darwin trip

AG10
Cost of air fares for 5, freight costs, I reackon it would be cheaper to drive and see the country along the way, In Darwin do not miss the Australian Aviation Heritage Center near the Airport at Winnellie.

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You are going to spend half your time on the road, it's at least 4-5 days driving from Melborne and that is pushing it, also hope you have lots to do for the kids, portable DVD player etc. otherwise they are going to drive you mad, it's a long way for them.
So that leaves you with 2 weeks in Darwin. It's really not enough time to see everything. Do yourself a favour fly here and hire a car, and you can go everywhere in a car.
That time of the year you will get some good deals on accomadation and flights because most tourist are heading home because it is starting to get a bit warmer.
Enjoy your stay in Darwin

I travel to Darwin frequently from Adelaide and it takes us 4 days by Vehicle and 4 hours by plane.

If you can get reasonable air fares from Melbourne that is the way to go. Often internet fares from the main airlines are cheaper. Accommodation in Darwin is best booked via the internet directly to the Hotel.

Darwin has a reasonable public transport system that can get you around. You can get a day trip to Kakadu with a trip on the Yellow River.

The tourist industry is pretty organised in Darwin and helpful.

Broome is a long way from Darwin,a bit much to tack on. In my view Broome is over rated worth a look but not worth a week.

Fly to Darwin. Rent a Britz campervan. Accomodation & transport all in one.
No need for 4wd for Darwin, Litchfield & Kakadu.

If you were going to drive I reckon you would need a minimum of 8 weeks to make it worthwhile. And that still may not leave time for Broome.
Don't know if you have been to Coober Pedy, Uluru and Alice Springs etc, but if not, would be worthwhile allowing a week for those on the way.
Then rather than coming back the same way, across to Mt isa, Longreach etc.
If you want to drive, and it is a great way to do it, can you put it off and add your LSL to next years annual leave?

KenD
bris

You only have four weeks.?! When we used to take just four weeks...back when the kids were little and in school...people used to say to us. "Wow, you've got four weeks, how lucky are you!!"

I know that you will miss some things and I know that you will have to make decisions about what are your priorities but we did it in four weeks, had a great time and so can you. Not only that but in the ensuing twenty plus years we've been back several times. So can you.

Of course if you want to fly, can get cheap fares then go that way. But if you want to drive then do that .

We went from the Mallee of Victoria to Cunnamulla, Longreach (visited the Hall of Fame) then on to Cloncurry. We spent a day in Mt Isa then continued on to Cape Crawford then Mataranka, Kakadu (three days), Darwin (five days), Litchfield Park, Douglas Hot Springs, Katherine (three days) down to Tennant Creek and Alice Springs (5 days) out to Uluru (three days) down to Coober Pedy. I forgot to mention this was in a Nissan Pintara not a 4WD. At Coober Pedy we decided we'd like to see Oodnadatta so that's what we did. We drove there then down the Oodnadatta Track, camped at William Creek, camped at Wilpena Pound and then made it home.

We had a fantastic trip! We went to Mindil Beach and Parap Markets, visited the Darwin Museum, Fanny Bay Gaol, went to the Croc Farm. This was all back in 1989...so things have changed since then. We swam at Berry Springs and Howard Springs and in the warm waters of Douglas Hot Springs. We went on the Katherine Gorge Cruise, swam in the Low Level, swam in Mataranka Hot Springs, stopped for a look at the Devils Marbles. We got to Alice Springs for Henley on Todd where we had a great time. We went to Uluru, climbed to the top, walked some of the tracks in the Olga's...etc etc..you get the picture.

Not once did we feel like we were rushed and not once did we feel that we spent "too much time driving". The kids learnt to read maps, they learnt a lot of our exploring and droving days history...they saw crocodiles, the saw so many wonderful things and even today they remember it all.

We went on to do many similar trips until they grew too old to come with us. Nowadays we take 6 to 8 weeks because we can. I am so glad that when we had "only four weeks" we spent it travelling with our kids to some of the most amazing places in Australia.

Make up your own mind...do what you want to do...but don't be put off because if you go you will have a great time.

Viv

First off darwin in september is starting to heat up but still comfortable. I have just driven darwin to perth in 4 days (not adviseable with children) Many will say you need weeks to get anywhere and I say target your holiday, by that I mean split the transit phase and the slow scenic phase, you can drive bigger distances and skip all but rest stops then concentrate on the areas you want to see more of (darwin, kakadu, litchfield etc) or the previously mentioned fly and get a campervan option.

Personally I would say drive and catch ayers rock on he way through (good argument for the missus) then you have your vehicle, plenty of room for your own gear (think of taking all the little things the rental doesnt have on the plane?) That being said it all depends on how many kays the kids can handle per day.

Enjoy darwin, pm me if you have any questions about the spots you had in mind.

Hi There,

we have just left Darwin (Saturday) it is quite warm there at the moment - look everyone has a different opinion = we loved Litchfield NP and Kakadu - the rest just didn't appeal to us, we would have liked to do the jumping croc tour money just didn't allow it. At Litchfield I recommend Wangi Falls, Florence Falls and Buleys rock pool - check out our website blog http://www.travelingoz.webs.com

Send the missus and kids up in a plane and you drive up and have a bit of "bloke time"...all good :-)

I am in Darwin at the moment and did a day trip to Litchfield and did Wangi and Florence falls....the kids will LOVE Wangi falls...no walking and plenty of swimming with a great waterfall.

I will be heading back to Berry Springs later this week.

I also did the dirt road from Wangi back to Darwin and found it to be pretty good...sat on around 100km/h....and this was after the information bloke at Batchelor told me NOT to go back to Darwin that way as it was a shocker of a road ????

It's great up here....and the kids will love the Wave pool down near the Wharf precinct as well....