Darwin bound

Submitted: Thursday, May 29, 2008 at 20:52
ThreadID: 58152 Views:2264 Replies:5 FollowUps:11
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Hi all we're heading to Darwin in about 4 weeks starting from Melb to Maree and Lake Eyre then across to the Stuart. Interested in good advice on places to visit from Alice up inc. Litchfield & Kakadu - one on the way up the other on the way back. Accomodation/camping sites (bush & commercial) would also be appreciated. Thanks in anticipation.
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Reply By: Top End Explorer Tours - Thursday, May 29, 2008 at 20:58

Thursday, May 29, 2008 at 20:58
Try this.

kakadu

Cheers Steve.
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Follow Up By: Mainey (wa) - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 15:27

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 15:27
That's a good write-up Steve

Mainey . . .
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Follow Up By: waynespk - Monday, Jun 02, 2008 at 11:25

Monday, Jun 02, 2008 at 11:25
Thanks for the advice Steve - we'll take this on board.
Cheers
Wayne
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Reply By: Dave & Shelley (NT) - Thursday, May 29, 2008 at 22:01

Thursday, May 29, 2008 at 22:01
Hi mate,

Don't forget to pack your singlet and thongs (footware)!!!> No seriously, it is getting cold at the moment, it was 18 the other day!!!!! For info about NT National Parks (ie Litchfield) check out:

http://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/parks/find/litchfield.html

This web site gives maps and all the info you need.

For Kakadu you should check out another website such as:

http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/kakadu/

Hope this helps

Cheers
Dave
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Follow Up By: waynespk - Monday, Jun 02, 2008 at 11:26

Monday, Jun 02, 2008 at 11:26
Cheers thanks for that - looking forward to the colder weather up north.
Cheers
Wayne
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Reply By: Member - vivien C (VIC) - Friday, May 30, 2008 at 21:32

Friday, May 30, 2008 at 21:32
From Alice north to Darwin

Barrow Creek - worth a stop to look at one of the typical outback pubs with money pinned on the roof etc

Devils Marbles - you can camp here and sunset and sunrise are good for photographs

Newcastle Waters - Memorial to the drovers, check out the historical buildings - the old hotel where the drovers would call in to after they'd survived the Murrunji Track

Daly Waters Hotel - another of those iconic Aussie pubs. The Beef and Barra nights are pretty good too!

Mataranka - Hot Springs, 12 Mile Yards Campground, Mataranka Falls, Elsey Graves and Homestead

Katherine - Katherine Gorge cruise/canoes/walks, Hot springs in town, Katherine Low Level, Cutta Cutta Caves

Edith Falls - Walk to top falls and pools, good camping

Umbrawarra Gorge near Pine Creek

Douglas Hot Springs andButterfly Gorge. Good camping at Douglas Hot Springs

Douglas Daly Nature Park - good swimming and camping

Daly River - worth a look at the Daly River and good campgrounds

Grove Hill historic hotel - off the highway to the east, you can do a loop from Pine Creek and rejoin the highway just north of Hayes Creek.

Adelaide River Cemetery..a beautiful memorial and a credit to those who care for it. It gives us an insight into the losses suffered by the Top End and our soldiers during the war.

Litchfield and Kakadu - both beautiful in their different ways and you've already got lots of info on them.

In Darwin - Thursday nights Mindil Beach Market, Saturday mornings Parap Markets (food is fantastic), the museum, take a walk around with a map of the historic buildings, fish & chips at the wharf, Cullen Bay Marina, a trip on the harbour, maybe across to Mandorah, Berry Springs, Territory Wild Life Park, & so much more...... Darwin is a beautiful city.

Happy travels

Viv
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Follow Up By: waynespk - Monday, Jun 02, 2008 at 11:29

Monday, Jun 02, 2008 at 11:29
Thanks Vivien
We'll look at each of these sites on the map and see how we go. We have actually planned on hitting Daly Waters at a time that will allow us to do the "Beef & Barra" - this had also been recommended by a mate of ours.
Thanks again
Wayne
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Reply By: Outa Bounds - Saturday, May 31, 2008 at 14:36

Saturday, May 31, 2008 at 14:36
Envy Envy. Hardly a nicer place to go this time of year.

We used to live in Darwin for a while, and Alice too.
Funny but yes I remember 18 degrees was freezing like say 10 degrees would be down south. Thing is temp up there is so consistent all the time that you really notice even the 1-2deg variations! 34 may be hot and then you notice the cool change when it's 32 the next day!

Plenty of nice sites to see along the MacDonnel (sp) ranges in Alice too.
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Follow Up By: waynespk - Monday, Jun 02, 2008 at 11:30

Monday, Jun 02, 2008 at 11:30
Looking forward to this consistent weather - shorts and enjoy it!
Cheers
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Reply By: zha zha cruiser - Sunday, Jun 01, 2008 at 10:29

Sunday, Jun 01, 2008 at 10:29
Ex Darwinian myself.

Agree with all said so far, except for the bit about Kakadu...sorry but I hated it.

too hot and dusty, nothing to see, and takes ages to get there.

Go fly there if you have to and take the helicopter ride into Jim Jim Falls if you really feel you need to experience Kakadu...many agree with me but youll always get a few who think Kakadu is just amazing, usually they are not territorians..litchfield is better, and dont forget a barby at berry springs...its a day trip from Darwin.

If you can, try to borrow a boat and fish out of shady camp, (an hour or so west of humpty doo) youll most likely catch a barra, but be carefull as there are crocs everywhere...it will be a rather thrilling experience for someone from Melbourne,,,I guarantee it.
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Follow Up By: Top End Explorer Tours - Sunday, Jun 01, 2008 at 10:55

Sunday, Jun 01, 2008 at 10:55
After reading you're crap on Kakadu I'm am ROTFLMAO.

You say it's to hot, well as I type it is 20 degrees and 54% humidity, you say it's to dusty well seeing as Kakadu is mostly wet lands surrounded by eucalypt woodlands and an impressive escarpment I haven't seen dust here for 30 years, since the Buffalo were shot out.

I guess UNESCO got it wrong to, I mean why would they make it a world heritage area ? After all, it only has Flora and fauna found nowhere else in the world, and it is home to the oldest culture known to man.

By the way you can't take a helicopter in to Jim Jim falls as it is a wilderness area when open to the public.

Steve.
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Follow Up By: Member - vivien C (VIC) - Sunday, Jun 01, 2008 at 11:18

Sunday, Jun 01, 2008 at 11:18
I'm not a territorian but I've been to Kakadu many times and each time find it an amazing place. There is no way you can compare Litchfield and Kakadu. Both are beautiful and interesting in their own right but they are so different.Litchfield's waterfalls etc are easy to access and Kakadu you have to put in a bit more effort but when you do its so worth while.

It's sort of like comparing a theme park to a museum. Maybe we live in such a "fast food" type environment that unless things are handed to us on a plate we don't know how to enjoy them.

The most amazing time in all my travels has been climbing to the top of Twin Falls and shimmying down something called "the chimney". We didn't expect to do it, hooked up with a tour group who invited us along. It was brilliant, monumental and magnificent.

Kakadu not worth it .... well not from my point of view.

Viv
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Follow Up By: Top End Explorer Tours - Sunday, Jun 01, 2008 at 11:30

Sunday, Jun 01, 2008 at 11:30
Hey Vivien.

I remember the days of climbing down the chimney, in fact what makes my tour better than my competition is, on my day tours to the falls I actually go to the top of Twin Falls if the group are up to it, last year I had a group on and the youngest was 65 the oldest was 82 and they booked with me because we went to the top of the falls.

Most people that want it easy don't do Kakadu and then winge about it, heard it many times before and I just laugh at them.

Cheers Steve.
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Follow Up By: Outa Bounds - Sunday, Jun 01, 2008 at 12:41

Sunday, Jun 01, 2008 at 12:41
As a "used to be Darwin local" I would agree with both points.

Many locals probably do prefer Litchfield as they are probably heading out there for a day or two for some swimming and maybe camping. It's close, easy to access, nice swimming and beautiful as any bush is. Depending on the time of year porbably not as touristy either.

So if you only have very limited time to take in the sights as a tourist I suppose Litchfield would be on the short list rather than Kakadu.

Kakadu is beautiful, I have not seen much of it. Yes it would take considerably more time and effort to see it. I suppose as an example is the walk to get to Jim Jim, as I remember it involved some boulder climbing. So if you are touring and have the time and inclination to make the effort to go and explor Kakadu would be a must.

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Follow Up By: Top End Explorer Tours - Sunday, Jun 01, 2008 at 13:05

Sunday, Jun 01, 2008 at 13:05
Yeah Outa Bounds I actually liked Litchfield more in the good old days, as Willem with testify to when you needed 2 cars and a long weekend to go there, and when you got there you had places like Wangi falls or Florence falls to yourself.

A lot of local Darwin people loved Kakadu but didn't like the entry fee, unfortunately the fee has been taken away by the Howard Gov 4 years ago in order to obtain votes, There was a Territory yearly pass that was available for $65 that got you into Kakadu and Uluru as many times as you liked with as many people you could fit in your car, It seems locals didn't know this.

Cheers Steve.
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Follow Up By: waynespk - Monday, Jun 02, 2008 at 11:36

Monday, Jun 02, 2008 at 11:36
Hey thanks for the discussion on this - it looks to me that both lichfield and Kakadu are worth a look. It is our plan at this stage to go via Lichfield on the way up to Darwin and then to visit Kakadu on the way south, before going across to western Qld.

I think this way we will get to see and experience both, something we really want to do, and make our comparisons after that. Based on everything I've heard they are both well and truely worth the visit and the effort to get into them.

Cheers
Wayne
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