The Northern Territory (NT) is in the middle Australia between the meridians 129 ° East (border to Western Australia) and 138 ° East (border to Queensland). On the 13,500 km long coast in the north are the Timor Sea, Arafura Sea (border with New Guinea) and the Gulf of Carpentaria. In the south it closes at latitude 26 ° S South Australia at.
About 250,000 people live in NT, concentrated in the cities, more than 120,000 of the "Territorians" live in Darwin alone. With 50,000 Aborigines and Arnhem Land, it is also the Aboriginal stronghold. They offer tourists a wide range of cultural experiences and artistic objects.
The poor to empty interior is considered the true outback of Australia. The routes between Darwin and Alice Springs or Alice and Yulara can also be covered by plane - but you can experience more by train, car, motorcycle or mobile home. Extreme even driving the Stuart Highway by bike.
Regions
The Northern Territory extends from the tropical north with the capital Darwin and the Arnhem Land of the Aborigines over the green hills around the Victoria River and the subsequent dry Barkly Tableland (plateau) to the hot Red Center with Alice Springs and the famous rock formations Uluru and Katja Tjuta.
places
- tropical north:
- 1 Darwin
(Capital) - 2 Katherine
- 3 Jabiru
- 4 Pine Creek
- 1 Darwin
- Victoria River Region
- 5 Timber Creek
- 6 Top Spring
- 7 Daly Waters
- 5 Timber Creek
- Barkly Tableland
- 8 Tennant Creek
- 9 Elliott
- 10 Barkly
- 8 Tennant Creek
- Red center
- 11 Alice Springs
- 12 Yulara, Tourist settlement of the Uluru-Kata-Tjuta National Park
- 13 Hermannsburg
- 14 Erldunda
- 11 Alice Springs
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Other goals
More than 50 national parks is available in the NT, here is a small selection from north to south:
- 1 Kakadu National Park
- 2 Litchfield National Park
- 3 Nitmiluk National Park with Edith Falls and Katherina Gorge
- Iytwelepenty / Davenport Ranges National Park
- Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve
- West MacDonnell National Park
- Finke Gorge National Park
- 4 Watarrka National Park (Kings Canyon)
- 5 Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park (Ayers Rock and The Olgas)
Itineraries in the Northern Territory:
- The leads from north to south Stuart Highway through the territory. Well developed, it can be driven on with normal cars. With the one branching off at Erldunda Lasseter Highway is the connection to Yulara (Uluru) takes place.
- To the east there are the also paved Carpentaria ~, Tableland ~ and Barkly Highways, which form a loop with the Stuart Highway.
- Further to the west are the unpaved roads Tanami Road and the unpaved in the Red Center Mereenie Loop Road and the Namatjira Drive. The unpaved roads are called "Gravel Roads", they should only be driven on with four-wheel drive vehicles and offer both adventure and (almost) solitude.
- The Ghan runs twice a week as a luxury passenger train from Darwin via Alice Springs to Adelaide and back again.
- The long-distance hiking trail Larapinta Trail offers the opportunity to explore scenic highlights such as the Finke River, Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, Ellery Creek Bighole, Serpentine Gorge, Ocher Pits, Ormiston Pound, Redbank Gorge and Glen Helen Gorge on foot in the West MacDonnell Ranges.
background
The Northern Territory is not a state like z. B. be southern neighborHowever, this has no effect on practical life. NT is characterized by its interesting landscapes, its multinational culture, the contrasts between the tropical north and the red center in the south and the sparse population. All important infrastructures for travelers are in place.
language
As in the rest of Australia, mainly English is spoken, in the outback rather "mumbled".
getting there
By plane
- Darwin has one International Airport (DRW), which is served particularly by Asian countries (Singapore, China) but also from within Australia.
- Alice Springs Airport (Airport (ASP)) is served by almost all other Australian airports.
- The one belonging to the Yulara Resort Connellan Airport (AYQ) is only served from Alice Springs, Sydney and Cairns. Only Qantas and Virgin Airlines offer flights on these routes, which must be taken into account when selecting domestic Australian passports.
By train
Except for the luxury train The Ghan - this runs from Adelaide via Alice Springs and Katherina to Darwin - there is no passenger transport by train.
By bus
- Greyhound buses operate on the Darwin - Broome - Coral Bay - Perth, Melbourne - Adelaide - Alice Springs - Darwin routes and from the east coast (Townsville, Brisbane, Sydney) via Mount Isa to Tennant Creek (with connections to the north and south). The connections are fast, and people also drive at night.
- Also belongs to Greyhound in the meantime Oz Experience, which represent a middle ground between long-distance bus and tour bus. You drive on the route Adelaide - Alice Springs and Alice Springs - Darwin, stopping at points of interest (the driver becomes a tour guide) and stopping in one place at night. The fare does not include accommodation, suggestions for accommodation are given on the bus.
In the street
- That comes from the south Stuart Highway from Adelaide and reaches the Northern Territory behind Coober Pedy.
- From the east, Queensland can easily be reached via the Overlander Way (Barkly Highway) be entered.
- There are several gravel roads from the west: Savannah Way (Victoria Highway) and Butine Highway in the north, as well as the Tanami Road in the south.
By boat
- Some cruise lines stop in Darwin for a day.
mobility
If the whole Northern Territory is to be explored, a rented car or mobile home is ideal.
in the Red center Multi-day adventure tours with (all-wheel-drive) buses are also offered for longer distances. A typical tour leads from Alice Springs via a stop at a camel farm to Uluru with a hike there and / or sunset champagne. The next day, Kata Tjuta is on the program in the morning and the journey to Kings Canyon in the afternoon. On the third day via Gravel Roads to Hermannsburg and on the fourth day, various gorges and stations in the West MacDonnel Ranges are approached before returning to Alice. Depending on the number of days and accompanying supervisors, accommodation (tent, resort) and food (cook, self-cook), as well as time of year (high / low season), the costs for such tours can range from a few hundred to well over 1000 dollars.
From Yulara there are shuttles to Uluru and the Kata Tjutas, for example the Uluru Express (Cost of return ticket to Uluru $ 50 for adults, $ 30 for children, to Kata Tjutas $ 80 / $ 45).
There is a regular bus transfer between Alice Springs (departure early in the morning) and Yulara (departure noon) and costs from $ 120.
Offers both in the red center and in the tropical north AAT Kings Shuttle buses or guided (more) day tours to the important points.
in the tropical north ....
Tourist Attractions
- The mountain ranges of the MacDonnell Ranges. These are often interrupted by ravines. In the vicinity of Alice Springs, for example, Simpsons Gap, a ravine leading from the Roe Creek has been dug and can be observed in the rock wallabies. A little further away is the spectacular incision of Standley Chasm.
climate
In the north one finds a tropical climate change. In the rainy season it is extremely humid with frequent thunderstorms. Nights do not cool down at this time. The dry season is also very hot, especially on the coasts. The south is hot and dry. Temperatures often go up to 45 ° C in summer and there is little rain (as a thunderstorm). In winter it can get cold down here in the desert.
literature
Web links
- http://www.nt.gov.au/ - Northern Territory Official Website
