Fun things to do in Darwin

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Information and self-guided maps are available at the Orientation Center. Since it was closed, I had to rely on the signposts and signboards. The first picture is an example of the signboards. It says that the main features of the Botanic Gardens include the Rainforest Loop, Cycad Garden, Plant Display House, Wesleyan Church, Children's Playground, and the Tiwi Wet Forest.

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Borassus (Palmyra Palm) is a genus of six species of fan palms, native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia and New Guinea. They are tall palms, capable of growing up to 30 meters high. The leaves are long, fan-shaped, 2 to 3 m in length. The flowers are small, in densely clustered spikes, followed by large, brown, roundish fruits. Another place that Asian Palmyra palms can be found is at Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

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The Darwin Trailer Boat Club is located on Fannie Bay off East Point Road about 400 meters north of the Capricornia Motel. The motel recommended the Blue Marlin Bistro there but I did not get a chance to try it, since it was my last day and I had my Kebab House leftovers. Their membership fee structure is complex; however, I was told that the bistro was open to anyone and that it had better food than the Darwin Ski Club.

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The Discover Our City kiosks are located in various places around Darwin. They welcome you to Darwin and help you discover the 8 precincts: City, Esplanade, Wharf, Gardens, Fannie Bay, East Point, Northern Suburbs and Outer Darwin. They include maps, history, and what is to be found in the precincts.

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The Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) is a fascinating place to visit. It features the history, science and visual art of the Northern Territory and its people. The museum was originally located in the Darwin Town Hall which was was severely damaged during Cyclone Tracy in 1974. The new museum located on Bullocky Point opened on 10 September 1981. There is a permanent exhibit dedicated to Cyclone Tracy. They have a Discovery Center especially for kids with many "hands-on" displays. The Boat Shed Gallery was built in 1992 to display the Northern Territory's maritime history. The art collection consists of over 30,000 items of art and material culture. There is also a nice cafe on the ground floor. Admission is free. It is okay to take pictures of everything except the artwork. See also separate tips on the Cyclone Tracy Exhibit, the Discovery Center for Kids, the Estuarine Crocodile Exhibit, the Sweetheart the Crocodile Display, and a travelogue on the Boatshed Gallery.

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The Discovery Center for Kids provides students and visitors with various interactive displays and family activities that complement MAGNT's exhibition program. The Discovery Center can be used as part of a school visit for hands-on learning. It is open from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday, and 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM on weekends and public holidays.

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Sweetheart the crocodile is an icon of Northern Territory. In the 1970's, this formidable predator gained notoriety for attacking several aluminium dinghies at Sweets Lagoon, a popular Darwin fishing spot. On 19 July 1979, he was caught in a trap and anaesthetized. Unfortunately in the attempt to haul him ashore, Sweetheart became entangled with a sunken log and drowned. There is now a permanent exhibit for Sweetheart at MAGNT. Sweetheart was a male Crocodylus porosus, weighing 780 kg, and was 5.1 m long.

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There is a permanent exhibit at MAGNT dedicated to Cyclone Tracy. The exhibit features documentary footage, examples of Darwin's unique architecture, photographs and sound recordings of Cyclone Tracy to capture the impact of Cyclone Tracy. The Cyclone Tracy gallery was upgraded for the 30th anniversary of the Cyclone in 2004 and a booklet, Cylone Tracy, an Unforgettable Christmas, has also been published.