never never ... or maybe may

ALLA Conference 2018 is being held in Darwin this year.

And I might be able to go.

It's being held at the Doubletree by Hilton Esplanade -

there are rooms here too - Tuesday, 1 - Saturday, 5 May
(king with harbour view (booking.com) AUD 979
 

 restaurant by the pool

Google map - with highlights

Ideally (if P comes too), I'd like to stay a few more days

Perhaps here,  Darwin Tropical Retreat, Parap (Airbnb)
Saturday 5 May - Tuesday 8 May - $479


"... unit is a bright, breezy and tropical place to stay. A leafy entry leads to an artsy and homely shared space.

Both rooms have queen sized beds and in the main room you have access to a fold out bed. There are built in wardrobes, air conditioning, fans and small, but delightful, outdoor balconies.

 

You will feel at home as you relax on a balcony of your choice, enjoy stunning post sunset skies or go for a dip in the pool."


"For a small fee of $10/day or $5/half a day, guests have access to four bicycles to use for some lovely local jaunts down to the beach, local eateries and East Point Reserve."

Getting around

Buses - public transport  - full fare is $3.00 and the ticket is valid for 3 hours
Bus tracker app

• Route 4 - Casuarina - Darwin via Charles Darwin University, Alawa, Rapid Creek, Nightcliff and Fannie Bay - also the bus to catch for MAGNT

• Route 15 -  Darwin Interchange – Mindil Beach Market via Cavenagh St, Daly St, Mitchell St, Lambell Tce and Gilruth Ave and return

CityXplora - hop on / hop off bus route

City Xplora - hop on / hop off bus $29 (for 24 hours)
I think cheaper, better to get the regular bus


The only stops I'd want are
6. Casino, Mindil Markets, Botanical Gardens
Gilruth Ave (near Tennis Courts) Complimentary drop off to the Markets for ticket holders
7. Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory
Conacher St
8. Military Museum - Defence of Darwin Experience / East Point
(90 minute tour only) Alec Fong Lim Drive
9. Parap, Parap Markets (Markets held on Saturdays only)
46 Ross Smith Ave (near cnr of Freer St) (Stop by request only)

Walking around 
Bike hire - including at DoubleTree Hilton; house in Parap (Airbnb) has bikes to rent
Cycling paths map (PDF)

Sea Darwin - harbour cruises, $35 highlights, $35 WWII tour, $65 fishnchips sunset tour

Galamarra - Tree of Knowledge - in Darwin (photo from ABC Transitions, 1914 / 2014)


Things to See / Do

• Visit Karel Kupka's aboriginal Madonna at St Mary's Star of the Sea Cathedral, Smith St, Darwin CBDKarel Kupka in north Australia  (The Monthly) 

• Paul Johnstone Gallery - 2/2Harriet Place - Aboriginal and contemporary art

• Visit Myilly Point Heritage Precinct -  a precinct of four of the city's last remaining pre-World War II houses. Burnett House has been furnished much as it would have been when it was built, back when there were no air conditioners and bedrooms were always on the verandah
  Elevated houses, conducive to the tropical environment were the norm prior to Cyclone Tracy, when most were destroyed, replaced by concrete bunkers antithetical to the tropics and purportedly cyclone-proof
  
• Canberra-born man's 25-year fascination with Darwin's elevated homes (ABC News)   
• Why is Darwin dominated by air-conditioned, concrete bunker-type houses with small backyards? (ABC News)
• Developer brings old-school Darwin back to real estate market with retro elevated homes (NT News)


• Stroll through George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens - monsoon forests, coastal fore-dunes, mangroves and woodland, and wander through to MAGNT

Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory - 19 Conacher Street, The Gardens

Rock art to digital films: on the territory's art trail (The Guardian)

Listen to Tracy hit Darwin on Christmas Eve in 1974, the howling winds were recorded by a priest who was taping children singing carols. Being alone in the small dark room where the recording is played is almost as terrifying as hearing the real thing.

Twenty reasons to visit Darwin (Traveller) 
 
• Go to the Darwin Ski Club afterwards, for a refreshing drink and watch the sunset - Bali Bar is open from noon

Mindil Beach Sunset - Mindil Beach Markets, Thurs 5-10 pm

food stalls serving up tastes from Turkey to Timor. From made-to-order papaya salad to the sugary goodness of Spanish churros, and of course the sunset

Dingo Dreaming, Lanita Numina

Central Darwin 

Alley Cats Patisserie - 14/69 Mitchell Street, Darwin CBD  (Rear of the alleyway next to Darwin Transit Bus Centre) / The Rabbit Hole - Smith Street Mall / stall at Nightcliff Markets (Sunday mornings)

• Campos coffee and great pastries, danishes, croissants and cronuts (custard donuts)

Australian Aboriginal Fine Arts Gallery - 1st floor, 44 Mitchell Street (cnr Knuckey Street)




• The Bookshop Darwin - 1/30 Smith Street Mall, Darwin
• Mbantua Fine Art Gallery - 2/30 Smith Street Mall
• Star Village Arcade - Shopping for hidden gems - some good vintage and quirky boutiques, as well as Four birds cafe - 32 Smith Street
• Mason Gallery - 7/21 Cavanagh Street - Quality Australian Aboriginal Indigenous Art 
• Sari Rasa  - 6/24 Cavenagh Street
  Cash only, open until early afternoons, weekdays only.  Delicious food and filled with locals, recommended
• chilli beans in coconut sauce, grilled eggplant and white fish curry (AUD$13)
• chilled, homemade ginger drink (AUD$5)s.
 

end at the Darwin Harbour


Chow - Shops D1 & D2, 19 Kitchener Drive (near Charles Darwin Uni)

Chow's menu largely draws its inspiration from Vietnamese cuisine, as well as Malaysian, Thai and Indonesian fare served up in a bright, colourful (uni) vibe
• fresh coconut water (AUD$9) straight from the husk (this is popular pastime in Darwin, owing to its abundance of palm trees) 
• laksa (AUD$15-$19
• pad thai (AUD$19)
• Vietnamese chicken curry (AUD$22).
End with arthouse films at the outdoor Deck Chair Cinema, operated by the not-for-profit Darwin Film Society.  Watch the sun set over the sea as the movie begins, 

Parap - Markets and surrounds (Saturday)



From Tropical Darwin
The Parap Village Market is one of Darwin 's longest running markets, and is considered by many as the ideal meeting place to meet or to have brekky or a tasty snack together. This vibrant and colourful market place will enthrall you with its diverse food styles, arts and crafts and its busy but relaxed atmosphere.
Parap Markets encourage local arts and craftspeople.
Situated in the Parap Village Shopping Precinct off Parap Road the market operates every Saturday of the year between 8am - 2pm




Po Pia is your friend. We have them for breakfast every Saturday morning at the Parap Markets. They are hot deliciousness wrapped in a deep fried parcel and dipped in oh-so sweet goodness, and they are just one sort of the amazing market food on offer in Darwin.
Yes, spring rolls for breakfast is a thing up here (from 8 Very Convincing Reasons Why Darwin is Cool - AWOL Junkee)






Muma – Torres Strait Pigeon, Janice Murray

• Nomad Gallery - 1/3 Vickers St, Parap
• Northern Centre for Contemporary Art, Vimy Lane, Parap
• Outstation Gallery, 8 Parap Pl, Parap
•  Laneway Specialty Coffee - 4/1 Vickers Street, Parap











Fannie Bay / East Point Reserve
from Darwin Walks (TripAdvisor)

A favourite for the locals, you can walk, ride or drive through East Point. The reserve covers almost 200 hectares and features military history, nature walks and the opportunity to spot wallabies at dusk. Barbecue and picnic facilities are also available.

At the end of the turnoff into the parking area at Lake Alexander there is a path through to Site 69 Mangrove Boardwalk.  This walk is best done at low tide (mid-morning) and is about 3 kms for the round trip.

Continuing down Alec Fong Lim Drive  is the start of Site 70 Monsoon Vine forest walk. This walk is about 1 km long and comes out further around in the East Point Reserve. About opposite where the Drive does a right hand turn is the location of Site 71  East Point Search Light Complex.

Nightcliff Markets -  205 Casuarina Drive, Nightcliff  Thurs - Sun evenings on Nightcliff Foreshore in the city's north
and every Sunday morning
Visit Northcliff Swimmming Pool - 259 Casuarina Drvie, before hand
Raw Cloth at Nightcliff is another shop worth seeking out - it specialises in hand-painted fabrics, many by indigenous artists from Maningrida and Merrepen, which you can buy by the length or made up into a vintage-styled dress. 3/60 Aralia St, Nightcliff.



Darwin’s market madness (Australian Traveller)

Tropical Market Daze (Gourmet Traveller)
 



Jetty & the Fish - 205 Casuarina Drive, Nightcliff 


Food van - settle in at the foreshore for one of Darwin's famous pink sorbet sunsets
• hot chips (AUD$3.50) 
• south Mexico-inspired fish tacos, served with spicy white sauce, cabbage and coriander (AUD$5)









Outside the city









Litchfield National Park
Litchfield National Park is a two hour drive south of Darwin, in the Northern Territory. The main route in is the sealed Stuart Highway, via the tiny gateway township of Batchelor.  

Monsoon forests, thundering waterfalls and plunge pools, termite mounds

One day tour - Wayoutback Safaris - $99

DIY road trip - allow 8 hours

• Swimming under the falls and relaxing in waterholes
• Short walks - PDF
• The Water Creek Walk is the starting point of the final section of the 39-kilometre overnight Tabletop Track in Litchfield National Park, taking you from Walker Creek to Florence Falls via a 3.5 kilometre return walk up a crystal clear creek. It is graded moderate and should take you about 2 hours.

 

 

en route visit Crazy Acres - 70 Reedbeds Road, Berry Springs 

Mango farm and cafe- Open between May - September, pitstop on the way to Litchfield National Park or Berry Springs Nature Reserve

•  tropical fruit-inspired homemade ice creams (AUD$5)
•  picnic platter with smoked barramundi, honey roast ham, salad and roast beef (AUD$19.50)
• yummy mango cheesecake (AUD$7) and other homemade goodies