Working Holidays in the Northern Territory, Australia

Darwin has an international airport and is the main entry point for those travelling by air. The airport is only a 15-minute drive from the city centre – winner. If you’re coming from elsewhere in Australia by road, there are pretty much only three options: from the south follow the Stuart Highway; from the east you’ll need the Barkly Highway and from the west it’s the Great Northern Highway. You can also get there on the Ghan train, which links Darwin with Adelaide in Southern Australia, about 1600 miles away.

Some of the best things to do in Australia can be found in the Northern Territory. This is where you’ll find Uluru, probably the country’s most iconic sight, the Olgas, which are inexplicably not as famous but arguably more impressive, and Kings Canyon, which is as majestic as its name suggests. Further north, you’ll find the Devil’s Marbles boulder field – get ready to question the laws of physics as you know them – and Nitmiluk Gorge, which offers truly splendid kayaking. Further north still you’ll find Kakadu National Park and Litchfield National Park, and of course Darwin itself, a little beacon of civilisation amongst all the lovely emptiness.

Yes, in short. But which one will depend on what you want to do. If you’re visiting just as a tourist, you’ll need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) which can be done online for about £15. If you want to settle down and earn some cash for a bit, you should apply for an Australian Working Holiday Visa. Make sure you do this before you go – they can’t be issued once you’re there!

Probably walking. That was a joke. You’ll need wheels – or even wings. If you’re tight on time and want to see the Red Centre, you can catch a domestic flight from Darwin to Alice Springs, which will take about two hours. If you want to drive, it’ll take more like two days, though if you want to make stops along the way then give yourself a week. If you have the time and can afford it, driving is by far the best way to get around the Northern Territory, either independently or on a tour. Immersing yourself in the landscape is a huge part of the Outback experience.

The Northern Territory is so big that different parts of it go through different seasons. The top part is tropical, meaning it has a wet season (November-March) and a dry season (April-October). The best time to visit is the dry season, as during the monsoon period many roads become flooded and impassable. The bottom part of it (that’s central Australia) is made up of deserts and has an according climate, meaning it’s very hot in the day and cold at night. The climate here is fairly consistent throughout the year – in the daytime temperatures are around 25-35 degrees. January is the wettest month.

How long you got?! To see the big hitters at a leisurely pace – that is, driving and making fairly frequent stops – two or three weeks should be enough. However, depending on how much you want to explore, you could easily fill a couple of months. However long you spend here, you’ll never, ever forget it.