Sport & Activities
Bushwalking
The ‘Top End’ of the Northern Territory – a vast and beautiful region – contains several national parks and nature reserves, with one of the best walking destinations being the Arnhem Land Plateau (in Kakadu National Park); the West MacDonnell Ranges along Larapinta Trail are also good for bushwalking; see National Parks in Resorts & Excursions section for more information. Walkers are rewarded by regular sightings of buffalo and giant crocodiles. A camping permit is required outside established camping areas. Darwin is the usual starting point for excursions to the area. For further details, contact the Parks & Wildlife Commission of the NT, PO Box 496, Palmerston NT 0831 (tel: (8) 8999 5511; fax: (8) 8932 3849; website: www.nt.gov.au/ipe/pwcnt).
Watersports
The wetlands, with their numerous freshwater rivers and waterholes, offer excellent fishing, particularly the barramundi (renowned for its aggressive nature and fighting characteristics), which is so abundant that the Northern Territory is known as Australia’s ‘barramundi capital’. For details of state fishing regulations, contact the Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries, Fisheries Division, GPO Box 3000, Darwin, NT 0801 (tel: (8) 8999 2144; fax: (8) 8999 2065; e-mail: phill.hall@nt.gov.au; website: www.primaryindustry.nt.gov.au). Good diving can be found around Darwin Harbour and the offshore islands and reefs, including the Cobourg Peninsula (680km/423 miles from Darwin); the Vernon Islands (64km/40 miles from Darwin); and the seas around Nhulunbuy on the Gove Pensinsula (1114km/692 miles east of Darwin), where hundreds of islands and reefs are located. As an alternative to the sea, swimming holes can be found at Jim Jim Falls and nearby Twin Falls in Kakadu National Park. It is important to check that the area is safe for swimming, as salt-water crocodiles are found throughout the region. Canoeing is possible in Katherine Gorge (Nitmiluk) and on the Victoria River.
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Sport & Activities