Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a land of extremes: on the one hand the arid interior, the "Red Center", on the other the tropical north, the "Top End". In between is the fascinating, almost deserted outback, such as the region around Mataranka, which the locals also call "The Never Never". The term is based on the novel "We of the Never Never", in which Jeannie Gunn describes life on an outback farm in the north around 1920. It is the land of endless highways and dusty tracks, red sand dunes and spectacular rock formations, leaping kangaroos and magnificent waterfalls, lonely pubs and thirsty throats. The land where farmers hardly see their neighbors, where their children are taught by the School of the Air and where the Flying Doctors fly in if you break a leg.
The "Red Center" and Uluru
"The Red Centre", the name is derived from the red color of the earth and the rocks, which is particularly impressive during the glowing sunsets. The most famous example is Ayers Rock, called Uluru by the Aborigines, which changes its color from dirty orange-brown to glowing red depending on the sunlight. Uluru has been a sacred site for the Anangu Aboriginal tribe for over 10,000 years - and has officially been back in the possession of the indigenous people since 1985.
The second attraction of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, which has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1987, are the Olgas with the Valley of the Winds, a collection of gigantic weathered red dome stones with gorges, crevices and valleys. Other natural beauties between Uluru and Alice Springs, the only town in the Red Centre and known as "The Alice" for short, are Watarrka National Park with Kings Canyon - a huge gorge with 300-metre steep rock faces - and Finke George National Park with Palm Valley, where over 3,000 palm trees grow.
"Top End" and the metropolis of Darwin
Australians refer to the far north-west of their continent as the Top End with the capital of the Northern Territory, Darwin, which has developed into a modern, multicultural, lively city with a vibrant culture and gastronomy scene. Darwin is much closer to some Asian cities, such as Jakarta, than to Canberra and can be reached in just 16 hours by plane from Germany.
Visitors are captivated by the solitude and scenic beauty of the large national parks such as Kakadu National Park, Australia's largest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Litchfield National Park and Nitmiluk National Park with the spectacular Katherine Gorge. When planning your trip, however, you should pay attention to the time of year: The "dry season" from May to October is considered the best time to visit.
www.australiasoutback.de
Photo: © M. Hermsdorf / pixelio.de
Australian food - Restaurants in Darwin
Darwin's influence from
Southeast Asia, the numerous markets, exotic fruits and the delicious seafood
seafood bring a very special spice to life in this city.
Numerous dining experiences invite you to experience the soul of Darwin.
The most authentic Darwin experiences are a visit to the
Mindil Beach Sunset Market, the Cullen Bay marina and Stokes Hill Wharf, one of the locations for
Wharf, one of the filming locations for Baz Luhrman's movie 'Australia'.
When over 50 nationalities come together, you can expect
it can be assumed that the gastronomy is just as colorful. In fact
Asian cuisine inspires Darwin's cooking, but local cuisine is by no means neglected.
is by no means neglected. Classics such as Italian or Chinese can be found
at least as often as African cuisine, Indian or Thai.
Northern Territory attractions - much more than "just" outback Katherine is the hub of Australia's outback. Ideally located
in the middle of three regions of outstanding beauty and a
unique environment, it is the perfect base from which to explore the Gulf region,
Kakadu and Kimberley.
The region covers approximately
408,500 square kilometers. It includes the Daly River area,
borders Kakadu to the northeast, Dunmarra to the south, Keep River National Park to the west and
Keep River National Park to the west and Borroloola and the Gulf Region to the east.
As in most of the Northern Territory
of the Northern Territory, Katherine alternates between a wet and a dry
alternate. The dry season with cool nights and warm,
clear, dry days from April to October and the rainy season
rainy season with balmy nights and hot days that are occasionally refreshed by
occasionally refreshed by cool rain, from November to March.
Shopping in Australia - everything your heart desires
The main shopping street in Darwin is the Smith Street Mall, a pedestrian zone
with numerous stores, restaurants and cafés as well as some
interesting Aboriginal stores where you can buy typical local souvenirs. General opening hours: Mon-Wed 9am-5:30pm, Thu, Fri 9am-2pm,
Sat 9 a.m. - 1 a.m.
Casuarina Square in the northern suburb of Darwin is also
is not short of stores, banks, restaurants, cafés, post offices, travel agencies
travel agencies, supermarkets and whatever else your shopping heart desires.
desires.
Markets are also very popular in Darwin; one of them can be found in the Parap Shopping Village.
of them can be found in the Parap Shopping Village. A charming market,
where one stall follows the next and offers countless delicacies.
delicacies. Saturday from 7:30 am - 1:30 pm.
Darwin's oldest market is probably the Rapid Creek Fleamarket, which, like i Parap, offers lots of culinary delights. It opens its doors on Sundays from 7 am to 1 pm.
Hotels
