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Darwin

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is the capital of the , Australia. Situated on the , has a population of 120,900, making it by far the largest and most populated in the sparsely peopled , but the least populous of all Australia’s capital cities. It is the smallest and most northerly of the , and acts as the Top End’s .

Over time has grown from a pioneer outpost and small port into one of Australia’s most modern and multicultural cities. Its proximity to makes it an important to countries such as Indonesia and . The Stuart Highway begins in , ending at in South Australia.

The itself is built on a low bluff overlooking the harbour. Its suburbs spread out over some , beginning at Lee Point in the north and stretching to Berrimah in the east – past Berrimah, the Stuart Highway goes on to ’s satellite , , and its suburbs.

The region, like the rest of the Top End, has a tropical climate, with a wet season and a dry season. It receives heavy rainfall during the Wet, and is well-known for its spectacular lightning.[3]

The original inhabitants of the greater are the Larrakia people. On 9 September 1839, the sailed into harbour during its surveying of the . John Clements Wickham named the region “Port ” in honour of a former , .

Having been almost entirely rebuilt twice, once due to during World War II and again after being devastated by Cyclone Tracy in 1974, the is one of Australia’s most modern capitals.

Main article: History of
See also: History of the

[edit] Pre-, first European contact

The Aboriginal people of the Larrakia language group are the first inhabitants of the greater .[4] They had trading routes with Southeast ( see Macassan contact with Australia), and imported goods from as far afield as South and Western Australia. Established songlines penetrated throughout the country, allowing stories and histories to be told and retold along the routes.

The Dutch visited Australia’s northern coastline in the 1600s, and created the first European maps of the . This accounts for the Dutch names in the , such as Arnhem Land and Groote Eylandt.

The first British person to see harbour appears to have been Lieutenant John Lort Stokes of on 9 September 1839. The ship’s captain, Commander John Clements Wickham, named the port after , the British naturalist who had sailed with them both on the earlier second expedition of the Beagle.

In the early 1870s, felt the effects of a gold rush at Pine Creek after employees of the Australian Overland Telegraph Line found gold while digging holes for telegraph poles.

In early 1875, ’s European population had grown to approximately 300 because of the gold rush. On 17 February 1875, the SS Gothenburg left en route for Adelaide. Amongst the approximately 88 passengers and 34 crew (surviving records vary) were officials, circuit court judges, residents taking their first furlough and miners. While travelling south along the north Queensland coast, the Gothenburg encountered a cyclone-strength storm and was wrecked on a section of the Great Barrier Reef. Only 22 men survived, while between 98 and 112 people perished. Many passengers who perished were residents and news of the tragedy severely affected the small community, reportedly taking several years to recover.[5]

[edit] 1900 to present

The was initially settled and administered by South Australia, until its transfer to the Commonwealth in 1911. On 5 February 1869, George Goyder, the Surveyor-General of South Australia, established a small settlement of 135 people at Port . Goyder named the settlement , after the British Prime Minister . In 1870, the first poles for the Overland Telegraph were erected in , connecting Australia to the rest of the world. The discovery of gold at Pine Creek in the 1880s further boosted the young colony’s development. Upon Commonwealth administration in 1911, became the ’s official name.

The period between 1911 and 1919 was filled with political turmoil, particularly with trade union unrest, which culminated on 17 December 1918. Led by Harold Nelson, some 1000 demonstrators marched to House at Liberty Square in where they burnt an effigy of the Administrator of the John Gilruth and demanded his resignation. The incident became known as the ‘ Rebellion’. Their grievances were against the two main employers; Vestey’s Meatworks and the Commonwealth of Australia. Both Gilruth and the Vestey company left soon afterwards.
Memorial to the 1942 air raids on the .
Memorial to the 1942 air raids on the .

Around 10,000 Allied troops arrived in in the early 1940s at the outset of World War II, in order to defend Australia’s northern coastline. On 19 February 1942 at 0957, 188 Japanese warplanes attacked in two waves. It was the same fleet that had bombed Pearl Harbor, though a considerably larger number of bombs were dropped on , than on Pearl Harbor. The attack killed at least 243 people and caused immense damage to the town. These were by far the most serious attacks on Australia in time of war, in terms of fatalities and damage. They were the first of many raids on .

Despite this major attack, ’s development was furthered considerably during the war, with sealed roads constructed connecting the region to Alice Springs in the south and Mount Isa in the south-east, and Manton Dam built in the south to provide the with water. On Australia Day (26 January) 1959, was granted status.[6]
Remains of Town Hall, destroyed by Cyclone Tracy
Remains of Town Hall, destroyed by Cyclone Tracy

On 25 December 1974, was struck by Cyclone Tracy, which killed 71 people and destroyed over 70% of the town’s buildings, including many old stone buildings such as the Town Hall, which could not withstand the lateral forces generated by the strong winds. After the disaster, an airlift evacuated 30,000 people, over half the ’s population at the time. The town was subsequently rebuilt with newer materials and techniques during the late 1970s by the Reconstruction Commission, led by former Brisbane Mayor Clem Jones. A satellite of was built 20 km south of in the early 1980s.

On 17 September 2003, the Adelaide- railway was completed.

[edit] Geography
skyline
skyline

is situated in the , on the . The town proper is built on a low bluff overlooking harbour, flanked by Frances Bay to the east and Cullen Bay to the west. The remainder of the is flat and low-lying, and coastal areas are home to recreational reserves, extensive beaches, and excellent fishing.

is closer to the capitals of five other countries than to the capital of Australia: is 3,144 kilometres (1,954 mi) away from Canberra. Dili () is 656 kilometres (408 mi) from , Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) is 1,818 kilometres (1,130 mi), Jakarta (Indonesia) is 2,735 kilometres (1,699 mi) from , Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei) is 2,607 kilometres (1,620 mi) from , and Melekeok (Palau) is 2,247 kilometres (1,396 mi) from . Even Singapore is only slightly farther away at 3,360 kilometres (2,088 mi), as is Manila (Philippines) at 3,206 kilometres (1,992 mi), and Honiara (Solomon Islands) at 3,198 kilometres (1,987 mi). Ambon, Indonesia is only 881 kilometres (547 mi) away from .

Along with its importance as a gateway to , also acts as an access point for the Kakadu National Park, Arnhem Land, and northerly islands such as Groote Eylandt and the Tiwi Islands. The is the largest in the , and provides services for these remote settlements.

[edit] and suburbs
Outer
Outer

Main article: List of suburbs

and its suburbs spread in an approximately triangular shape, with the older southwestern suburbs - and the itself - forming one corner, the newer northern suburbs in another, and the eastern suburbs, progressing towards , forming the third.
Mitchell Street in
Mitchell Street in

The older part of is separated from the newer northern suburbs by International Airport and Royal Australian Air Force Base. is a satellite 20 kilometres south of that was established in the 1980s and is one of the fastest growing municipalities in Australia.[7] The rural areas of including Howard Springs, Humpty Doo and Berry Springs are experiencing strong .[8]

’s central business district is bounded by Daly Street in the north-west, McMinn Street in the north-east, Mitchell Street on the south-west and Bennett Street on the south-east. The has been the focus of a number of major projects, including the billion dollar redevelopment of the Stokes Hill wharf waterfront including a convention centre with seating for 1500 people and approximately 4000m2 of exhibition space. The development will also include hotels, residential apartments and public space.[9] The ’s main industrial areas are along the Stuart Highway going towards . The largest shopping precinct in the is Casuarina Square. The most expensive residential areas are located along the coast in suburbs such as Larrakeyah and Brinkin,[10] despite the slight risk these low-lying regions face during cyclones and higher tides.[11] Inner, eastern suburbs such as Malak and Karama are home to lower-income households.[12]

[edit] Climate
Wet Season storm at night
Wet Season storm at night

has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw)[13] with distinct wet and dry seasons and the average maximum temperature is similar all year round. The dry season runs from April/May to October (the southern hemisphere winter), during which nearly every day is warm and sunny, and afternoon humidity averages around 30%, but varies. There is very little rainfall between May and September. In the coolest months of June and July, the daily minimum temperature may dip as low as 14 °C (57 °F), but very rarely lower, and frost has never been recorded.

The wet season is associated with tropical cyclones and monsoon rains.[14] The majority of rainfall occurs between December and March (the southern hemisphere summer), when thunderstorms are common and afternoon relative humidity averages over 70% during the wettest months. It does not rain every day during the wet season, but most days are warm to hot with plentiful cloud cover; January averages under 6 hours of bright sunshine daily. The hottest month is November, just before the onset of the main rainy season. Due to its long dry season, has the most daily average sunshine hours (8.4) of any Australian capital with the most sunshine from April to November. The sun passes directly overhead in mid October and mid February.[15] Climatically has more in common with Singapore than Sydney as it sits well inside the tropical zone.

is located in one of the most lightning prone areas in the world. In 2002 a single thunderstorm produced 1,634 lightning strikes in in just a few hours, which is the same amount that Perth, Western Australia experiences in an entire year.[3]

In 2006, the largest ancestry groups in the were, Australian (42,221 or 36.9 per cent), English (29,766 or 26 per cent), Irish (9,561 or 8.3 per cent), Scottish (7,815 or 6.8 per cent), Chinese (3,502 or 3 per cent), Greek (2,828 or 2.4 per cent) and Italian (2,367 or 2 per cent)[20]

’s population is notable for the highest proportional population of Aboriginals of any Australian capital [21]. in the 2006 census there were 10,259 (9.7 per cent) of Aboriginals living in .

’s population changed after the Second World War, like many other Australian cities experienced influxes from Europe, with significant numbers of Italians and Greeks during the 1960s and 1970s, started to also experience an influx from other European countries, which included the Dutch, Germans, Serbs and many others[22]. A significant percentage of ’s residents are recent immigrants from South East (Asian Australians were 9.3% of the ’s population in 2001).

’s population comprises people from many different ethnic backgrounds. The 2006 Census revealed the following most places of birth for overseas migrants: United Kingdom (3.4 per cent), New Zealand (2.1 per cent), Philippines (1.4 per cent) and (0.9 per cent). 18.3 percent of the ’s population was born overseas which is less than the Australian average of 22% [21]

has a youthful population with an average age of 32 years (compared to national average of around 35 years) [21] assisted to a large extent by the military presence and the fact that many people opt to retire elsewhere.[23]

The most common non English languages spoken in are: Greek, Italian, Indonesian, Vietnamese and Cantonese.[21]

[edit] Religion

Christianity is the most professed faith in with 56,613 followers accounting for 49.5 percent of the population of .[24] The largest denominations of Christianity are Catholicism (24,538 or 21.5 per cent), Anglicanism (14,028 or 12.3 per cent) and Greek Orthodox (2,964 or 2.6 per cent).[25] Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus and Jews account for 3.2 per cent of ’s population. There were 26,695 or 23.3 per cent of people professing no religion.

[edit] Population

is one of the fastest growing capital cities in Australia, with an annual rate of 2.6 per cent since the 2006 census. In recent years, the and parts of the statistical division have recorded the highest in population of any Local and by 2016 the could overtake as the second largest municipality in metropolitan .[26] It is predicted by 2021 the combined population of both the and the would be 101,546 people.[27] If the population continues at its current rate, could overtake Hobart’s population by 2048.[28]

[edit]
House,
House,

The ( under the Local Act 1993) governs the of which takes in the and the suburbs. The of has governed the of since 1957. The consists of 13 elected members, the Mayor and 12 aldermen. The of is organised into four electoral units or wards. The names of the wards are Chan, Lyons, Richardson, and Waters. The of each ward are directly responsible for electing three aldermen. of all wards are directly responsible for electing the Mayor of .[29] The current mayor is Graeme Sawyer after elections in March 2008[30] replacing Garry Lambert, who took over from previous mayor Peter Adamson.[31]
Legislative of the
Legislative of the

The rest of the is divided into 2 local areas. One of these is designated as a , and the second, which is on the ’s outer fringe, has the of . These areas have elected councils which are responsible for functions delegated to them by the , such as planning and collection.

The Legislative of the convenes in in the Parliament House. House, the official residence of the Administrator of the , is located on The Esplanade.

[edit] Economy
(Central Business District), circa 2005
(Central Business District), circa 2005

The two largest economic sectors are mining and . Mining and energy industry production exceeds $2.5 billion per annum.[32] The most important mineral resources are gold, zinc and bauxite, along with manganese and many others. The energy production is mostly off shore with oil and natural gas from the , although there are significant uranium deposits near . employs 8% of residents, and is expected to grow as domestic and international tourists are now spending time in during the Wet and Dry seasons. Federal spending is a major contributor to the local economy as well.

The military presence that is maintained both within , and the wider , is a substantial source of employment. The continued involvement of the Australian Army in the stabilisation of has swelled the military population of to over 11,000 individuals as of 2001. There is also a substantial United Nations presence in , since serves as the staging center for U.N. workers and contractors en route to nearby .

’s importance as a port is expected to grow, due to the increased exploitation of petroleum in the nearby , and to the completion of the railway link and continued expansion in trade with .

During 2005, a number of major construction projects started in . One is the redevelopment of the Wharf Precinct, which includes a large convention and exhibition centre, apartment housing including Outrigger Pandanas and Evolution on Gardiner, retail and entertainment outlets including a large wave pool and safe swimming lagoon. The Chinatown project has also started with plans to construct multi-level carparks, Chinese-themed retail and dining outlets.[33]

[edit]

Further information: List of schools in the

is overseen territory-wide by the Department of and Training (DET), whose role is to continually improve outcomes for all students, with a focus on Indigenous students.[34]

[edit] Preschool, primary and secondary

is served by a number of public and private schools that cater to local and overseas students. Over 16,500 primary and secondary students are enrolled in schools in , with 10,524 students attending primary , and 5,932 students attending secondary .[35] There are over 12,089 students enrolled in schools and 2,124 students enrolled in independent schools.[35]

There were 9,764 students attending schools in the of . 6,045 students attended primary schools and 3,719 students attended secondary schools. There are over 7,161 students enrolled in schools and 1,108 students enrolled in independent schools.[36] There are over 35 primary and pre - schools, and 12 secondary schools including both and non-. Most schools in the are secular, but there are a small number of Christian, Catholic and Lutheran institutions. Students intending to complete their secondary work towards the Certificate of , which is recognised in all states and territories. Many of the schools are undergoing renovations and reconstruction. Schools have been restructured into Primary, Middle and High schools since the beginning of 2007.

[edit] Tertiary and vocational

’s largest is the which is the central provider of tertiary in the , it covers both vocational and academic courses, acting as both a and an Institute of TAFE. There are over 5,500 students enrolled in tertiary and further courses.[36]

[edit] Recreation and culture
markets
markets

[edit] Events and festivals

On 1 July, Territorians celebrate Territory Day. This is the only day of the year, apart from the Chinese New Year, when fireworks are permitted. In , the main celebrations occur at , where a large firework display is commissioned by the .

Weekly markets include Sunset Markets[37] (Thursdays and Sundays during the dry season), Parap Market, Nightcliff Market and Rapid Creek market.[38]

The Festival[39] held annually, includes comedy, dance, theatre, music, film and visual art and the NT Indigenous Music Awards. Other festivals include the Glenti, which showcases ’s large Greek community, and India@Mindil, a similar festival held by the smaller Indian community. The Chinese New Year is also celebrated with great festivity, highlighting the Asian influence in .
, Nightcliff
, Nightcliff

The Seabreeze festival, which first started in 2005, is held on the second week of May in the suburb of Nightcliff[citation needed]. It offers the opportunity for local talent to be showcased and a popular event is Saturday family festivities along the Nightcliff foreshore which is one of ’s most popular fitness tracks[citation needed].

The Speargrass Festival is held annually the week prior to July’s first full moon and celebrates the alternative Top End lifestyle. The festival activities include music, screening of locally produced films, screen printing, basket weaving, sweat lodge, water slides, human pyramid, hot tub, frisbee golf, spear throwing, Kubb competition, bingo, communal organic cooking, morning yoga, meditation, greasy pig and healing circles. The festival occurs at the Speargrass property, 50 km northeast of Pine Creek[citation needed].

The beer-can regatta, held in August, celebrates ’s love affair with beer and contestants’ race boats made exclusively of beer cans. Also in during the month of August, are the Cup horse race, and the Rodeo and Mud Crab Tying Competition.

The World Solar Challenge race attracts teams from around the world, most of which are fielded by universities or corporations although some are fielded by high schools. The race has a 20-year history spanning nine races, with the inaugural event taking place in 1987.

[edit] Arts and entertainment
Festival
Festival

The Symphony Orchestra was first assembled in 1989,[40] and has performed throughout the Territory. The Theatre Company is a locally produced professional theatre production company, performing locally and nationally.[41]

The Entertainment Centre is the ’s main concert venue and hosts theatre and orchestral performances.[42] Other theatres include the Convention Centre, which is expected to be open in mid 2008. The Convention Centre is part of the $1.1 billion Waterfront project.[43]

’s only casino opened in 1981 as MGM Grand , before it changed to SKYCITY after SKYCITY Entertainment Group purchased the hotel in 2004[44].

is home to the Indo-Pacific Marine & Australian Pearling Exhibition, which houses an aquarium complete with living coral, and its complementary sea life. The Museum and Art Gallery[45] in gives an overview of the history of the , including exhibits on Cyclone Tracy and the boats of the Pacific Islands. The East Point Military museum tells the story of the on during WWII.

has a vibrant arts scene given its size. The Festival and the Fringe festival are annual events. has a range of quality indoor and outdoor live music venues hosting local and visiting acts. A range of art galleries including specialised Aboriginal art galleries are a feature of .

Local and visiting bands can be heard at venues including the Entertainment Centre, The Vic Hotel, Happy Yess, and Brown’s Mart. An yearly music festival, Bass in the Grass, is very popular with youth from the surrounding . Artists such as Jessica Mauboy and The Groovesmiths call home.

There have been no major films set in ; however, some scenes for Australia by Baz Luhrmann[46][47] and Black Water[48] were both shot in in 2007

Considering its moderate size, has a lively night scene. Mitchell Street in the central business district is lined with nightclubs, takeaways, and restaurants, many with al fresco dining. This is the ’s entertainment hub. There are several smaller theatres, three cinema complexes (, Casuarina, and ), and the Deckchair Cinema.[49] This is an open-air cinema which operates through the dry season, from April to October, and screens independent and arthouse films.

[edit] Recreation
A walk at Casuarina Beach
A walk at Casuarina Beach

The has many kilometres of wide, unpolluted beaches, including the Casuarina Beach and well renowned , home of the markets. has designated an of Casuarina Beach as a free beach which offers a designated nudist beach since 1976.[50] Swimming in the sea during the months of October–May should be avoided due to the presence of deadly box jellyfish.

Saltwater crocodiles are very common in all waterways surrounding and are even occasionally found swimming in Harbour and on local beaches.
Saltwater Crocodile near
Saltwater Crocodile near

Fishing is one of the recreations of locals. Visitors from around the world flock to aiming to catch the prized barramundi, an iconic fish for the region. The Mary River, Daly River, South and East Alligator River are just a few of the water bodies where the barramundi thrive. Outstanding blue water fishing is also available off the coast of ; Spanish mackerel, dhufish, queenfish, snapper and other varieties are all found in the and accessible in a day trip from . Lake Alexander is a man-made lake which is generally considered safe, bar a freak jellyfish outbreak in 2003,[51] and is located at East Point Reserve.

The Surf Lifesaving Club[52] operates long boats and surf skis and provides events and lifesaving accreditations.

[edit] Parks and gardens

has extensive parks and gardens. These include the George Brown Botanic Gardens, East Point Reserve, Casuarina Coastal Reserve, National Park, Knuckey Lagoons Conservation Reserve, Leanyer Recreation Park, the Nightcliff Foreshore, Bicentennial Park and the Jingili Water Gardens.

[edit] Sports
Cup
Cup
TIO Stadium
TIO Stadium

Main article: Sport in the

The Marrara Sports Complex near the airport has stadiums for Aussie Rules (TIO Stadium), cricket, rugby union, basketball (and indoor court sports), football(soccer), athletics and field hockey. Every two years since 1991 (excluding 2003 due to the SARS outbreak), has played host to the Arafura Games,[53] a major regional sporting event. In July 2003, the hosted its first international test cricket match between Australia and Bangladesh, followed by Australia and Sri Lanka in 2004. Australian-rules football and rugby league are played all year round. Melbourne’s Western Bulldogs Australian Football League side plays one home game at Marrara Oval each year. The ATSIC Aboriginal All-Stars also participate in the AFL pre-season competition. In 2003, a record crowd of 17,500[54] attended a pre-season game between the All-Stars and Carlton Football Club at Marrara.

hosts a round of the V8 Supercars every year bringing thousands of motorsports fans to the Hidden Valley Raceway.

The Cup culminating on the first Monday of August is a very popular horse race event for and draws large crowds every year to Fannie Bay Racecourse. While it is not as popular as the Melbourne Cup, it does draw a crowd and, in 2003, Sky Racing began televising most of the races. The Cup day is a public holiday for the (Picnic Day public holiday).

[edit] Media

’s major newspapers are the News, and one Sunday paper, The Sunday Territorian, both owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation. also receives the national daily, The Australian, and the Sun, also produced by News Corporation.
Channel Nine headquarters which is located in the inner suburb of The Gardens
Channel Nine headquarters which is located in the inner suburb of The Gardens

Five free-to-air channels service . Commercial television channels are provided by Southern Cross (Seven Network affiliate), Channel Nine (formerly branded as Channel 8) and Digital Television (Network Ten relay), which launched on 28 April 2008. The two owned national broadcast services in are the ABC and SBS Television.

has radio stations on both AM and FM frequencies. ABC stations include ABC News Radio (102.5FM), ABC Local Radio (105.7FM), Radio National (657AM), ABC Classic FM (107.3FM) and Triple J (103.3FM). SBS (102.5FM) also broadcasts its national radio network to .

has two commercial radio stations Hot 100 100.1 and Mix 104.9. Other stations in include -based station 104.1 Territory FM, dance music station KIK FM 91.5, Italian language channel Rete Italia 1611AM, community based stations includes Radio Larrakia 94.5 and Yolngu Radio 1530AM and Rhema FM 97.7.

[edit] Infrastructure
Royal Hospital
Royal Hospital
The Ghan arriving at Rail Station led by an NR Class Diesel Electric Locomotive.
The Ghan arriving at Rail Station led by an NR Class Diesel Electric Locomotive.

[edit] Health

The of the Department of Health and Families oversees one public hospital in the metropolitan region. The Royal Hospital, located in Tiwi, is the ’s major teaching and referral hospital, and the largest in the . [55]

There is one major private hospital Private Hospital located at Tiwi, opposite the Royal Hospital.

[edit] Transport

has no intracity rail. The Alice Springs to rail line was completed in 2003 linking to Adelaide. The first service ran in 2004. The Ghan passenger train service from Adelaide via Alice Springs and Katherine runs two to three times per week depending on the season.

International Airport, located in the suburb of Marrara, is ’s main and only International and Domestic airport, which shares it’s runway with the Royal Australian Air Force’s RAAF Base .
Airport at night
Airport at night

can be reached via the Stuart Highway which runs the length of the from through Katherine, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs and on to Adelaide. Other major roads in include, Tiger Brennan Drive, Amy Johnson Avenue, Dick Ward Drive, Bagot Road, Trower Road and McMillans Road. The greater is served by Darwinbus.

Ferries leave from Port to island locations, mainly for tourists. A ferry service to the Tiwi Islands, the Arafura Pearl operates from Cullen Bay.

has a new deepwater port at East Arm, which is capable of handling Panamax sized ships.

[edit] Utilities

Water storage, supply and Power for is managed by Power and Water Corporation, which is owned by the of the . The corporation is also responsible for management of sewerage and the major water catchments in the region. Water is mainly stored in the largest dam, The River Dam which holds up to 90% of ’s water supply.For many years, ’s principal water supply came from Manton Dam.

, suburbs, and Katherine is powered by the Channel Island Power Station. The largest power plant in the A new power plant is currently near to completion, the Weddell Power Station. The first generator is due to come on line in late January 2008. The new power station will add 30% capacity to power supply. A second generator is due for completion in 2008.

[edit]
skyline from National Park
skyline from National Park

is one of ’s largest industries. is a major industry and employment sector for the . In 2005/06, 1.38 million people visited the . They stayed for 9.2 million nights and spent over $1.5 billion.[56] The industry directly employed 8,391 Territorians in June 2006 and when indirect employment is included, typically accounts for more than 14,000 jobs across the Territory.

is a hub for tours to Kakadu National Park,[57] National Park[58] and Katherine Gorge. The Territory is traditionally divided into the wet and dry, but there are up to six traditional seasons in . It is warm and sunny from May to September. Humidity rises during the green season, from October to April bringing thunderstorms and monsoonal rains which rejuvenates the landscape. is largely seasonal with most tourists visiting during the cooler dry season which runs from April to September.

[edit] Aviation history
Aviation Heritage Centre - 1st Ultralight - Hover Bird
Aviation Heritage Centre - 1st Ultralight - Hover Bird

has played host to many of aviation’s early pioneers. On 10 December 1919 Captain Ross Smith and his crew landed in and won a £10,000 Prize from the Australian for completing the first flight from London to Australia in under thirty days. Smith and his Crew flew a Vickers Vimy, G-EAOU and landed on an airstrip that has now become Ross Smith Avenue. Other aviation pioneers include Amy Johnson, Amelia Earhart, Sir Kingsford Smith and Bert Hinkler. was home to Australian and U.S. pilots in World War II with air strips being built in and around . Today provides a staging ground for military exercises.

was a compulsory stop over/check point in the London to Melbourne Centenary Air Race

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