DARWINThick hedges of bougainvillea and frangipani,gigantic arching rain trees and swaying palmsadd a tropical languor to this park-filled city thatjuts out on a peninsula in the Arafura Sea. Builton the traditional lands of the LarrakiaAboriginal people, the city is far closer to Asiathan the rest of Australia, and this influence canbe felt at every turn. Its colonial style isdeceptive as it was completely flattened byHurricane Tracey three decades ago and had tobe rebuilt, but its airy architecture is coloured bythe diverse influences of ethnic groups thatrange from Chinese to Greek and enlivened byrestaurants and markets. Highlights includeMindil Beach sunset market that takes placeeach Thursday, the open-sided 'Tour Tub'trolleybus that tours the city sights and theAboriginal artifacts of the Museum and ArtGallery. It is worth spending time here beforedashing on to the national parks.Northern Territory,The Top End36The deep reverberating sound of adidgeridoo, rugged sandstone cliffsetched with ancient art work, lush thickvegetation, huge wetlands and roaringwaterfalls: all this and more can befound in the vast Outback landscapes ofAustralia's Top End. Tropical Darwin isthe capital city and the essential startingpoint to explore the Northern Territory'snational parks. The most famous isKakadu to the east, the largest in thecountry: sheltering wildlife and wetlandsas well as Aboriginal rock art sitesdating back tens of thousands of years.Well off the tourist trail the remoteCobourg Peninsula and Garig GunakBarlu National Park can be reachedonly through Aboriginal-owned ArnhemLand: well worth the journey as they arerich in wildlife. The closest park toDarwin is Litchfield National Park, rifewith natural swimming holes andwaterfalls. Head south and the NitmilukNational Park contains the stunningKatherine Gorge, carved by theKatherine River into thirteen soaringgorges, ideally explored by boat. Thisseductive, tropical area has twoclimates: an intense hot, dry season andthe 'wet', which brings rivers andwaterfalls to thundering life. Aboriginal rock art

Feathers Bed & BreakfastSanctuary, DarwinSet in the grounds of a landscaped private bird park,each of the luxurious hut-style guestrooms has anensuite outside bathroom with a private glass atriumbrightened by rare birds and sugar gliders, tinymammals that coast from tree to tree. A highlight isto join your host after breakfast on the daily roundsof the delightful garden to feed the collection ofvisiting and resident birds. With the city and airportten-minutes away, Feathers bed & breakfastcombines nature with a perfect location.Saville Park Suites, DarwinIn the heart of this tropical city, these award-winningsuites are located on Darwin's picturesqueEsplanade with views of the city and sparklingArafura Sea. Guest accommodation ranges fromsimple hotel rooms to three bedroom suites, eachbeautifully furnished, well equipped and with sunnybalconies, and friendly, efficient service makes thisan ideal city-centre home. The hotel has anexcellent restaurant on site, but Cullen Bay marina,with its Asian, Indian, Australian and Europeanrestaurants, is just a short drive away.NORTHERN TERRITORYTHE TOP END |37LITCHFIELD NATIONAL PARK A massive sandstone plateau, scattered withpockets of verdant rainforest, impressivewaterfalls and cool, crystal pools, LitchfieldNational Park epitomises the true beauty of theTop End. The cliffs surrounding the plateaucreate spectacular perennial waterfalls of whichthe most breathtaking, hidden in a pocket ofmonsoon forest, are the double Florence Fallsand the stunning Tolmer Falls, home to a rarecolony of orange horseshoe bats. Estuarinecrocodiles skulk in some of the waters (warningsigns are clearly posted where necessary) hopingto get a bite of such animals as the antelopinewallaroo, and the lush growth is filled with anarray of birds that are as colourful as they arenoisy. One of the park's unique attractions aregroups of narrow 'magnetic' termite moundsthat eerily resemble bush graveyards.Constructed by millions of termites, all areprecisely aligned to catch the sun and many areover a hundred years old. Reached in just undertwo hours from Darwin this is one of the TopEnd's most accessible parks. WALLAROO ECO TOURSThis small, locally owned company operate 4WDvehicle day visits and their combination of smallgroups of like-minded visitors and enthusiastic,knowledgeable guides makes for a fantasticexperience. Their leisurely day includes a cruisealong the Adelaide River crocodile spotting,gentle interpretive bush walks, a visit to thetowering magnetic termite mounds and plentyof time to swim in the fresh water pools. Yourday finishes at Cullen Bay, Darwin where with aplatter of fresh seafood you can watch thespectacle of a Darwin sunset.Feathers Bed & Breakfast Sandy Creek Falls