Darwin is Australia’s northernmost capital city and probably the most cosmopolitan in Australia with more than 60 nationalities and some 80 ethnic groups represented.
Just over one quarter of the Northern Territory population identify themselves as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Darwin’s traditional owners, the Larrakia people, are prominent and active members of the community, and many still adhere closely to their traditional beliefs and customs.
As at 30 June 2005, the estimated resident population of Darwin and nearby Palmerston was 94,658. Government employees make up around 60 per cent of the Darwin workforce and it is a great place to live and work enjoying such benefits as a tropical climate, good schools and varied sporting and recreational opportunities.
Darwin prides itself on its relaxed lifestyle, its multicultural population and magnificent sunsets. It is a young and vital city on the move and is undergoing constant changes.
Darwin is well planned, clean and green. It boasts modern amenities and beautiful parklands. Although still casual in many ways, it is increasingly sophisticated and is a popular tourist destination for both Australian and overseas travellers.
Darwin has evolved from its days as an incredibly laid back frontier town and while it still retains its relaxed charm, it has become a highly sophisticated city.
Many visitors are surprised to find that it has accommodation, eateries, clubs, pubs, museums and other amenities that are at least equal to, and often better than, what you’ll find in the southern cities.
In business and industry circles, Darwin is described as Australia’s gateway to South East Asia. It is closer to the Indonesian capital of Jakarta than it is to Canberra and is about the same flying time from Singapore and Manila as it is from Sydney and Melbourne.
Darwin is the main service centre for a wide range of industries headed by mining, offshore oil and gas production, pastoralism, tourism and tropical horticulture. The Port of Darwin is also the main outlet for Australia’s live cattle export trade into South East Asia.
Darwin’s weather is perfect from May to September. The days are mild and the nights are balmy and cool. This is the ‘Dry Season’, when the days are characterised by gentle southeast trade winds and blue skies are the norm. The weather from September – October is usually warm and sunny, becoming more humid in the build up to the Wet, with temperatures around 25 to 30 degrees Celsius.
Being a monsoonal climate, there is a distinctive Wet Season with most rain falling between December and March.
There can be high intensity storms at this time, often providing quite spectacular lightning displays. The cyclone season is from November to April. Active monsoon periods are the most likely time for development of cyclones.
