Darwin is the capital and most populated city of the Northern Territory in Australia. Best known for its cool lifestyle, tropical climate and saltwater crocodiles, Darwin has both Asian & Western influences you can feel especially in its cuisine. Indeed, Asian cuisine is everywhere in restaurants and street food. 

Whatever your travel style, you’ll find something to do in Darwin and nearby! There are a lot of attractions and landmarks that are well worth a visit. Wondering what are they? 

Here is the list of 15 of the best landmarks in Darwin Australia! 

 

The Full List of the 15 Most Famous Darwin Landmarks

We can divide Darwin landmarks in 2 categories: the man made landmarks and the natural ones. Find out what they are👇

Man made Landmarks: 

  1. Mindil Beach & Sunset Market
  2. Crocosaurus Cove
  3. Nightcliff Jetty
  4. Darwin Waterfront Precinct
  5. Darwin Parliament House
  6. George Brown Botanic Gardens
  7. Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory

Natural Landmarks: 

  1. East Point Reserve
  2. Jumping Crocodile Cruise
  3. Casuarina Coastal Reserve & Beach 
  4. Charles Darwin National Park
  5. Berry Springs
  6. Territory Wildlife Park
  7. Litchfield National Park
  8. Tiwi Islands

 

So here are the most famous landmarks in Darwin. Keep reading to get more info about each of these places!

 

Man made landmarks in Darwin

Darwin is a city of more than 150,000 people and as such, there are plenty to do for a few days, and some man made landmarks to discover.

Let’s see 7 of the best ones below!  

 

1. Mindil Beach & Sunset Market

The Mindil Beach Sunset Market is also a must-do in Darwin. It takes place every Thursday and Sunday from April to October, from 4pm to 9pm.

 

mindil beach and market is a top man made landmark in darwin northern territory

 

There are mainly food stalls from all over the world and handicraft stalls (jewelry, paintings, crocodile skin items…). You can also take a picture with exotic animals (snake, birds…), or watch various street artists performances.

The market can get quickly crowded but the beach next to it will give you a breath of fresh air.

 

2. Crocosaurus Cove

Crocosaurus Cove is THE one attraction to do in Darwin according to all travel guides. Located in Darwin city center, this wildlife park is dedicated to reptiles, including crocodiles, the stars of Darwin and the Top End.

 

Crocosaurus Cove is best known for its “Cage of Death”, a transparent box immersed in the water where you slide in to observe and dive with a huge saltwater crocodile. The only place in the world where you can say you swam with a 5-meter long crocodile.

 

3. Nightcliff Jetty

Nightcliff is a neighborhood located in the north of Darwin. It’s a popular place to stroll along the ocean, have a picnic or watch the sunset from the pier.

 

nightcliff jetty is one of the best darwin landmarks

 

After the walk, you can relax on the lawn of the Foreshore Restaurant & Cafe. If you can, go there on Sunday mornings when the Nightcliff market is held from 8am to 2pm.

Swimming at Nightcliff Beach is said to be “safe” at the right time, but it’s not recommended. In any case, you should check the local information before swimming there, and be very careful as jellyfish and crocodiles can be found.

 

4. Darwin Waterfront Precinct

The Darwin Waterfront is a nice place to relax and bathe in the heart of the city. Definitely one of the must-do attractions in Darwin. 

It has a vacation club vibe as there are water attractions, large lawns to sunbathe and various free activities such as Tai Chi courses or open-air cinema. 

 

Speaking of water attractions, you’ll find 2 at Darwin Waterfront. The Wave Pool, which is a lifeguarded pool with artificial waves, and the Recreation Lagoon, a small free beach protected by nets. It’s actually one of the few places where you can swim safely in Darwin, without marine crocodiles, killer jellyfish or other sharks…

 

5. Darwin Parliament House

The Northern Territory Parliament House is housed in the most important public building in Darwin and the Northern Territory.

 

Opened in 1994, Parliament House is located in State Square close to the Government House and the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory.

Every Saturday mornings from February to November, you can attend a 1.5-hour free guided tour to learn more about the building and the state history. Due to COVID-19, guided tours are suspended, must they should start again soon! 

 

6. George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens

Laid out in 1892, the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens is a 42-hectare piece of nature inside Darwin city. This garden is actually one of the few in the world where both marine and estuary plants grow naturally. 

 

In this garden, you’ll be able to walk in the miniature rainforest and mangroves while observing birds and admiring the pond and its waterfall.

If you’re into nature, you can learn about the traditional uses of local plants thanks to the audio guide.

 

7. Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory

What to do in Darwin on a rainy day? Visit the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT)! But no matter the weather, it’s a great way to learn more about the city of Darwin and the Northern Territory.

 

Located in the city center, the MAGNT is also known for having body of Sweetheart, this 5-meter crocodile that used to attack boats in the 1970s. It now sits in the museum hall, making us feel very small next to him.

At the end of your visit, you can take a break at the museum’s café, perfect for lunch.

 

Natural landmarks in Darwin

As Darwin is an Australian coastal city, you might think of beaches. Darwin has indeed very beautiful beaches, but most are dangerous to swim all year long because of crocodiles and deadly jellyfish. But you can still have fun strolling around or in the other natural attractions Darwin has to offer.

Let’s jump to the best natural landmarks in Darwin!  

 

8. East Point Reserve

East Point Reserve is Darwin’s largest nature reserve, located only 10min drive from the city center. This place has it all to spend a perfect day with family: hiking trails, picnic & barbecue facilities, playgrounds….

 

The reserve is popular among locals and visitors for Lake Alexander salt waters where you can safely swim all year long, its military history and the beautiful panoramic views of Darwin, Fannie Bay and sunset from Dudley Point Lookout.

Take the 30min loop trail to explore the surroundings and discover the reserve wildlife: you’ll see wallabies, brushtail possums, reptiles, bandicoots and marine species in the mangroves. 

 

9. Jumping Crocodile Cruise

Go on an exciting cruise trip on Adelaide River, just 1 hour drive from Darwin downtown! 

 

jumping crocodile cruise is a great darwin attraction

 

Jumping Crocodile Cruise is one of the best experiences and guided tour in the Northern Territory where you can see 6-meter-long saltwater crocodiles propel themselves high out of the murky river to snatch their prey!

If you’re lucky, you might also see whistling kites and white-bellied sea eagles. 

 

10. Casuarina Coastal Reserve & Beach 

Located 20min drive north from Darwin’s city center, the reserve is popular for its white sand beaches, bike paths, mountain bike trails, picnic areas and wildlife.

 

The reserve is quite large as it extends on 1,500 hectares and includes 8 kilometers of sandy beaches lined with casuarina trees and sandstone cliffs. Depending on the season, you may see migratory birds or turtles nesting on the beach. 

Behind the dunes and beaches, you’ll find monsoon vines, mangroves, and paperbark eucalyptus forests.

 

11. Charles Darwin National Park

Located on Frances Bay in Darwin, Charles Darwin National Park is one of Australia’s most important wetlands, woodlands and Aboriginal history. It’s one the best Darwin attraction. 

 

It’s also a famous place for its remnants of WWII and the bunkers transformed into a visitor center. 

The site is rather small, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do there! There’s a huge network of walking and biking trails, lookout points and a picnic & barbecue area offering beautiful views over Darwin’s Harbour.  

 

12. Berry Springs

Located 40 minutes drive south from Darwin, Berry Springs is a great place to relax in nature. Bring your own picnic and enjoy a refreshing swim in the clear waters of the waterholes surrounded by aquatic life and tropical vegetation.

 

Besides the beautiful turquoise water creeks where, there are walking trails that takes you through woodlands and monsoon forest to explore the surroundings. You should be able to see native flowers and birds of all kinds! 

 

13. Territory Wildlife Park

Located close to Berry Springs only 45 minutes drive from Darwin, Territory Wildlife Park is the best option if you can’t make it to the Top End’s national parks. 

 

The park offers many attractions on a loop road of 4 kilometers you can access through walking tracks or free shuttle trains. You’ll be able to walk on treetops, watch crocodiles in the aquarium, watch a raptor show and much more. 

 

14. Litchfield National Park

Located about 1.5 hour from Darwin, Litchfield National Park is the perfect place for a day trip. Full of natural pools and waterfalls, Litchfield National Park is a true natural water theme park! 

 

There are 5 main spots you must see if you’re going to this park: Florence Falls, Termite Mounds, Buley Rockholes, Wangi Falls and Tolmer Falls. These spots are simply mindblowing, you’ll be able to swim in natural rock pools, bath under wonderful falls, hike through the rainforest…

Hopefully, they are quite easy to visit within a day, but prefer visiting during the week to avoid the crowds. 

 

15. Tiwi Islands 

Located 100 kilometers from Darwin, Tiwi Islands is Australia’s second largest island after Tasmania. From Darwin, you can reach the island by ferry in 2.5 hours, or by plane in 30 minutes. 

 

The archipelago is composed of 2 main islands, Bathurst and Melville, and 9 more inhabited islands. People living there are mostly aboriginal populations. It’s the ideal trip to meet them and learn more about their culture.

Besides, fauna and flora in these islands are unique in the world due to their isolated location and the extremely heavy rainfall. 

 

Map of the 15 Landmarks in Darwin

Here is a map of Darwin with all the listed landmarks in this post. To get it, click on the image below to open it in Google Maps. Then click on the “star” icon to save it to your own maps.

 

darwin landmarks map

 

So here are 15 of the best landmarks in Darwin, Australia!
 

More Landmarks in Australia

Want to discover more famous Australia landmarks? Well, I have other posts that you might like!

Here is the main guide of all famous Australia landmarks 👉 The Very Best Landmarks in Australia.

Find the best landmarks in Australia by state:

Find the best landmarks in Australia by city:

I hope you could’ve made your list of the must-see places in Australia thanks to these guides. Don’t hesitate to comment below if this is the case, I would be very pleased to read your feedback!

 

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