LATEST NEWS
FAMIL PROGRAM REGISTRATIONS OPENING SOON
Registrations for the Tourism NT 2019/2020 domestic (AU/NZ) group famil program will open soon. Media will be required to register their interest via an electronic form for famils covering the following themes; Aboriginal art and culture, glamping in the Territory, self-drive, unique and outdoor events, military and history, millennial and culinary. Individual famil proposals will still be considered on a case-by-case basis.
For more information email katie.connolly@nt.gov.au
BRUCE MUNRO TO OPEN TROPICAL LIGHT IN DARWIN
Darwin, October 2019 – April 2020
Renowned artist Bruce Munro will open his largest-ever Australian exhibition, Tropical Light, in Darwin in late October. Arriving in time for the Top End’s Tropical Summer season, the eight immersive large-scale light installations can be experienced through a walking tour and will illuminate Darwin’s vibrant and relaxed CBD and waterfront precincts. Bruce Munro: Tropical Light will complement Mr Munro’s hugely popular Field of Light installation, which is set against the backdrop of Uluru.
OPERA AUSTRALIA PERFORMS AT ULURU
Uluru, 2 November 2019
For the first time ever, Opera Australia will perform an exclusive concert in the spiritual heart of Australia, with the vast outback plains and Bruce Munro’s Field of Light as the backdrop. The special gala performance held under the stars, on Saturday 2 November, promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience as some of the world’s most renowned opera singers perform in a uniquely Australian setting.
KAKADU NATIONAL PARK TURNS 40
Kakadu
In 2019, Kakadu National Park celebrates its 40th year as a recognised natural wonder. Officially opened in 1989, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed icon is home to the world’s oldest indigenous rock art galleries, rich stories and primordial wonders, and is marking this impressive milestone with a jam-packed events calendar.
From Kakadu Bird Week to Mahbilil Festival’s annual explosion of music, dance and art celebrating the local Aboriginal culture, this vast and ancient wilderness has something for everyone to enjoy throughout this anniversary year.
For those that can’t make it to Kakadu, they will now be able to explore the World Heritage-listed site thanks to Google Street View’s 360-degree imagery of Kakadu’s spectacular visitor sites, launched earlier this month.
SUPERCARS RACE INTO DARWIN
Darwin, 14-16 June 2019
In its 22nd year, the 2019 BetEasy Darwin Triple Crown Supercars is gearing up to be the Territory’s biggest and best Supercars event yet. Held from 14-16 June, the weekend will be jam-packed with a program of on and off-track entertainment, featuring Australia’s biggest names in music, including Jimmy Barnes and The Veronicas. Start your engines, this is an event not to be missed.
NEW PRECINCT FOR LITCHFIELD NATIONAL PARK
Darwin and surrounds
Stunning and unique new swimming spots, 4WD tracks, mountain bike and walking/hiking trails, new campgrounds and more day-use picnic areas are scheduled to open in the Top End’s Litchfield National Park, as part of a $12.1 million investment to grow visitation to the Territory. When completed, the new areas will support more visitors to the park providing a significant boost to tourism.
TERRITORY ARTS TRAILS
Territory-wide
The NT is a living, growing exhibition, 65,000 years in the making, and it’s become a whole lot easier to discover the varied and vibrant art and cultural experiences on offer. The Northern Territory Government’s Arts Trail project is funding the development and promotion of Aboriginal art galleries, museums, and significant sites with a range of itineraries on offer for travellers to make the most out of their Territory experience.
ARALUEN ARTS CENTRE’S NEW SEASON
Alice Springs
The visual art and performance hub of Central Australia, the Araluen Arts Centre, is home to a new program of contemporary dance performances, engaging theatre and tribute shows and exhibitions. Kicking off this month, kids will want to run away and join the circus as JUNK comes to town, an inventive exploration of the changing world of childhood, set in a time before kids had access to television, computers and expensive toys. The Banff Mountain Film Festival arrives in May bringing snow-capped mountains to the desert, and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow will have you in stitches with its round up of the best touring comedy acts.
PMARRA ALTURLA – HOME WEST
Alice Springs
The Iltja Ntjarra Many Hands Art Centre has launched Pmarra Alturla – Home West, a new exhibition showcasing the rugged landscapes that extend from the heart of Alice Springs to the West MacDonnell Ranges. Revealing the captivating stories of the desert landscape, told through vibrant watercolour paintings, offer a glimpse of the spiritual connection between land and the local Aboriginal artists. A visit to this exhibition, housed in the refurbished Art Centre, is a great addition to any Alice Springs itinerary.
NT TRAVELLING FILM FESTIVAL
Territory-wide, April – June 2019
Iconic Aussie movies screened under the stars? What more could you ask for?! The NT Travelling Film Festival is back for its 2019 season, capturing the stories, culture and landscape of our iconic regions and the people that call it home. With sessions across the Territory, travellers can nab a seat right on the edge of Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge or on the lawns of the iconic Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel to watch the highly anticipated Aussie film, Top End Wedding. The festival will also screen a diverse array of films from documentaries, including The Song Keepers, plus horrors, comedies and drama screenings.
TOP END NEW PRODUCTS
WOMEN’S ONLY TRADITIONAL WEAVING TOUR
Kakadu, 11-16 August 2019
Kakadu Cultural Tours is offering a new experience for travellers, with a rare insight into Aboriginal women’s weaving culture. Exclusive for women and girls, the six-day journey delves into the traditionally female art of weaving by expert weaving instructor, Anita Nayinggul, of the Manilikarr Clan. She’ll share with guests her knowledge of generations-old skills, from collecting pandanus and preparing the fibres to dyeing and weaving. As part of the journey, explore the ancient and sweeping landscapes of Kakadu, learning the local Bininj culture. Hosted in August, the tour includes all accommodation, meals and transfers.
NEW GLAMPING AT KAKADU
Kakadu
Cooinda Lodge & Camping in Kakadu National Park will launch its new glamping village in June. Dreaming@Home Billabong will feature 20 environmentally-friendly glamping tents, configured for romantics and families alike, with queen or bunk bed options, an outdoor deck to take in the stars and shared cooking facilities.
BANUBANU WILDERNESS RETREAT TO RE-OPEN
Arnhem Land
The luxurious Banubanu Wilderness Retreat on Bremer Island is set to re-open on 1 July with a suite of upgrades, including a new-look restaurant, plunge pool, and six eco safari tents. Known for its untouched beaches, lush tropical surrounds and abundant sea life, Banubanu offers an array of fishing and traditional mud crabbing experiences off the pristine coastland of East Arnhem Land.
KATHERINE BIRD FESTIVAL
Katherine, 12-15 September 2019
Following its highly successful inaugural year, the Katherine Bird Festival will return in 2019 and promises even more for wildlife lovers to enjoy. Set in the heart of Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge, this year’s program will immerse visitors in natural landscapes teeming with unique birdlife, with added bird-watching cruises and expert-led tours.
OUTBACK FLOATPLANE ADVENTURES’ NEW TOURS
Darwin
Outback Floatplane Adventures has announced its first-ever half-day tour, injecting a little adrenaline into your next Top End sightseeing adventure. Taking-off from Darwin, the Half Day Ultimate Tour will fly over the lush floodplains bordering Litchfield National Park, before cruising along the wetlands of Sweets Lagoon, where visitors can take in the abundant natural beauty and wildlife the Top End has to offer.
ARNHEM LAND COASTAL CAMP LAUNCHES ARARU ASIA PACKAGE
Arnhem Land
Named after an outstation on the Cobourg Peninsula, Arnhem Land Coastal Camp’s new Araru Asia package blends cuisine and culture against the backdrop of Arnhem Land’s rugged wilderness. Set to open in May, guests will be treated to sport fishing, mud crabbing, oyster gathering and wildlife and bird watching, in addition to daily foot spa and meditation sessions overlooking Blue Mud Bay. The package includes four nights’ stay in luxury cabins and all meals prepared by an onsite chef.
EXPLORE DARWIN BY MOPED
Darwin
Getting around Darwin has never been easier – or more fun – with EV2GO’s electric-moped scooters. Launched earlier this month, the convenient and eco-friendly scooters are a zippy alternative to experience Australia’s only tropical capital city. Travelling up to 50km per hour, the mopeds can be driven by anyone holding a valid vehicle driver’s licence, and can be booked on-the-go through a smartphone app.
RED CENTRE NEW PRODUCTS
(ULURU & ALICE SPRINGS)
GLAMPING COMES TO KINGS CANYON
Alice Springs
Sleeping under the stars in the magnificent ancient landscapes of Kings Canyon will be now possible thanks to Kings Canyon Resort’s new glamping offering. Opening in June, the six premium tents are equipped with all the luxuries you desire in accommodation and are the perfect base for guests to explore everything the Red Centre has to offer.
NEW PRODUCTS TERRITORY-WIDE
90th GHAN-IVERSARY EXPERIENCE
The Ghan is turning 90 this year and is celebrating – winding through the heartland of Australia on an epic three-day journey. Setting-off from Adelaide, guests will travel in luxurious surrounds as The Ghan meanders through the Red Centre and its kaleidoscope of desert colours, through to elemental and verdant surrounds of the Top End. The all-inclusive tour includes off-train excursions in colourful Alice Springs and the rocky escarpments of Katherine.
NEW PRODUCTS COMING SOON
HERMANNSBURG HISTORICAL PRECINCT RESTORATIONS
Alice Springs
Currently undergoing major restorations, the Hermannsburg Historical Precinct is upgrading its 140-year-old German-style buildings with works to be completed by December 2019. With its fascinating history as an established Lutheran mission settlement and the home of renowned Aboriginal landscape artist Albert Namatjira, the precinct offers travellers a glimpse of colonial life from the late 1800s. Feeling peckish? The recently renovated Kata Anga Tea Rooms is the place to enjoy the precinct’s famed apple strudel.
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