Darwin
Living in Darwin
Darwin is the capital of Northern Territory but it is not very big, being something like Australia’s 16th largest city. It has a population of around 74,000 people, (120,000 if you include nearby Palmerston and Litchfield) and is located centrally on the northern coast of Australia. If Australia were of clock, Darwin would be on the 12.
Darwin, like Perth, is quite isolated. It is closer to the capital of Indonesia than it is to the capital of Australia. It’s also very close to the equator. So it’s hot! It’s humid! And it’s got crocs!
There, I’ve got that out of the way.
But if you can stand the heat and humidity, Darwin and the surrounding areas offer the kind of stunning beauty not easily found anywhere else in the world. That beauty is enhanced by Darwin’s climate which has a “wet season” and a “dry season”.
This natural beauty has led to Darwin having a thriving tourist industry. The area is steeped in Aboriginal history and culture and surrounded by National Parks, the biggest and most impressive being Kakadu.
Whilst nature gives the region and its beauty, nature has also destroyed the city. On Christmas day in 1974, tropical Cyclone Tracy ripped the place apart taking many lives at the same time. But Darwin was quickly rebuilt and is today a modern, vibrant and young city.
Darwin is not short of beautiful beaches either. The pick of them being Mindil Beach, which includes an occasional market, just a couple of kilometres from the city centre and Vestey’s Beach, also close to the city. And if you want to be at one with nature, check out Casaurina Beach, 7 km’s east of the city. It’s a nudist beach. Don’t forget the sunscreen!
Some beaches have nets to protect against the box jellyfish, but with the rise of appearances by the Irukandji, a jellyfish so small it can penetrate the nets, I’m not sure you would want to be trusting these places.
But it’s not just the jellyfish. The sea in this region is probably one of the most dangerous seas in the world. It looks beautiful, it looks clear and it looks blue. But it can be very dangerous for swimmers. Remember, crocs can be found in the sea as well as in the creeks and billabongs.
Always check with locals before going swimming in this region. There are safe places to swim in the area and they will know where they are. Darwin is beautiful, but it’s not for the faint of heart.
What’s the weather like?
The climate of Darwin is tropical, that means there is no winter and summer, just wet and dry. If you take a look at my chart, you can easily see when those wet and dry seasons are.
There are on average 75 rainy days between December and May with a total of over 1300 mm of rain.
But during June to November, there are just 20 rainy days with only 200 mm. But the temperature doesn’t change much throughout the year. It’s always hot and it’s mostly humid.
Severe weather for the area include, of course, tropical cyclones, electrical storms, gale force winds and flooding.
Darwin can be broken down into four main areas:
- Inner Darwin – known as Lyons Ward
- North Darwin – known as Richardson Ward
- East Darwin – known as Waters Ward
- West Darwin – known as Chan Ward
Here’s a map of the Darwin area…..
Darwin, like Perth, is quite isolated. It is closer to the capital of Indonesia than it is to the capital of Australia. It’s also very close to the equator. So it’s hot! It’s humid! And it’s got crocs!
There, I’ve got that out of the way.
But if you can stand the heat and humidity, Darwin and the surrounding areas offer the kind of stunning beauty not easily found anywhere else in the world. That beauty is enhanced by Darwin’s climate which has a “wet season” and a “dry season”.
This natural beauty has led to Darwin having a thriving tourist industry. The area is steeped in Aboriginal history and culture and surrounded by National Parks, the biggest and most impressive being Kakadu.
Whilst nature gives the region and its beauty, nature has also destroyed the city. On Christmas day in 1974, tropical Cyclone Tracy ripped the place apart taking many lives at the same time. But Darwin was quickly rebuilt and is today a modern, vibrant and young city.
Darwin is not short of beautiful beaches either. The pick of them being Mindil Beach, which includes an occasional market, just a couple of kilometres from the city centre and Vestey’s Beach, also close to the city. And if you want to be at one with nature, check out Casaurina Beach, 7 km’s east of the city. It’s a nudist beach. Don’t forget the sunscreen!
Some beaches have nets to protect against the box jellyfish, but with the rise of appearances by the Irukandji, a jellyfish so small it can penetrate the nets, I’m not sure you would want to be trusting these places.
But it’s not just the jellyfish. The sea in this region is probably one of the most dangerous seas in the world. It looks beautiful, it looks clear and it looks blue. But it can be very dangerous for swimmers. Remember, crocs can be found in the sea as well as in the creeks and billabongs.
Always check with locals before going swimming in this region. There are safe places to swim in the area and they will know where they are. Darwin is beautiful, but it’s not for the faint of heart.
What’s the weather like?
The climate of Darwin is tropical, that means there is no winter and summer, just wet and dry. If you take a look at my chart, you can easily see when those wet and dry seasons are.
There are on average 75 rainy days between December and May with a total of over 1300 mm of rain.
But during June to November, there are just 20 rainy days with only 200 mm. But the temperature doesn’t change much throughout the year. It’s always hot and it’s mostly humid.
Severe weather for the area include, of course, tropical cyclones, electrical storms, gale force winds and flooding.
Darwin can be broken down into four main areas:
Inner Darwin – known as Lyons Ward
North Darwin – known as Richardson Ward
East Darwin – known as Waters Ward
West Darwin – known as Chan Ward
Here’s a map of the area…..
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
hey bob,\
i read categories of yours and i find that u could be a very helpin hand for me too
so , i wanted to know for now or in the future which place will be better to live in australia
See my Quick Guide to Choosing a City in Australia