DArwin Parks

for starters I doubt you will get free camping in darwin. free camping can be had at shady camp (I think there may have been a small fee) with fishing off of the barages - just take plenty of bushmans and beware of lizards. As you head into Kakadu there is a track heading north to places called 4 mile and 6 mile (I can get exact names for you if you want) v relaxed fishing and camping can be had here as you can access the bank easily and I caught saratoga and ghad over 50 bust offs - no time for a swig of your beer in between bites. It was my favoutite relaxed place in Kakadu (it is before the entrance gates but still in the park) Kakadu has free camping areas as well as low cost areas with showers. Fishing can be arranged by charter both around Darwin and at Jabaru but is very expensive and my results were less than immpressive

Hi Max & Carol,

There's quite a lot of camping options in the NT, much of free. To the east of Darwin you can head out to Gunn Point for camping and some great fishing. Same story if you head west where if you poke around Mandorah, Bynoe Harbour and Dundee Beach you will find a heap of good bush campsites. Fishing is pretty good everywhere. Alternatively, if your head south down the Stuart Hwy you'll find good camping along the Adelaide and Fergusson Rivers also. We had a few favourite places when we lived in Darwin:
Surprize Ck falls in the southern section of Litchfield NP. This is 4WD only access through this part of the park with the track going all the way through to the Daly River Rd. Surprise Creek Falls camping area is about halfway along and there is a lovely swimming hole etc. No fishing thought but the drive is great.
Daly River - you can camp at the Daly River Crossing or chose from plenty of secluded river side camps to be found to the north of Oolloo Crossing.
Mary River (near Bark Hut Inn outalong the Arnhem Hwy) where you can camp at Corroboree (lovely!) and Shady Camp. The Mary R is one of the top ends top barra spots.
Pine Creek - this area is an old tin and goldmining region full of history. There are a number of places to camp and plenty to explore including old mine sites, relics, lonely gravesites and abandoned railway lines etc. A good drive is to turnoff the Stuart Hwy near Hayes Creek roadhouse and head towards Ban Ban Springs Stn. Can't recall the name of the road off the top of my head but basically this runs mostly parallel with the hwy and takes you into Pine Creek the back way. We spent a lot of time exploring this region.

So in summary, I doubt you'll get to do more than scratch the surface of all the top end has to offer unless you plan on spending years there. Also recommend you get a copy of the NT Fishing Map (available just about everwhere up that way) which marks most of the popular fishing spots and has a corresponding lacality key listing facilities (eg. ramp, camping, dinking water etc) at each place.

Hope this helps. I have much more detailed info and pics on our website. Just look under travels by state and follow the links to NT then Top End.

:o) Melissa

Hi,

I would think twice about camping at shady camp mozzie's & midgi's will drive you nut's (I've camped there and you only camp there once) this time of year there will be to much water to fish. Leichfleid Park has some good camping spot's for a small fee, 4wd track's will be closed(the wet) but it's a better park.
Lee point caravan park is a pretty good park and it's close to buffalo creek for a fish on the incoming tide. plenty of fishing charter's in Darwin, you get what you pay for.

Hilli

Thanks for taking trouble to give us that info & site etc.
Bit of a worry is the water dragons which have been known to try & drag tent &
occupants into water. Guess camping too close to water is an issue.

Davoe, I believe the crocs may eat only once in say 10 days, maybe depends on season, but that fella might have been keeping you on the supermarket shelf for another night.
Remember seeing about 15 all smiling in the sun on the Roper R.banks years ago
so wasnt keen at all to approach the edge to cast a line as they are so quick.
Did a run up the Bloomfield in a 11ft dinghy years ago on my own & felt most vulnerable, only saw their mud slides, & no fish.
Isnt the end of the wet a good time for barra etc?

There is boats for hire at a place right on the highway, locals call the spot 11 mile so is easy to find, (about 11 miles out of town) I have my own boat, but remember buying some trailer parts in the shop and out of interest asking how much to hire their boat. From memory they were very well priced. You could also hire a small party boat with a BBQ on it a corrobbery billabong, very nice.