Darwin

The port city of Darwin is Australia's most northerly state capital and has been rebuilt since the devastating 1974 cyclone which razed most of it to the ground. Darwin has a (small) international airport with a more limited number of flights than the other major centres. There is a selection of good international standard hotels plus a range of other accommodation.
The city has a relaxed, tropical feel and is truly multicultural. The Chinese lived here for a long time and have now been joined by Timorese and people of many other Asian nationalities. The best touring season is in the winter dry, since many roads become impassable and some areas may be closed during the summer wet.
Local tour operators may only offer a limited programme during the wet. There are numerous tour companies who offer tours to the surrounding area, including Kakadu and Arnhemland, ranging from day tours to extended touring of a week or more. The tours cater for both the 4WD adventure market and also hotel accommodated tours. A number of operators offer safaris from Darwin to Broome and vice versa.
A growing number of companies offer cruising off the northern coast of Australia, usually in smaller vessels which can approach the coast and which carry tenders for daily exploration of this wild area. Most of these are at the upper end of the market and offer a much more personal experience than the huge cruise ships found around the Mediterranean. It is possible to cruise from Broome to Darwin and, if desired, on to Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef.

Litchfield National Park

Tiwi Islands

Melville Island and Bathurst Island form the Tiwi Islands, the home of the Tiwi aboriginal tribe. The islands are 80 km north of Darwin and Melville Island is Australia's second largest island after Tasmania.
Although the Tiwi are one of the world's oldest living cultures, they have been significantly influenced by the catholic church who established a mission on Bathurst in 1911. The Tiwi are superb artists who produce distinctive art, pottery, sculptures and wooden carvings. The fusion between the ancient and the modern is seen in the way traditional burial poles are often placed around christian graves. However traditional wooden 'Pukumani' funeral poles (pictured) are also still left in the bush to be gradually destroyed by termites or bushfires.
You can only visit the Tiwi Islands by joining a one or two day tour, which will include opportunities to purchase Tiwi arts and crafts. Most tours include a return flight, although there is a sea crossing from Cullen Bay which takes about 2 hours each way.