ADVENTURE DESTINATION: Darwin Area Natural Reserves and Pools

By Jorge Jefferds May 24, 2019

Even when winter dominates the southern hemisphere this time of the year, Australia is a favorite destination all through the four seasons. The north of the country attains higher temperatures while the south copes with wintery days. One of the places, where you can travel to and still experience summer weather is Darwin.

The capital of Australia's Northern Territory and a former frontier outpost, Darwin is also a gateway to the massive Kakadu National Park. Its popular waterfront area has several beaches and green areas like Bicentennial Park. Furthermore, near the water stands the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, displaying Southeast Asian and Pacific art, plus a pearling lugger and other seafaring vessels.

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If you fly out of North America, the carriers that can take you to Darwin connecting in Sydney are American Airlines, Quantas, and Emirates. On average, the temperature has been 74 degrees during the last ten days. If you decide to stay in the city area, your accommodation options are great. Their rates fluctuate between $55 and $187 near the oceanfront.

Once you are good with your hotel reservations, your next step is to get around. A taxi can take you to downtown for about $25 or $30 in case that you are undecided about starting with a car rental. Be aware that a $4 toll has to be paid by you and not by the driver once you exit the airport, though.

Lake Alexander

If you want to start driving all over from the airport, the car rental counters are located at the Arrivals Hall near baggage collection on the ground floor. Darwin City Airport Shuttle Service provides a convenient and reliable service to and from the terminals and all city accommodation locations. The service operates from the terminal doorstep.

Kakadu National Park

Whoever said you can’t swim in Darwin couldn’t have been more wrong. On top of four public swimming pools and four dry-season patrolled beaches within 15 minutes of the CBD, Darwin and the surrounding area offers plenty of excellent – and some quite unique – swimming opportunities. 

Crocosaurus Cove

Start at the chic Darwin Waterfront, where you can grab a boogie board and ride the swell in the Wave Pool or hit the man-made beach at the Recreation Lagoon, where nets protect swimmers from marine stingers.

Families should make a beeline for Lake Alexander in the beautiful East Point Reserve. Filled with filtered seawater, the lake provides safe swimming in natural surroundings with picnic areas and playgrounds.

Litchfield National Park

Kids of all ages love splashing about at Leanyer or Palmerston Water Parks, with huge waterslides, swimming pools and fantastic water playground with fountains, canons and a huge bucket that slowly fills and douses the playground when it overflows.

Pack your bathers when you visit Crocosaurus Cove in Darwin city. After learning all about crocodiles above water level you can eyeball one below it in the famous Cage of Death, a Perspex box that’s lowered into the monstrous reptile’s pool.

Wagai Beach

Pack a picnic or some meat to barbecue and head to Berry Springs Nature Park, a hugely popular day trip an hour from Darwin. Swim from one pool to the next via a pretty pandanus-lined creek and take your goggles to spot small fish and other aquatic life that live in the clear pools.

Spend a day experiencing this region’s best-known natural swimming pools at Litchfield National Park, an hour and a half from Darwin. Glide through the clear pools of Wangi and Florence Falls to thundering double waterfalls, soak in the tired cascades at Buley Rockhole or jump in a four-wheel drive to experience the lesser-known Tjaynera Falls (Sandy Creek).

Berry Springs

Wagait Beach is a locality approximately 8 km west of Darwin, on the opposite side of the harbor. It makes up the Wagait Shire local government area. Wagait Beach is not part of Darwin, but many of its residents use the Mandorah ferry to travel to work in Darwin. Wagait Beach is on the north coast of the Cox Peninsula, which forms the western side of Darwin Harbour. It is part of the Hundred of Bray, as surveyed by George Goyder in 1869-70. "Wagait" (also spelled "Waugite") is a local Aboriginal language word meaning beach or salt water country.

Bring lots of sun block lotion to protect yourself and family or friends. Winter in Darwin, Australia, might invade you with tons of sun rays.

  

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