Northern Territory Attractions
The Northern Territory is home to a huge range of attractions including Darwin, Katherine, the Kakadu National Park, Arnhem Land, Litchfield National Park and Territory Wildlife Park in the Top End as well as Uluru (Ayers Rock), The Olgas, Kings Canyon, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, the MacDonnell Ranges and Simpson Desert in the Red Centre. All of these Northern Territory attractions boast their own landmarks and popular regions no matter where you choose to visit.
Top End
Darwin and its surrounds offer a more modern take on outback Australia home to the creature comforts. The region is home to Crocodylus Park, the Charles Darwin National Park and iconic markets. The city is also steeped in history with the Australian Aviation Heritage Centre, Fannie Bay Gaol and the WWII Oil Storage Tunnels. Located at Cullen Bay on the Timor Sea, it also offers a wonderful marina and wharf precinct, Indo Pacific Marine display and the famous Australian Pearling Exhibition.
The World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park is located 260km in Darwin's east and take up 19,000 sq km. Renowned for its cultural significance to the Aboriginal people as well as its spectacular natural beauty, the National Park features a number of natural wonders including Twin Falls, Jabiru, Nourlangie Rock, Jim Jim Falls, Ubirr, Mamukala, the Warradjan Aboriginal Centre and Maguk. Discover all this and more from the Bowali Visitor Centre.
Covering 400 hectares of bushland 60km south of Darwin, the multi-award winning Territory Wildlife Park introduces you to the Northern Territory's native flora and fauna. Offering 6km of walking tracks, the park also boasts free range kangaroos, a birds of prey display, aviaries, an aquarium and a native Australian nocturnal house. The park also features a Monsoon Forest Walk full of birds and wildlife as well as a natural lagoon.
Comprising of 94,000 sq km of outback, Arnhem Land is Aboriginal territory that is accessible to visitors in only two areas. The Cobourg and Gove Peninsula's offer a number of attractions including the Gurig National Park, Cobourg Marine Park and excellent fishing spots as well as Aboriginal art and craft, snorkelling, diving, cruises and scenic flights as well as a major bauxite mine.
A lush wilderness just over 2 hours from Darwin, the Litchfield National Park offers monsoon rainforest, cascading waterfalls, cycad groves, creek networks and the magnificent Tabletop Range. A short hike will bring you to tropic attractions such as The Lost City, Wangi Falls, Sandy Creek, Florence Falls, Buley Rockholes, Tjaynera Falls, Batchelor, Tolmer Falls and the Magnetic Termite Mounds.
The wide brown land of Katherine is punctuated by small rivers, gorges and plateaus that make for picturesque views from the scenic helicopter flights. Aboriginal art adorns many of the rocks here and there are plenty of places to discover the culture and attractions including Nitmiluk National Park Leilyn, Katherine Museum, Nitmiluk Visitor Centre, Manyallaluk, Cutta Cutta Caves, Katherine School of the Air, Katherine Hot Springs and the Katherine Barra Farm.
Red Centre
The symbol of the Northern Territory, Ayers Rock (Uluru) is a wonder of the world and a treasure to the Aboriginal people. The 'rock' is said to change colour depending on the time of day and is renowned for being particularly spectacular at sunset. 450km south of Alice Springs, Uluru (Ayers Rock) is a must see attraction when visiting the Northern Territory.
World Heritage listed geological formations, The Olgas are a group of 36 rocky outcrops meaning 'many heads'. The highest of these, Mount Olga, rises 546 m and is the heart of the Uluru-Kata Tijuta National Park. The National Park is home to more than 24 different types of wildlife including red kangaroos, dingoes, snakes, lizards and birds like the amazing wedge-tailed eagle.
One of the Northern Territory's most breathtaking attractions, Kings Canyon is just over 200km west of Alice Springs and offers spectacular sandstone chasms and secluded water holes. Accessed via the Stuart Highway, the Canyon forms part of the Watarrka National Park home to palm groves, rugged outcrops, creek walks and the Garden of Eden and Lost City water holes.
Located in central Australia, Alice Springs is a vibrant bush town steeped in tradition and culture. Continuing to grow in popularity, Alice Springs is now known as an unmissable Northern Territory destination home to a Desert Park, Aboriginal Art and Cultural Centre, Reptile Park, Frontier Camel Farm, School of the Air, Royal Flying Doctors Service and the Old Stuart Town Gaol.
Located midway between Alice Springs and Darwin, Tennant Creek was once home to Australia's last Gold Rush. Now, it is a tourist attraction where visitors can explore a mining lease, discover how gold was mine, treated and processed into ingots. Visit Battery Hill Mine and Gold Stamp Battery or the natural wonder of the Devil's Marbles, rounded boulders in their hundreds including some balanced on each other.
The MacDonnell Ranges are a spectacular attraction in the picturesque Northern Territory landscape. These huge rugged mountains are a kaleidoscope of colour scattered with immense chasms and gorges. An unspoilt region, these significant attractions are also home to their own attractions such as the rich wildlife of the East and the Finke Gorge National Park and Finke River in the West.
