Bringing a Larrakia Dreaming story to life, the new centre is now open on the Darwin waterfront, at the foot of a sacred site.
After more than 20 years of planning and advocacy by the Larrakia people, the $58 million Larrakia Cultural Centre opened to the public on Monday 7 September at the foot of the Larrakia sacred site at Stokes Hill, on the Darwin/Garramilla waterfront.
A project of the Larrakia Development Corporation, it’s owned and culturally led by the Larrakia people, the Traditional Owners of the lands and waters in and around Darwin, including the harbour.
A building shaped by a Dreaming story
The roofline takes the form of a tawny frogmouth. (Credit: Elena Caldaci)
Designed by Rossi Architects with Susan Dugdale and Associates, the building brings a Larrakia Dreaming story to life. From above, the roofline takes the form of a tawny frogmouth emerging from Stokes Hill to watch over Country and its people, while the timber facade represents its feathers.
The grounds carry the story further. Gardens move through monsoon, savannah and coastal environments; one garden represents the seven Larrakia seasons, and a saltwater ceremony pond creates space for ceremony and cultural practice.
How to visit
Guided tours are available to book. (Credit: Elena Caldaci)
General admission covers the gardens, the permanent exhibition, a temporary gallery of work by Larrakia artists and a retail store supporting Larrakia businesses and artists. Finish at the restaurant, where local produce and bush ingredients come with views across the harbour.
Public guided tours add the context that’s hard to piece together alone: the seasons embedded in the gardens, the meaning of the building’s form and the Saltwater Pond, plus Larrakia artists and makers at work in the centre. If your Darwin itinerary has room, the extra $35 is worth it. The architecture, gardens and stories here were designed as one, and a guide is the quickest way to read them together.
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Go in the opening season
The Larrakia Cultural Centre has been in planning and development since 2002. (Credit: Elena Caldaci)
The first weeks come with extras. The Larrakia Makes workshop program runs from Saturday 19 September to Saturday 24 October, with workshops from $80, and every session includes entry. Larrakia artists and Elders lead workshops in fabric printing, crocodile sculpture, stringybark string-making, bush foods and spear-making.
Details
The Larrakia are ‘saltwater people’. (Credit: Elena Caldaci)
Address: 29 Stokes Hill Road, Darwin City, NT
Opening hours: 9am–5pm daily.
Cost: General admission is $30 for adults, $15 for kids, $24 for concession holders, and $81 for a family. Public guided tours are $65 for adults, $50 for kids, $59 for concession holders, and $207 for a family.
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Emily Murphy is Australian Traveller's Email & Social Editor, and in her 4+ years at the company she has been instrumental in shaping its social media and email presence, and crafting compelling narratives that inspire others to explore Australia's vast landscapes. Her previous role was a journalist at Prime Creative Media and before that she was freelancing in publishing, content creation and digital marketing. When she's not creating scroll-stopping travel content, Em is a devoted 'bun mum' and enjoys spending her spare time by the sea, reading, binge-watching a good TV show and exploring Sydney's vibrant dining scene. Next on her Aussie travel wish list? South Australia and The Kimberley.
The Northern Territory isn’t just different – it’s a whole new world. From the friendly locals and varied landscapes to its cultural layers, there’s nowhere else in Australia quite like it.
The Northern Territory has to be experienced to be believed. The majesty of Uluṟu doesn’t quite hit until you’re standing before it. The untouched beauty of Arnhem Land strikes the heart in a way you can’t imagine. The quirky and friendly locals and the festivals they throw impart stories that won’t be forgotten. And that’s just the beginning. From natural hot springs and local larrikins to deep cultural ties and ancient stories, these are the experiences to be discovered only in the NT.
The NT’s natural hot springs are truly picturesque. Katherine’s crystal clear thermal springs sit on the banks of the Katherine River, framed by nature. Picnic grounds and scenic walking tracks make it easy to linger.
In Elsey National Park, the teal waters of Bitter Springs have long been popular with locals. It’s not uncommon to spot turtles as you drift with the gentle current, palm trees waving on the banks. The park also contains Mataranka Thermal Pool, a sandy-bottomed swimming hole sitting at a cosy 34°C year-round.
2. Explore the Red Centre Light Trail
Head to Kings Canyon to see the Light Towers. (Credit: Tourism & Events NT)
Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park is more than just a place; it’s earned its name as Australia’s cultural heart. Here, a wealth of stories is held by its Traditional Owners, the Aṉangu. And while there are many ways to connect, in more recent years, the Red Centre Light Trail has offered visitors one more way to interpret all this landscape holds.
Wander the Light Towers at Kings Canyon and watch the Field of Light transform the land before Uluṟu as day turns to night. Also, be sure to take in Wintjiri Wiṟu by light artist Bruce Ramus, sharing the Aṉangu’s Mala story.
Arrive in April to experience Parrtjima, a free annual 10-night festival of light, featuring installations, workshops and more.
3. See unrivalled views from a helicopter
See Kakadu from the air. (Credit: Tourism & Events NT/ Sean Scott)
There’s no better place in the world to hit the skies in a helicopter. Soar over thundering waterfalls, world-famous wetlands and the floodplains of Kakadu National Park. A bird’s-eye view brings a special type of magic to this one-of-a-kind landscape.
You can also meet local characters on the pub crawl of a lifetime as you fly between some of the NT’s best and most remote pubs.
4. Discover the start of Western Arrarnta art
Book ahead to visit Hermannsburg Potters. (Credit: Tourism & Events NT/ Felix Baker)
Hermannsburg is one of the most unique towns in Australia. This historic mission town holds several claims to fame, including being the birthplace of Western Arrarnta art – a renowned style of Indigenous art using vibrant, naturalistic watercolours to depict Central Australian desert landscapes. Book ahead from April to September to visit Hermannsburg Potters, a collective of dedicated Western Arrarnta artists.
Spot wild crocs up close. (Credit: Tourism Australia)
The NT is the only territory that feeds wild crocs, putting the ‘wild’ in wildlife spotting experience. Join a cruise along the Adelaide River, just an hour from Darwin, to see these not-so-gentle prehistoric giants in their natural habitat.
Be sure to stop into Humpty Doo or Noonamah for lunch on your way back to Darwin. Here, you’ll experience a real NT roadhouse.
6. Experience local Indigenous cultures
Time a trip to Nhulunbuy for the Garma Festival. (Credit: Tourism & Events NT)
The NT offers some of the best opportunities to experience the world’s most ancient living culture. Head to Nhulunbuy in East Arnhem mid-year for the Garma Festival, Australia’s largest Indigenous gathering, with four days of song, dance and art sharing Yolngu culture. Stop into Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre in nearby Yirrkala while you’re there, current home of the Yirrkala Church Panels. Painted in 1963, they form one of the first ‘title deeds’ to Country.
Join a celebration of Indigenous music, art, culture and sport at the Barunga Festival, 80 kilometres from Katherine, every June. And year-round, book an Indigenous-led tour through Ubirr, one of the oldest rock art sites in Australia.
7. Meet the larrikins of Alice Springs
Henley on Todd Regatta might be one of the NT’s whackiest events. (Credit: Tourism & Events NT/
Head to Alice Springs at any time of year and you’ll be guaranteed to meet some colourful locals. But to really get to the heart of the eccentricities, mark a few dates on your calendar.
March brings one of the best Pride events in the world, fabAlice. Inspired by the iconic Aussie movie The Adventures ofPriscilla, Queen of the Desert, which was filmed in Alice Springs over 25 years ago, the festival has a strong focus on the art of drag and celebrates LGBTQI+ communities, as well as self-expression in general.
Come August, Todd River’s typically dry, sandy bed comes alive with the world’s only dry river boating event, the Henley on Todd Regatta.
8. Swim in a waterfall with no one else around
Swim in the Upper Cascades with no one else around.
So few of Australia’s most beautiful places remain untouched, but that’s not true in the NT. Take a short hike through monsoon forest in Litchfield National Park (just over an hour’s drive outside of Darwin) to reach the secluded Cascades swimming area. Here, take a dip in the lower or upper cascade pools, both surrounded by rugged bushland. And you’ll probably have it all to yourself.
