly box jellyfish abound.