Welcome to the "Gateway to Asia," the "Top End," capital of the Northern Territory and Australia's newest city....Darwin.It is said that some of the ranches in this territory are larger than the state of Rhode Island and are home to the "toughest" beef in the world! Darwin is at the northern tip of Australia on the Timor Sea.Because of its strategic location, it is home to the Auistralian Defense Forces. It is closer to many Asian countries than to Australia's own southern cities. Darwin has suffered several devastating events in its short 175 year history...notably the February 1942 Japanese air raids,and a few cyclones, the Christmas Eve cyclone of 1974 hitting hardest and reducing its population to a mere 43,000. The famed evolutionist, Darwin actually visited this area in 1836, though the city itself wasn't named in his honor until 1911. 26% of the present population are of a native aboriginal tribe the "Larrakia." The balance are all immigres from Asia, Europe, and in the 1950's a large Greek contingent. This area is home of the Kakadu National Park, the vast 12,000 square mile varied nature preserve that was brought to international attention by the Crocodile Dundee movies. In 2004, the area was secured as a central destination with the completion of the Trans-Australian railroad from Adelaide to Darwin...named "The Ghan"...meaning camel, as it covers vast desert distances in its path. It is considered one of the great railroad journeys to take...up there with the Orient Express or the Trans Canadian trek.
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| The Great North-South Adelaide River |
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| The reason why noone kayaks or swims in this North Adelaide River! |
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