Darwin “City of Monsters” Now Named as one of Worlds Best!

In days gone by it was easy to dismiss Darwin as a frontier town full of brawling fishermen, longhaired hippies and red neck truckers - crawling with monster crocodiles. The locals were considered genuine, open and friendly. They spoke their mind and knew how to drink a lot of beer... hey, give them a break - it does get hot in Darwin... (Can’t say it sounded all that bad)

But Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory, has come of age and the guide is going to read just a little bit more hip – though I doubt the beer consumption will change. The Lonely Planet has voted Darwin one of the worlds top 10 cities for 2012.

And this is how the guides will now read…

Darwin with a pumping nocturnal scene, great markets and cafes, and an out-of-this-world wilderness area just down the road. Darwin is the triumph of Australia’s Top End. Beat the crowds to the redeveloping water front precinct with its wave pool, bars and wharf eater­ies; or score some brilliant indigenous art before East Coast galleries snap it up and charge double. Nose your way through the food stalls at Mindil Beach Sunset Market, then watch the sun melt into the Timor Sea. When southern Aus­tralia is chilling through winter, here it’s blue skies, party nights and sleeping late.

We’ve always known Darwin has had character, a rough diamond - perhaps a little limelight will encourage more to visit the gateway city to the truly breathtaking Northern Territory.