Darwin rewards travellers who stop

From the moment I disembarked from the plane, to the point of departure, Darwin's laid-back and distinct country-town charm enraptured me.
Unlike the big cities strung along the eastern seaboard, Australia's northernmost city beats to a very different tempo.
Home to 110,000 residents, this is a city of swaying palms, sunset markets and open-neck shirts. Despite its growing cosmopolitan make-up, Darwin retains a frontier atmosphere and revels in its remoteness - Jakarta is closer than Sydney.
For most travellers, Darwin is merely a transit point, en-route to the natural and cultural treasures of Kakadu, Litchfield and Arnhem Land.
Underrated as a destination, the Northern Territory town will reward those who stopover for a few nights. If there is one quality that exemplifies Darwin's personality, it's resilience.
In 1942, almost 200 Japanese aircraft bombed the harbour, attacking the city 64 times. The legacy is the easy-to-explore gun embattlements and underground tunnels that speckle the city.
But a far greater nightmare was to rip through Darwin. On Christmas Eve 1974, Cyclone Tracy hit town, destroying 95 per cent of dwellings and killing 65 people. Remarkably, within four years the city was largely rebuilt.
The Northern Territory Art Gallery & Museum features a spectacularly vivid cyclone exhibition, including a haunting audio recording of the violence of Tracy as it decapitated Darwin.
The must-see visitor attraction also boasts a stirring Aboriginal art collection, packed with insights. As an example, did you know indigenous people never call didgeridoos, didgeridoos? No, I didn't either. Every tribe has a unique name for the instruments.
The cheerfully painted main thoroughfare of Mitchell St is laden with tourist services and hospitality outlets, ranging from fine dining to unfussy food.
I ventured north on foot to take in the leafy historic precinct which is veiled in monsoon forest. Some of the top sights include the old Town Hall, reduced to its foundations by Cyclone Tracy, as was the adjacent Christ Church Cathedral, which the rebuild graphically portrays.
Next up is the gloriously elegant old stone police station and the lush foliage of the Esplanade promenade that brackets the photogenic Government House, built in 1877.
The ever-present sight of banyan, banana and palm trees are reminders of Darwin's oh-so-tropical reality.
November to April marks the rainy season, and the dry season of May to October mark the prime-time for visitors.
Darwin is surrounded by lush, broad-leaved parkland that hugs the sandstone cliffs around the harbour.
The butter-coloured beaches are off-limits to swimmers during the rainy season, because of the twin presence of deadly killing-machines - box jellyfish and saltwater crocodiles.
Mindil Beach hosts fabulous sunset markets, but resist the temptation to dip your toes in the water until after May.
TOP TIPS
* Pacific Blue, the international airline of Virgin Blue, flies daily to Darwin with webfares from $455 per person, one way. If you're looking to keep entertained, simply hire the digEplayer, your personal in-flight entertainment system for an additional $20. If you fancy extra leg room, book the Blue Zone seating option for an additional $45. For current specials and bookings, check out www.flypacificblue.com
* Aussie Adventure offers afternoon Darwin Day Tours whisking you around all the major sights, with time to explore the museum & art gallery at your leisure. The expert on-board guided commentary provides you with an enlightening introduction to the city. www.aussieadventure.com
* Darwin Airport Shuttle operates regular, friendly and efficient transfer services between the city and airport. It's the cheapest transport option. www.darwinairportshuttle.com.au