Darwin

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Darwinites love to have a good time and particularly to revel in their city's vibrant multicultural traditions, and nowhere is this mix better attained than through the annual program of exciting festivals. They include the highly entertaining Festival of Darwin which caters for all tastes in arts and culture.

Thousands also flock to ethnic festivals like the famous Greek Glenti, and special celebratory events staged by Darwin's Italian, Indian and Irish communities. Locals and visitors alike also love fun events like the annual Beer Can Regatta.

Darwin 's annual dry season is heralded by a clear blue sky, dragonflies and the famous Mindil Beach Sunset Markets. Set beneath a shady canopy of monsoon vine forest trees and a grove of coconut palms, the market takes shape each Thursday afternoon as the hundreds of stalls are assembled by perhaps the most diverse cross-section of people working together in Australia .

While the sun sets over the sea, food stalls prepare cuisine from more than 20 countries.  You can sample spicy Asian dishes, traditional Greek, Italian, English or South American food, crocodile, buffalo and barramundi from 'The Territory' or a mouth-watering spread of tropical fruits or juices and desserts.

More than 200 local artisans and craft people produce a colourful array of goods which complement the collection of arts and crafts imported from around the globe.  Add to all this the buskers, tarot card readers, masseurs/masseuses and a variety of local and travelling musicians offering free entertainment and you find the ingredients for an exciting, unique evening of fine food and entertainment.

Beautiful warm and sunny day, good living,

Darwin is arguably Australia's most cosmopolitan city, boasting a population made up of people from more than 60 nationalities and 70 different ethnic backgrounds. The city's multicultural mix is particularly highlighted by its many exciting ethnic cultural festivals and weekly food and craft Markets.

Darwin's traditional owners, the Larrakia people, are prominent and active members of the community, and many still adhere closely to their traditional beliefs and customs.

Government employees make up around 60 per cent of the Darwin workforce.

Darwin has evolved from its days as an incredibly laid back frontier town and while it still retains its relaxed charm, it has become a highly sophisticated city. Many visitors are surprised to find that it has accommodation, eateries, clubs, pubs, museums and other amenities that are at least equal to, and often better than, what you'll find in the southern cities.

In business and industry circles, Darwin is described as Australia's gateway with South East Asia. It's closer to the Indonesian capital of Jakarta than it is to Canberra and is about the same flying time from Singapore and Manila as it is from Sydney and Melbourne.

Darwin is the main service centre for a wide range of industries headed by mining, offshore oil and gas production, pastoralism, tourism and tropical horticulture. The Port of Darwin is also the main outlet for Australia's live cattle export trade into South East Asia.