Northern Territory (NT)
The Northern Territory can be divided into two regions: the tropical Top End and the desert Red Centre. Darwin is the Northern Territory’s capital city and is the entry point to many attractions in the Top End.
The range of institutions is small but they generally have a good selection of courses in the general areas of teaching, law, business and nursing, as well as expertise in areas specific to the Northern Territory, such as tropical and desert science and Indigenous studies. Most students choose to study in Darwin, which is renowned for its diversity with one fifth of its residents hailing from overseas.
The Northern Territory is an excellent option for students seeking a relaxed, outdoor lifestyle and a warm climate, with Darwin being Australia’s only tropical capital city. Darwin’s proximity to Asia (and the rest of the world, for that matter) as Australia’s most northern capital city is another point of interest, especially when returning home for semester breaks.
Litchfield National Park, two hours south-west of Darwin, is a popular area offering scenic walks, swimming holes, picnic areas and other natural attractions. There are also camping grounds so you can enjoy a longer stay and explore the whole park.
Heading down towards Central Australia you pass through Katherine, the gateway to Katherine Gorge, a spectacular setting featuring a large river with rugged cliff walls on each side.The world heritage listed Kakadu National Park is another feature of the Territory. Covering around 20,000 square kilometres, this park is world famous for the almost unbelievable beauty of its scenery and the amazing variety of wildlife it supports. Kakadu hosts a supreme collection of Indigenous rock art — some of it dating back 30,000 years. The paintings constitute one of the longest historical records of any group of people in the world.
Alice Springs is a good base from which to explore the unique scenery of Central Australia. Attractions include the most well-known Indigenous sacred site, Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock), and the spectacular rock dome formations of Kata Tjuta (also known as The Olgas). Uluru and Kata Tjuta are the remains of erosion that began around 500 million years ago.
