city north of Darwin. Beyond it lies the Timor Sea and beyond that again Asia.
It's this closeness to Asia that makes Australia's top-end city so different
because here 47 different racial and cultural backgrounds merge and mix to
create one of Australia's most unique lifestyles.
A lifestyle shaped by just two seasons, the wet and the dry.
Separated from Australia's other capital cities by vast distances and some of
the nation's most inhospitable terrain, this top-end city has a special frontier
character, a certain air of adventure.
Once a remote tropical outpost, Darwin has grown at its own leisurely pace into
a colorful city of around 70,000 people with an easygoing lifestyle that's
envied further south. Two dramatic events created the top-end city of today. After
massive air raids during World War II and again following the almost total
destruction wrought by tropical cyclone Tracy in 1974, Darwin was rebuilt to
become a fine modern city. Many of Darwin's buildings have their own
special air of individuality having risen defiantly from the rubble of the past.
Yet despite its remoteness and its special spirit of adventure, Darwin also
has its sophisticated side with a high rolling life of the Diamond Beach Hotel
Casino, an energetic disco and club scene,
and a love of fine dining that's geared to a year-round calendar of balmy
tropical nights. But some of the most spectacular tropical nights are
experienced out on Darwin Harbour. Known for its legendary sunsets, this huge
top-end harbour covers an area of more than 1,000 square kilometres, twice the
size of Sydney Harbour.
Its home port to a large fishing fleet which harvests the marine riches of the
Timor Sea.
Darwin was bombed at least 60 times during World War II and its harbour is an
official war grave. In the Darwin Aviation Museum are other reminders of
those grim days. A B-25 Mitchell and a replica of the legendary Spitfire are
rare surviving examples of the aircraft that flew in defence of the city. More
modern exhibits include helicopters and the distinctive shape of a sabre jet
fighter, a familiar sight in Darwin skies during the 1960s. But pride of place in
the museum belongs to this mammoth B-52 bomber, the only airworthy example
displayed outside the United States. A de Havilland Dove airliner is dwarfed by
just its tailplane. On Christmas Eve 1974 more than 90% of Darwin was destroyed by
tropical cyclone Tracy. Even the city's most robust stone buildings were cut
down. Some like the Palmerston Town Hall still lie in tatters while others like
Christchurch Cathedral have risen with striking boldness from the ruins.
The famous Hotel Darwin built in 1939 miraculously survived the battering. With
its pre-war wicker and palm atmosphere straight from a Somerset Maugham novel,
it remains one of the finest hotels designed for the tropics.
Before World War Two Darwin was to the rest of Australia at least a remote
colonial outpost. This isolation and its feeling of being distinctly different
brought to the city a very special proud identity that still echoed in the
romantic appeal of its many colonial buildings.
Perhaps the most exquisite example of Darwin's old colonial charm is
Government House, the city's oldest European structure. Built in 1870 it was
once simply known as the Residency or the House of the Seven Gables. Many of
Darwin's attractions are unique to the Top End City. A great adventure for
children and adults alike is to feed the fish at Aquacene. When the tides are
right the warm waters of Doctor's Gully appear to boil as batfish, mullet, brim,
milkfish, rock cod and catfish swim in frantically to literally take food from
eager hands.
This daily ritual began by accident almost 30 years ago when a local diver
casually hand-fed a few mullet at high tide for personal enjoyment. Below the
waters of Darwin Harbour and accessible only to divers like coral reefs of
astonishing beauty. But at Darwin's Indo-Pacific Marine this unique
underwater world has been brought to the surface for all to see. This is one of
only four marine centres in the world to have succeeded in nurturing a living
working coral reef away from the sea.
Indo-Pacific Marines founder Mrs. Helene Pretty had no qualifications in this
field when she began this daunting project in 1972 but achieved what many
world authorities on the subject had failed to do. Each marine environment
here is a small self-sustaining underwater world, a world of brilliant
colours and extraordinary creatures. This very special underwater world on dry
land looms even larger when seen through specially provided magnifying viewers.
Just five kilometres from the centre of Darwin is Fanny Bay Jail. Darwin's prison
for 96 years it's now a museum which includes a fascinating display on
Cyclone Tracy. As the cyclone unleashed its fury on the top end city the
prisoners were released from these appallingly hot and claustrophobic cells
for their own safety. 14 men were hanged at Fanny Bay with the last occurring in
1952 when two men were executed. The chilling gallows especially constructed
in the jail's infirmary for this final hanging still remains. The face of Darwin
is distinctly cosmopolitan and nowhere is its rich mix of cultures more apparent
than at the Mindal Beach Sunset Markets just metres from the beach beside the
casino.
As the sun sets over the Timor Sea Mindal Beach becomes a fascinating cultural
adventure as friendly voices and exotic foods from more than 20 different lands
spice the tropical air.
South of Darwin are two of the top ends most inviting places.
The Bury Springs and Howard Springs. Cool emerald green oases that are the very
epitome of the tropics. The natural swimming pools of Bury Springs
surrounded by lush rainforest are a haven in the north's constant heat. The
sparkling spring-fed pool of Howard Springs is surrounded by thick monsoon
rainforest. The crystal spring water bubbles to the surface endlessly
creating idyllic swimming holes that are the natural home of barramundi and
tortoises.
Howard Springs was a popular recreational area for servicemen
stationed in Darwin during the war.
The culture of Australia's aborigines stretches back into the Dreamtime mists
of more than 40,000 years ago. One of its legacies is the corroboree an ancient
ceremony in which ritual stories are told through song and dance. The corroboree
remains a mystical force for Aboriginal people and in the top end its power is
demonstrated to Darwin's visitors during specially staged recreations.
Apart from the use of dramatic body painting and authentic instruments like
the didgeridoo, today's recreations of the corroboree place great emphasis on
the tribal ritual of participation.
Many corroboree stories recall the hunting of the top ends animals. Animals
which can be seen in close-up at the Territory Wildlife Park just south of
Darwin. Australia's handsome native dog the dingo can be seen here. A dog believed
to have arrived with the first aborigines.
And the lumbering buffalo, a species introduced from Asia brought to great
destruction to the wetlands of the north before being eradicated. The park's
rangers give regular demonstrations of the hunting skills of the top ends birds
of prey like the majestic sea eagle and its smaller cousin the kite.
The most beautiful feature of the Territory Wildlife Park is its
magnificently conceived walk-through aviaries. Each has its own distinctive
environment ranging from lush rainforest to open woodland and dry land.
In the main aviary a raised boardwalk gives a bird's-eye view of these
different environments which are so unique to the top end.
Also part of the Territory Wildlife Park an underwater aquarium revealing the
private lives of the fish of the top end.
It's a chance to see the magnificent barramundi one of Australia's most
prized freshwater catchers and one of the tastiest.
Residing in crystal water holes throughout the north is a large tortoise
population. The Territory Wildlife Park's aquarium reveals this leisurely reptiles
habitat both below and above the waterline.
Despite the civilization of Darwin itself the top ends frontier wilderness
is never far away. Nearby rivers like the Adelaide appear deceptively tranquil
because in these waters lurk the North's most feared reptile the saltwater
crocodile. Believed to have changed little since the age of the dinosaur the
crocodile is a silent giant of enormous power. It includes man on its list of
prey. One of the top ends most legendary crocodiles was Sweetheart a male
measuring more than five meters long which had a fearsome reputation for
attacking aluminium boats. Sweetheart drowned while being removed from a
billabong and is now exhibited at the Darwin Museum of Arts and Sciences.
Darwin is host to Australia's first crocodile farm where up to 7,000 sets of
hungry jaws have to be fed every day.
The crocodiles both salt and freshwater species range in size from hatchlings
just centimeters long to full-grown reptiles of five meters.
Feeding time at the crocodile farm is a never-to-be-forgotten sight.
Crocodiles become lazy in captivity so are fed in a way that forces them to
stalk their lunch and hopefully not the rangers serving it.
The crocodile enclosures are fenced in a way that creates uninterrupted views for
photographers. It's a rare opportunity to get extremely close to these dangerous
creatures in complete safety.
Most of the crocodiles to be seen in the viewing pools have been captured in the
wild and brought from beaches and riverbanks where they've been a threat
to humans. This is a working farm with a sophisticated breeding program. It
cultivates the crocodiles for their highly prized skins which are used for
fashion items such as handbags and shoes and crocodile meat is growing in
popularity particularly in restaurants overseas.
But to see a crocodile in the wild face to face is the ultimate top-end
experience. The famous jumping crocodile tour on the Adelaide River seeks out the
great reptiles searching for the telltale ripple and the pair of floating eyes.
East of Darwin in an extensive wetland area near Humpty Doo lie the lily
covered ponds of Fog Dam. Once the site of an ambitious but disastrous endeavor
to grow rice in the early 1950s this beautiful place is now one of the
North's most vital refuges for breeding birds.
Birdwatchers and photographers also flock here to see such unique species as
Australia's only stork the jabiru. 110 kilometres south of the top end city is
one of the Northern Territories most recently opened parks. Sprawling over
65,000 hectares Litchfield Park chatters with the sound of waterfalls and rock
pools. Deep in the park and for the more adventurous are the eerie avenues of the
lost city. From these sandstone rock formations loom images of castle ramparts
statues and frozen faces. One of Darwin's most popular locations a half-day drive
from the city is the most famous most evocative of all Australia's national
parks. Its name is Kakadu the dreaming place.
Kakadu is dominated by the Arnhem Land escarpment a sheer sandstone spine
stretching for 600 dramatic kilometres and behind which lies the Arnhem Land
plateau.
In its shadow monsoon rainforests thrive.
This is the only national park in the world with a complete river system
contained within its boundaries. A system which causes Jim Jim Creek to spill
spectacularly into the thundering rush of Jim Jim Falls.
The outpouring of such enormous volumes of water in the wet season creates the
Kakadu wetlands magnificent flood plains containing one-third of all Australia's
bird species. A world heritage site Kakadu is the jewel of the top end. A
natural treasure that lives at the very core of Australia's Aboriginal heritage.
This is powerfully demonstrated at the parks rock art sites. At Obiri Rock and
Norlandji Rock are natural galleries holding priceless works of art believed
to be 60,000 years old. The Aboriginal art of Kakadu depicts the spiritual
figures of an ancient lifestyle. A heritage which only in recent times
European man has begun to value and protect.
Darwin is a contemporary city, a city for today.
It stands at the very tip of northern Australia.
A gateway to some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world.
To a glorious natural wonderland.
And while it's a gateway for modern man, Darwin's location at the top end of
Australia also made it a gateway through which ancient man passed to establish a
foothold in perhaps the oldest land of all.
If you enjoyed this glimpse of Darwin, Australia's top end city, you'll see the
complete Northern Territory picture in two further titles from the Panorama
Australia series. In Land of the Rainbow Gold, magnificent panoramas unfold of
such stunning natural monuments as Ayers Rock, the Olgas, Chambers Pillar, Kings
Canyon and much more. While in Land of Nature's Dreaming, we explore more fully
the mystical wonders of Kakadu and Lichfield Park before taking our
cameras further south to Mataranka, Catherine Gorge and the Ropa River. To
order these two stunning videos from the Panorama Australia series, send your
order form to the retail outlet where you purchase the tape you're watching or
send it direct to Panorama Australia in the reply paid envelope.
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