Wycliffe Well – Travel guide at Wikivoyage Understand[ edit ] Although Wycliffe Well only has a few permanent inhabitants, many travellers can't miss it while driving on the Stuart Highway from or to the Red Centre . In Australia, a small settlement like this is known as a roadhouse, a service stop for petrol, food and accommodation for long drives through the Outback. But Wycliffe Well is not just another roadhouse — it is the self-proclaimed UFO Capital of Australia. According to its own brochure, "UFO sightings are so common, that if you stayed up all night looking, you would be considered unlucky not to see anything, rather than lucky to see something". It's unbelievably cheesy, but the local restaurant is filled with newspaper clippings and images to persuade sceptical visitors. For its remote location, it is remarkable that it also boasts one of the largest selections of beer in the Northern Territory. Climate[ edit ] The summers in Wycliffe Well are known for their intense heat. Expect temperatures to be around 35°C at daytime and around 21°C at night time. Fortunately all the rooms have air-conditioning!

The winters are easier to comprehend with daytime temperatures around 20°C, but it doesn't cool down much at night with temperatures hovering around 15°C. By car[ edit ] There are two ways to get in: either from the north or from the south on the Stuart Highway. From the north you will come from Tennant Creek , while from the south you will come from Alice Springs in the Red Centre . By bus[ edit ] Greyhound Australia (tel. 1300 473 946, Australian phones only) offers bus services between Wycliffe Well and other places in Australia. Every day the bus from Alice Springs leaves at 7:30PM to arrive about 5 hours later at Wycliffe Well. From Darwin, the coach leaves exactly at noon, passes Katherine at 5:25PM and arrives at Wycliffe Well around 4:45AM. See[ edit ] Caution: UFO Landing Site Ahead As many previous sightings have 'proved', this is your best bet in Australia to see UFOs. In fact, according to The Sun Herald, it is ranked fifth for top reported UFO activity in the whole world.

It all started during World War II, when servicemen who stayed at Wycliffe Well kept records in an old bindered book of nightly-seen unidentified objects. This book used to be on the front counter of the local restaurant for everyone to see, but has been stolen in 1990. Since then a new book is kept which includes possible sightings from the early 1990s. It's quite fun to browse through the logs filled with details of claimed sightings. If you get tired of all the alien encounters, you might want to appreciate the stunning sunrises and sunsets. The sky of the Northern Territory is known the world over, and Wycliffe Well proves no exception. Get up early or stay up late and you'll be able to make beautiful pictures of the sun. Due to the small amount of lighting at night time, you can see an amazing amount of stars in the sky (but the front lights of the occasional road train might ruin your view). Another sight is the Wycliffe Well Railway. This sugar cane train originally from the state of Victoria has been relocated to Wycliffe Well in 1998.

Do[ edit ] It is only a 300 metre walk from the settlement to the nearby Lake Wycliffe. It is a 10-acre man-made recreational lake that holds about 150 million litres of water. As of 2008, the lake is still under construction, but ask the staff that you want to see the project and its construction and they will bring you there. Buy[ edit ] There's not much for sale in Wycliffe Well beyond walls of UFO-related souvenirs — this settlement basically exists for buying basic amenities. So fill up your car with petrol, water, food and drinks, because you still have a long way to go through the Outback. Eat[ edit ] The restaurant is quite large compared to the size of the settlement, it has a total of 300 seats for all its visitors. There's some excellent crab and other seafood to be had here, thanks to the lakes nearby. Mains $16-25. Drink[ edit ] Wycliffe Well's local restaurant boasts some of the largest selections of beer in the Northern Territory — about 300 different labels when fully stocked.

Just try some brands you've never had before and have a chat with the locals. The nightlife usually consists of a free country and western sing-along, so you better prepare your singing skills while driving down here... Sleep[ edit ] There is only one accommodation in the settlement, the Wycliffe Well Holiday Park (tel. +61 8 8964 1966). They offer basic double rooms from $60 with air-conditioning and linen, and "ensuite" double rooms from $120 onwards that also feature TV and tea/coffee. Camping is allowed, as they have about fifty electricity powered sites for $26 and a virtually unlimited amount of unpowered sites for $25. Barbecue and laundry machines are spread over the campsites. Every room or camping spot has Wi-Fi access. Connect[ edit ] The settlement is completely covered by Wi-Fi access. The hotspots are hosted by NomadNet , a company that delivers Wi-Fi access to remote settlements in the Outback. You need to buy a NomadNet card in order to use their services, but you're in luck — they can even be bought in convenience stores elsewhere in Australia before you begin your journey through the Outback.

$5 per hour. There are only two ways out: either north or south on the Stuart Highway: Alice Springs — surrounded with natural beauty, 380 km south Davenport Range National Park — 4WD required to explore this national park, only 25 km north Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve — most important sight of the Barkly region, only 30 km north Tennant Creek — some nice Outback pubs, 130 km north Routes through Wycliffe Well Tennant Creek & Barkly Region - Lifestyle Businesses Australia Tennant Creek & Barkly Region Back to list | 148 views ABOUT THIS REGION Tennant Creek is a town located in the Northern Territory of Australia approximately 1000 kilometres south of the territory capital, Darwin, and 500 kilometres north of Alice Springs. It is the fifth largest town in the Northern Territory and it is located on the Stuart Highway, just south of the intersection with the western terminus of the Barkly Highway. At the 2011 census, Tennant Creek had a population of 3,062 of which 1,176 identified themselves as indigenous.

Tennant Creek is near well-known attractions including the Devils Marbles, Mary Ann Dam, Battery Hill Mining Centre and the Nyinkka Nyunyu Culture Centre and is the hub of the sprawling Barkly Tableland, vast elevated plains of black soil with golden Mitchell grass, that cover more than 240,000 square kilometres. The Barkly Tableland runs east from Tennant Creek towards the Queensland border and is among the most important cattle grazing areas in the Northern Territory. Roughly the same size as the United Kingdom or New Zealand, the region consists largely of open grass plains and some of the world’s largest cattle stations. It runs as far south as Barrow Creek, north above Elliott and west into the Tanami Desert. The region encompasses the junction of two great highways, the Barkly and the Stuart, also known as the Overlander and Explorer’s Ways. The Overlander's Way (Barkly Highway) retraces the original route of early stockmen who drove their cattle from Queensland through the grazing lands in the Northern Territory.

INDUSTRY RESOURCES Regional Tourism Website : Explore the Northern Territory Regional Tourism Website : Tourism Top End Research and Statistics : Tourism NT Corporate Website Local Council : Barkly Regional Council CREDITS Information Source : Wikipedia Image Credit : The Pebbles (Kundjarra) : Tourism NT Regional Map : Copyright 2014 GoPanda Communications GoPanda Published by Diversity Group Pty Ltd. Website Developed by GoPanda Digital Communications. Lifestyle Businesses Australia is a subsidiary of Diversity Group Pty Ltd : ABN 31 651 915 715 Diversity Group Pty Ltd takes no responsibility for the accuracy of information contained in the listings of business and properties for sale. Buyers should conduct their own due diligence as these listings are provided by the sellers and sellers agents and are advertised on this website in good faith. Information on this website is of a general nature only and is not intended to be relied upon as, or be a substitute for, professional advice. No responsibility for loss occasioned to any persons or organisations acting on or refraining from action as a result of any information or material on our website will be accepted. Please ensure you discuss your particular requirements with a registered professional in their area of expertise.

Northern Territory | history - geography - territory, Australia | Britannica.com Northern Territory 1,349,129 1Mainland and island areas only; excludes coastal water. Northern Territory, self-governing territory of Australia , occupying the central section of the northern part of the continent . Northern Territory, Australia. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. The Northern Territory is bounded by the Timor and Arafura seas to the north and by Western Australia to the west, Queensland and the Gulf of Carpentaria to the east, and South Australia to the south. It is approximately 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from north to south and 600 miles (970 km) from east to west and occupies more than one-sixth of the Australian landmass. It is largely tropical in the north and semiarid in the far south. Ayers Rock (Uluru), Northern Territory, Austl. © Goodshoot/Jupiterimages Constitutionally, the territory was inferior in status to the states until 1978, and it had limited legislative powers until self-government was granted in that year.

Its development since 1911, when it was transferred to the Commonwealth of Australia from South Australia, has been a major item of expenditure in terms of works, services, and inducements to producers to accept the risks of an uncertain physical and economic environment . The nature of the climate, the poor soils, distance from assured markets, and problems of recruiting labour have been considerable handicaps. Nevertheless, increased mining activity in the early 21st century significantly strengthened the economy. Moreover, since the end of the 20th century the population of the Northern Territory has become one of the fastest-growing in the country; most residents are concentrated in and around the capital city, Darwin . Area 520,902 square miles (1,349,129 square km). Population (2011) 211,945. Land Relief The coastline is flat with low headlands and is mostly fringed with mangrove swamps. There are many offshore islands, of which Melville and Bathurst islands and Groote Eylandt (“Big Island”) are the largest.

Inland from the coastal belt and the Arnhem Land plateau there is a gradual rise southward to the town of Tennant Creek on the vast plateau (1,000–2,000 feet [300–600 metres]) of ancient Precambrian rock that extends south and west into the neighbouring states. Farther south, Alice Springs is situated on an alluvial plain in the MacDonnell Ranges , where Mount Zeil reaches 4,957 feet (1,511 metres) above sea level, the highest point in the territory. There are remarkable tors (prominent rocky hills) 200 miles (320 km) southwest of Alice Springs, including Mount Olga (3,507 feet [1,069 metres]), which is the peak of Kata Tjuta (the Olgas ), a group of some 30 monoliths and domes, and Uluru/Ayers Rock , a red, ovoid monolith rising to an elevation of 2,844 feet (867 metres). In the territory’s southeastern corner is the largely uninhabited Simpson Desert , which extends into the neighbouring states of Queensland and South Australia.

To the north of the desert and also stretching into Queensland lies the Barkly Tableland , a grassy upland with an average elevation of 1,000 feet (300 metres). Northern Territory, Australia. People Population composition Aboriginal people have lived continuously in the Northern Territory for at least 40,000 years, having migrated from adjacent parts of Southeast Asia . It is estimated (roughly) that between 35,000 and 70,000 of these indigenous people were resident in the territory when the British began to establish military settlements in the early 19th century. Although no accurate counts of the Aboriginal population exist prior to the mid-20th century, the number of indigenous people is believed to have dropped between the arrival of the Europeans and the end of World War II , primarily as a result of disease, despair, and general neglect by the administration. After World War II, however, the indigenous population grew steadily, and by the early 21st century Aborigines constituted more than one-fourth of the territory’s total population. Formerly resident in foraging areas throughout the territory, most Aboriginal people have been resettled as a consequence of government policies.

More than one-fourth live in urban areas, generally in suburban housing but also in Aboriginal living areas or town camps. Many also live in rural towns established by missionaries and government officials as part of the now-defunct policies of protection and assimilation. The remainder of the indigenous population live in small rural outstations located on traditional Aboriginal lands, where access to standard housing and services such as electricity is often limited. Roughly half of the Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory speak an Aboriginal language , and dialects are numerous. Aboriginal languages are agglutinative; that is, they combine into single words two or more elements of distinct and separate meaning. The languages spoken in the northern part of the territory, however, are different in structure and vocabulary from those of the Aranda peoples in the south. Between 1824 and 1849 the British made several abortive attempts to establish a trading settlement on the coast; attempts were also made by the South Australian administration between 1864 and 1867. The first successful settlement was at Port Darwin in 1869.

When gold mining at nearby Pine Creek and associated railway construction created a labour shortage, Chinese workers were brought in from Singapore and Guangzhou (Canton). By 1888, when immigration restrictions were imposed, the Chinese population numbered about 7,000. Subsequent immigration was mostly from Europe, but, as restrictions eased in the 1970s, more immigrants started coming from other areas, especially Southeast Asia. Since the late 20th century, the number of Southeast Asian immigrants (largely from the Philippines) has nearly equaled the combined total of newcomers from New Zealand and the United Kingdom . Numerous ethnic associations reflect the dozens of countries that have contributed to the territory’s heritage. The majority of the territory’s population, however, is Australian-born, having migrated there from other Australian states. Most of the non-Aboriginal people live in one of the few urban centres. For much of the period prior to World War II, population growth rates were sluggish. In the second half of the 20th century the population increased rapidly, but the rate of increase was subject to considerable variation because of economic boom and bust and the effects of Cyclone Tracy in 1974, which destroyed most of Darwin.

The population remained youthful in the early 21st century, with the highest birth rate in the country and nearly two-fifths of all residents under the age of 25. However, the territory’s death rate was also the highest and life expectancy the shortest, owing largely to a mortality rate among Aboriginal peoples that continued to register well above the national average—which, to some extent, was attributable to limited access to quality health care in rural regions. Settlement patterns Despite the large size of the territory, roughly two-thirds of the inhabitants live in and around Darwin and Alice Springs. Away from those centres, settlement is widely dispersed and focused on a handful of mining towns, Aboriginal towns, and rural service centres. Most of the land area is either uninhabited or very thinly populated, reflecting the predominance of pastoral and Aboriginal land use. Remote homesteads on large cattle stations form the base of the rural settlement pattern. Densities in pastoral areas have declined because of the amalgamation of properties and the mechanization of ranching.

Since the granting of Aboriginal landrights in the 1970s, there has been an increasing dispersion of the population, as Aboriginal people have settled in small clan-based communities of fewer than 100 people, known as outstations. The main urban centre, Darwin, is located on the northwestern monsoonal coast overlooking the Beagle Gulf. It serves as a focus for the Top End region. As the legislative capital and home to more than half the population, Darwin also performs many territorywide functions. Darwin had early pretensions as a port and trading settlement, but it has developed primarily as an administrative centre, with jobs in public administration and defense, utilities, and education, health, and community services accounting for nearly one-third of the city’s employment. The second largest town is Alice Springs, located in the arid MacDonnell Ranges in the southern part of the territory, close to the Tropic of Capricorn . It is the main service provider for the Centre region and is also a base for tourists visiting central Australia. Economy The economy of the Northern Territory has long been anchored in government administration, defense, and other public services.

More recently it has been buttressed by production from onshore and offshore petroleum and natural gas reserves; Darwin began to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2006. The territory’s unique natural environment and Aboriginal heritage have been the foci of an expanding tourism sector. In the early 21st century the Northern Territory was the fastest growing of all Australian states and territories, although it remained the smallest contributor to the country’s gross domestic product. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing Agriculture, forestry, and fishing constitute only a small proportion of the territory’s overall economy. Nearly half of the territory’s area is used as grazing land for livestock, predominantly beef cattle. Most of the remaining land is classified for traditional indigenous use. Forest resources are generally protected for their biological and cultural value. Cattle are raised largely in open-range conditions on extensive cattle stations with low carrying capacity. In addition to meat, the cattle industry exports live cattle, mostly to customers in Asia. Buffalo and buffalo meat are also exported, albeit in limited quantities since the 1970s as the industry has continued to recover from large-scale herd reduction implemented as part of a national bovine tuberculosis eradication program.

Aridity is a major constraint on arable farming, and irrigated production is localized and of small scale. Land used specifically for agriculture and horticulture accounts for less than 1 percent of the territory’s area, and horticultural activities are generally limited to places near the urban centres. Mangoes are the leading product, followed by melons, bananas, grapes, and vegetables (primarily cucumbers, bitter melon, and okra). Fisheries have remained an important component of the broader agricultural sector. Shrimp trawling is practiced in the Timor and Arafura seas, while inland and coastal aquaculture—especially of barramundi, prawns, and pearl oysters—is expanding in the Top End region. Crocodile farming, introduced in Darwin in the 1970s for meat and hides, has continued to grow. Resources and power Although the production of minerals (including petroleum and natural gas) accounts for nearly one-fifth of the territory’s economic value, mining is mostly capital-intensive and employs relatively few people. The territory has low-cost uranium reserves, with the Ranger mine in the Alligator Rivers region remaining the country’s primary producer; there are other high-grade deposits that have yet to be exploited.

Bauxite is mined at Gove, and a manganese mine on Groote Eylandt is one of the world’s largest producers. Large deposits of lead, silver, and zinc are worked in the McArthur River region, which is also a source of diamonds. Scattered gold deposits are mined, with the focus of activity in the Tanami Desert. Aerial view of the now-defunct Nobles Nob gold mine, Tennant Creek, N.Terr., Austl. age fotostock/SuperStock With large hydrocarbon reserves in the Timor Sea and the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf west of Darwin and in the Amadeus Basin in central Australia, the territory’s production of oil, natural gas, and, more recently, LNG has been increasing. Natural gas from the Amadeus Basin is used to generate most of the power for the territory’s main urban centres. The Channel Island thermal power station near Darwin has been supplied with natural gas by pipeline from fields west of Alice Springs since the mid-1980s; in the early 21st century, agreements were signed to bring more natural gas from fields in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf into the existing pipeline.

The territory also has been investing in alternative resources including methane gas and solar and wind power. Manufacturing Output from the manufacturing industries in the Northern Territory was, until the late 20th century, only a tiny proportion of the overall economy and consisted primarily of food, beverages, and basic and fabricated metal products. A Trade Development Zone was established in Darwin in 1985 to stimulate investment in manufacturing for export, and by the early 21st century the sector had become a significant component of the territory’s economy. Alumina and LNG are the leading products, while alumina, cultured pearls, and, increasingly, LNG are the territory’s primary exports. Although manufacturing is a growing area of the economy, the sector continues to account for a small fraction of the territory’s employment. Most of the manufacturing jobs are in machinery and equipment production. Services The services sector provides well over half of the territory’s economic output and employment. The main activities are public administration and community services. Employment in the defense forces increased significantly at the end of the 20th century when an air base was established at Tindal near Katherine and a cavalry regiment was relocated to Darwin to add to existing army, air force, and naval facilities.

Education and health services are also important, providing a considerable proportion of the territory’s employment. Real estate and related services, which grew significantly just after the turn of the 21st century, have come to constitute another major component of the territory’s economy. The tourism sector employs a significant portion of the workforce and generates one of the largest contributions to the territory’s economy. Although the territory government financed the construction of international-standard hotels and casinos (later sold to private firms) and the resort town of Yulara in the late 20th century, ecotourism and cultural tourism have come to be the strongest segments of the sector. Transportation Compared with other Australian states, the Northern Territory has a relatively underdeveloped transportation system, a reflection of its small population base and the vast distances to be traversed . The backbone of the road system is provided by the Stuart Highway , which runs south from Darwin to the South Australian border and connects most of the territory’s urban centres. Upgraded by the military during World War II, the highway is entirely paved.

Major routes branching off the Stuart Highway include the paved Victoria Highway from Katherine to the Western Australia border, the paved Barkly Highway from Three Ways into Queensland, and the Arnhem Highway, which is paved from Darwin to Jabiru. The majority of rural roads are unpaved and subject to temporary closure after rain. Take a ride on the Stuart Highway, which crosses Australia from south to north; stops on the road … Contunico © ZDF Enterprises GmbH, Mainz Many remote rural settlements are inaccessible by road and rely on air transport. Until the introduction of long-range jet aircraft in the 1960s, Darwin was an important refueling and service centre for international air travel, providing a first and last port of call in Australia. Regular international air connections have since been established to a number of countries, including India, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia . Until the early 21st century, the only railway line in the territory ran from Alice Springs to Adelaide. An extension of the rail line northward from Alice Springs to Darwin was completed late in 2003.

In 2004 the Ghan passenger train (named for the Afghan cameleers who once transported mail, goods, and passengers throughout central Australia) inaugurated its north-south transcontinental service from Adelaide to Darwin. The Port of Darwin provides container services, a roll-on/roll-off facility, and a fishing harbour mooring basin. At the end of the 20th century, a new bulk handling facility opened at the port’s East Arm. Page 1 of 2 Northern Territory - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) The Northern Territory is an administrative division in northern Australia that is similar to a state. It is home to only about 1 percent of the population of Australia, though it covers about one sixth of the country. The territory’s area of 520,902 square miles (1,349,129 square kilometers) makes it nearly twice as big as the U.S. state of Texas, or more than five times the size of the United Kingdom.

It is bounded by the Timor and Arafura seas on the north, the Gulf of Carpentaria on the northeast, and the states of Queensland on the east, South Australia on the south, and Western Australia on the west. About half the population lives in the capital city and main port, Darwin. Alice Springs is the only other sizeable town. Population (2011) 211,945. Article Contributors Walking in Australia's Northern Territory - Lonely Planet Walking in Australia's Northern Territory Tips & articles Lonely Planet Writer Beyond the stereotyped images of heat, monsoon and crocodiles, Australia's Northern Territory is emerging as one of the country's finest and most spectacular walking destinations. The Larapinta Trail , a 223km hike through the West MacDonnell Ranges outside of Alice Springs , is famed among walkers the world over, but the Larapinta isn't the only reason to bring your hiking boots to the Northern Territory. Covered with desert mountain ranges, seemingly endless floodplains, ancient Aboriginal rock art and a host of thundering waterfalls, the Northern Territory offers a classic Australian experience on foot.

Throughout the Territory's national parks there are walking trails – short and long – that bring this stark land into the kind of finely detailed perspective you just can't get hopping between sites in a vehicle. Walking here is very seasonal and largely confined to winter and the dry season (around May to September). Walking tours run by groups such as World Expeditions, Australian Wilderness Adventures and Australian Walking Holidays are a good way to approach the trails here with the right equipment and support. Bushwalkers at Simpsons Gap on the Larapinta Trail. Image by Andrew Bain / Lonely Planet Jatbula Trail At the mouth of Katherine Gorge, in Nitmiluk National Park, there's invariably a flurry of activity as tourist boats and canoes splash towards the gorge, but it's also here that the Jatbula Trail sets off on a very different journey. This 66km walk heads away perpendicular to the gorge, running along the line of the Arnhem Land escarpment, first at its base and then, for most of the five or six day hike, atop it. For most of its length, the trail heads through the savannah grassland that defines so much of Australia's Top End.

Termite mounds rise like blades above the tall speargrass, and the exposed rocks are as red as a heart. Set it all among yellow grasses, beneath a perpetually blue sky, and it's a classic Australian outback palette of colour. The most striking and welcome features along the Jatbula Trail are the campsites. Each day ends beside water – running streams, waterfalls, or a lagoon-like section of the Edith River. The camps can only be accessed by walking the trail, effectively creating private plunge pools for hikers to soak away the heat and effort of the days on the trail. The campsites are at places of enormous beauty, from rockpools perched at the edge of 30m-high 17 Mile Falls, to the mirror-flat waters at the well-named Sandy Camp. Hiker at the head of 17 Mile Falls along the Jatbula Trail. Image by Andrew Bain / Lonely Planet About an hour before 17 Mile Falls – pretty much halfway along the Jatbula Trail – is another private treat for hikers: the Amphitheatre.

This cool, shaded gorge, slotted into the escarpment, shields one of Nitmiluk National Park's finest Aboriginal rock-art sites, featuring ochre images of the Jawoyn people and emus. Days on the Jatbula Trail are invariably hot, but they needn't be long, with campsites spaced between 11 and 16 kms apart. Set out around dawn each day and you can be in camp by lunchtime, sitting out the heat of the afternoon in a stream or pool. Make it happen The Jatbula Trail can be hiked with World Expeditions or independent bookings and information can be found on the NT's Parks & Wildlife website ( parksandwildlife.nt.gov.au ). Rock art in the Amphitheatre. Image by Andrew Bain / Lonely Planet Kakadu National Park North of Nitmiluk is Australia's largest national park, Kakadu , covering an area almost the size of Israel. Although daunting in scale, it's a great bushwalking destination. Overnight walks in Kakadu are unmarked and there are no set routes, though they typically head into the so-called 'stone country' atop the Arnhem Land escarpment.

Hiking requires permits – applications need to include details of the proposed walking route, the location of each night's campsite, and a marked-up topographic map. Despite the regulations, parks authorities reported a large increase in applications for overnight walks in 2014. The rewards of hiking into the stone country are multiple, with an estimated 15,000 rock-art sites – most unmarked – dotted through the park. Around one-third of Australia's bird species have been recorded in Kakadu and, up here, above the cliffs, there's a true sense of isolation and exploration. Even if you can't venture deep into the park, Kakadu has about 25 marked day walks around and below the escarpment. Hiker on the summit plateau of Nourlangie Rock. Image by Andrew Bain / Lonely Planet Most of the day walks are framed around water, since even in the middle of winter the average maximum temperature in Kakadu is around 32°C. Trails head through savannah woodland to waterfalls, gorges and crocodile-free swimholes, where fish swirl around your feet and water monitors (or goannas) might watch from the rocky banks.

Good day walks include little-visited Motor Car Falls (ironically accessible only on foot), where you can swim into a large crack in the cliffs, and a steep but short trail to the head of Gunlom waterfall, where a natural infinity pool ends abruptly by the very edge of the escarpment. The 12km Barrk Sandstone bushwalk offers a different perspective – no water, but a look at some of Kakadu's premier rock-art sites as it traverses Nourlangie Rock, an outlier of the Arnhem Land escarpment. Further along, at the base of Nourlangie Rock, there's an easy 3km trail into Gubara Pools, a crystal-clear swimhole shaded by monsoon rainforest. Make it happen All day walks are detailed on Kakadu's park website ( parksaustralia.gov.au ). Australian Walking Holidays ( australianwalkingholidays. com.au ), Australian Wilderness Adventures ( australianwildernessadventures.com.au ) and World Expeditions ( worldexpeditions.com ) run guided hikes. Swimming at the lower pool at Maguk (Barramundi Gorge).

Image by Andrew Bain / Lonely Planet And the secret one: Tabletop Track For all of the Northern Territory's well-known walks, there's another trail still to emerge into the spotlight. The Tabletop Track is a 39km-circuit inside Litchfield National Park , where waterfalls seemingly pour from every break in the cliffs of the Tabletop Range. Taking most walkers between three and five days, the Tabletop Track remains a little-known route, despite being established for years. It's a spectacular trail, passing the likes of Florence and Wangi Falls, two waterfalls that have helped turn Litchfield into perhaps the most popular national park among Top End locals. Best Indigenous tourism experiences in Australia's Top End - Lonely Planet Best Indigenous tourism experiences in Australia's Top End Tips & articles Alan Murphy Lonely Planet Writer Australia’s Top End offers a unique opportunity to discover, explore and interact with Australian Indigenous culture. The Top End encompasses a massive sweep of the country from Cape York in Queensland, through to the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The area was settled by Australia's Aboriginal peoples at least 50,000 years ago.

The Top End is one of the world’s premier areas for rock art galleries – visitors can take tours revealing the strong cultural and spiritual links between people and country. And there’s no better way to experience Indigenous culture than participating in local festivals, many of which highlight Indigenous artistic traditions. Following are some of the best Indigenous experiences to be had in the Top End. Aboriginal painting at Nourlangie Rock in Kakadu National Park. Image by Auscape / UIG / Getty Images Northern Territory The Northern Territory is particularly rich in Indigenous culture, with evidence of the first Australians in the extensive rock art galleries. Cultural centres and Indigenous festivals provide further insight. Kakadu National Park World-famous Kakadu National Park is one of the Top End’s largest and most accessible repositories of rock art. There are more than 5000 sites, dating back up to 20,000 years. Two of the finest collections are the easily visited galleries at Ubirr and Nourlangie .

At Ubirr visitors can stroll between sites and admire images of kangaroos, tortoises and fish painted in X-ray, as well as the older paintings of mimi spirits – it’s believed they were the first of the Creation Ancestors to paint on rock. The annual Mahbilil Festival , which celebrates Indigenous culture at Lake Jabiru each September, also takes place at Kakadu. Yolngu Aboriginal artwork from East Arnhem Land. Image by John Borthwick / Lonely Planet Images / Getty Images Arnhem Land Well respected art comes out of Eastern Arnhem Land , including bark paintings, carved mimi figures, yidaki (didgeridoo), woven baskets and mats, as well as jewellery. Buku Larrnggay Mulka Art Centre & Museum , located 20km southeast of Nhulunbuy in Yirrkala, is one of the best places to see the region’s artworks. If you’re in the area don’t miss the Garma Festival in August, a celebration of Yolngu culture and one of the most significant regional Indigenous festivals.

Katherine Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts & Culture Centre is an excellent arts and culture centre in Katherine which showcases the stories of Aboriginal people and their art. Tjapukai Theatre performing in Kuranda, far northern Queensland. Image by Glen Allison / The Image Bank / Getty Images Queensland Far northern Queensland and Cape York Peninsula have had thriving Indigenous communities for thousands of years. Rainforests and rock art make for a unique cultural experience. Cairns Relaunched in 2015 after extensive redevelopment, the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park in Cairns tells Indigenous stories through live performances and animation in a stunningly redesigned interior; it also offers new tours. Laura In northern Queensland the Quinkan art galleries on the Cape York Peninsula are among the best known in the Top End (the most accessible are the Split Rock galleries). Many creatures are depicted in the rock including spirits. The Quinkan & Regional Culture Centre provides interpretative displays and tours of the rock art. KuKu Yalanji dancers in Daintree National Park.

Image by Michael Coyne / Lonely Planet Images / Getty Images Mossman Gorge The Daintree National Park – a World Heritage Site – has one of the Top End’s best opportunities for visitors to gain insight into Australia’s Indigenous people and their unique relationship to the environment. The lush rainforests of Mossman Gorge give up their secrets on the Dreamtime Walks, conducted by the Kuku Yalanji people. The Indigenous ecotourism centre here has a gallery displaying local Indigenous artwork. Western Queensland If you’re in this section of the country, check with local tourist offices to see if Black’s Palace is open to the public. It dates back around 4000 years and contains about 10,000 rock art stencils (making it Australia’s largest site for stencil artwork). It is currently on private land but its traditional owners, Bidjara people, are keen to see it open to the public. Bradshaw rock art in the Kimberley region. Image by Kerry Lorimer / Lonely Planet Images / Getty Images Western Australia Western Australia’s northern outpost is isolated and possibly one of the last great wildernesses left on the planet. There are opportunities to interact with Indigenous Australia through art, language and Aboriginal-run tours.

Broome Magabala Books , located in the multicultural, former pearling town of Broome , is Australia’s oldest independent Indigenous publishing house. It supports and contains a wide range of works by Indigenous authors. Profits feed back into preserving, developing and promoting Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Boy dressed up for Mowanjum Festival in the Kimberley region. Image by Ingetje Tadros / The Image Bank / Getty Images The Kimberley The Kimberley region is one of the greatest galleries of ancient rock art in the Top End, and also one of the oldest. Two of the better known styles of art in this area include the Wandjina and the Bradshaw. The Wandjina are the shadows of ancestors – large mouthless figures in headdress. The Bradshaw are much older (10,000 to 30,000 years), their significance and creators lost in the mists of time. Uptuyu and Wandjina ( wandjinatours.com.au ) are Indigenous tour operators that showcase the best of the Kimberley’s heritage.

Mowanjum Art & Culture Centre , found just outside Derby , also has an excellent online art gallery and conducts a festival in July celebrating Indigenous culture in the Kimberley. Halls Creek If you have an interest in language, check out the Kimberley Language Resource Centre ( klrc.org.au ), which protects and promotes the local languages of the Kimberley.

Question: In which state of Australia would you find the area known as the Barkly Tableland?
Answer: Northern Territory