Darwin
Dreaming of a Top End break
DestinationsFrom A–Z there’s a bounty of Aussie animals to meet in the Northern Territory, from the desert dwellers of the Red Centre to the water babies in and around Darwin. It’s the perfect destination for a family adventure.
Fanfare: Frill-necked lizard
Reader PhotosFrill-necked lizards are known for ‘deimatic’ displays, in which the frills on either side of their head fan out, the mouth opens wide and the body is raised to appear larger and threatening.
Cyclone Tracy: Images of Christmas Day, 40 years ago
History & CultureIt wasn’t until the dark of midnight, on Christmas day, 25 December 1974, that Cyclone Tracy really began to make an impact. In the seven hours it took the cyclone to pass over Darwin, it destroyed roughly 70 per cent of the small capital city. In all, 71 people were killed in the chaos, 13 of them lost at sea. A bill of $500-600 million dollars also racked up ($2.5-3 billion today), as planes, cars, power lines and structures were whipped across streets, destroying buildings and infrastructure. But there were sparks of hope amid the destruction. The then-tiny town of Alice Springs raised $100,000 (~$700,000 today) with 24 hours of the tragedy.
Mary River, NT
DestinationsWatch wildlife, fish, walk and take fantastic photos in the freshwater billabongs, paperbark and monsoon forests of the Mary River region.
On this day: Charles Darwin departs Australia
On This DayDarwin sailed away in 1836 with 10,000 scribbled words on the Australian wilderness, which helped build his theory on evolution.
On this day: Darwin under attack
On This DayThe largest raid ever mounted on the nation, on 19 February 1942, forced Australia to reconsider its place in the world.
On this day: Amy Johnson breaks record
On This DayOn 24 May 1930 Amy Johnson became the first aviatrix to conquer the London to Darwin solo flight.
On this day: Overland Telegraph constructed
On This DayCovering the width of the continent, the Australian Overland Telegraph Line secured us a direct link to the rest of the world.
Football crazy: Australia’s Tiwi Islands
History & CultureWe went north to the Tiwi Islands to discover how a tiny community has produced so many Aussie football greats.