Darwin walking tour & city guide

The CBD and the Waterfront

Darwin's compact city center was largely rebuilt after Cyclone Tracy destroyed most of the city on Christmas Day 1974. Smith Street Mall is the main shopping street, and Crocosaurus Cove lets you see huge saltwater crocodiles up close, even from a glass cage lowered into their pool.

Below the city, the Darwin Waterfront Precinct has a swimming lagoon, a wave pool and restaurants. Nearby, the underground World War II oil storage tunnels recall the Japanese bombing of Darwin in 1942.

Markets and museums

In the dry season, the Mindil Beach Sunset Market draws crowds on Thursday and Sunday evenings, with food stalls from across Asia and craft stands, as the sun sets over the sea. The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory has excellent Aboriginal art and a moving exhibit on Cyclone Tracy.

A classic walk from the city to the Waterfront

Start at Smith Street Mall and walk to the Esplanade, a long park on the clifftop with views over the harbor and the Bicentennial Park memorials. Follow it to the end and take the lift or footbridge down to the Darwin Waterfront.

Walk around the lagoon and along the wharf to Stokes Hill Wharf, a favorite spot for fish and chips at sunset. The walk is about 3 kilometers.

Visiting tips

Visit in the dry season, from May to October, when days are warm and sunny. The wet season brings heavy rain, storms and high humidity. Never swim in rivers or the sea outside the safe swimming areas because of crocodiles and box jellyfish.