A day of wildlife & nature in Darwin City

Nature lovers can immerse themselves in flora and fauna in Darwin. The Top End’s tropical climate is home to a diverse range of wildlife and nature, which Darwin city showcases in beautiful gardens and wildlife parks.

Garden breakfast

Start your morning in a converted heritage listed Wesleyan Church. Eva’s Café offers fabulous coffee and fresh food within the Botanic Gardens. Priding themselves on their specialty coffee, the full menu is available for breakfast and lunch from Tuesday – Sunday. For something a little fancier, why not try their high tea menu?

Meander through the Botanic Gardens

Take a walk through the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens to see magnificent plants from northern Australia and tropical areas around the world. There’s a large collection of north Australian and other topical species of plants covering 43 hectares.

The gardens have stood the test of time for over 130 years and survived World War II and Cyclone Tracy. Children can burn off some energy in the playground and treehouse, both in full shade. For those with a keen interest, you can join a guided walking or Segway tour.

Feeding the fish

Join the daily ritual of fish feeding that began over 50 years ago when a local resident threw bread scraps to small mullet at high tide. Fast-forward to now; hundreds of fish including mullet and milkfish flock to Doctors Gully for their daily feed. Aquascene provides a great opportunity to hand-feed fish and is family friendly.

Due to the huge tide movements in Darwin Harbour (up to 8m) the fish can only come to shore for a few hours each day, so feeding times change daily with the tides. Make sure you check Aquascene’s website before visiting.

Crocosaurus Cove

Crocosaurus Cove boasts the largest display of Australian reptiles and is a tourist highlight in the heart of Darwin’s CBD. Get involved in the interactive experiences and presentations, or for those who dare, bring your bathers and swim with a large crocodile in the ‘Cage of Death’.

Taste the local drop

Once the fish have been fed, it’s time to feed the humans! Six Tanks, located on Mitchell Street, serves craft beer with 26 taps including house-brewed and guest taps. Their menu is designed to share, so grab the family and head down for a hearty lunch and beer straight from the tank to the tap.

Bicentennial Park

Following the cliffs of Darwin harbour along The Esplanade, Bicentennial Park is a picturesque location for picnicking and relaxing on the grass. There are many walking paths available. Follow the WWII walking trail which includes the Cenotaph, Darwin’s first war memorial commemorating Australians who lost their lives in WWI, and the Aboriginal men and women whose bush skills assisted the Army during WWII to protect the remote northern coastline.

With lots of shady trees and a children’s playground, it’s a great place to spend some quality time outdoors with the family while enjoying Darwin’s tropical climate.