Five towns to stop by on the NT's Arnhem Highway

Getting in the car and heading off on a weekend away or a day trip to small and medium-sized towns down the highway can be a fulfilling experience with hidden gems and great local hospitality. Here are a few highlights down the Northern Territory's Arnhem Highway.

From: Runs roughly east-west from Humpty Doo south of Darwin to Jabiru in the Kakadu National Park.
Named after: The Arnhem Land region of the NT, itself named after the ship Arnhem, captained by Dutch explorer Willem Joosten van Colster in the early 17th century.
Route number: A36, B36.
Length: 227km
Best bit: Definitely the further you get from the relative civilization of Darwin and into the wetlands of Kakadu past the South Alligator River.

The Arnhem Highway is the main route from Darwin to Kakadu National Park so expect plenty of tourist attractions along the way. Humpty Doo is a semi-rural outpost of Darwin (just 30km to the north) and during mango season the smell of the ripe fruit hangs in the air. Look out for roadside stalls during the summer months selling trays of mangoes for ridiculously low prices.

A bit further along is the Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve, a wetland area on the Adelaide River that is home to plenty of water birds. There are easily accessible boardwalks and you might see a turtle, one of the many resident water pythons or just revel in the natural tropical beauty of the area.

Just down the road, where the highway crosses the Adelaide River, is a natural attraction of a more organised and thrilling sort. The river is home to some enormous saltwater crocodiles, and tour boat operators seek them out for visitors. The crocs put on an acrobatic display, launching from the water to be fed at the side of the boat. Without a doubt, it’s the best way to see Australia’s largest predator up close and scary.

The Djukbinj National Park is another good spot to find a walking trail and check out the birdlife in this year-round wetland area. Also, look out for the Cathedral Termite Mounds and an explanation of the tiny insects that build these huge structures, sometimes called magnetic termite mounds for their general north-south orientation.

You’ll want to stop at the Bark Hut Inn, just past Mary River to top up on fuel, or just grab a drink and a bite. The Inn is a typical Northern Territory roadhouse with plenty of interesting stuff hanging on the walls (including the head of a big water buffalo) and if you haven’t tried the local barramundi yet, this is a good place to start.

The entry to Kakadu National Park is about 40km further along, and from there on it’s an easy drive through alternating scrub and water courses including the South Alligator River, where you can turn off to check out the boat ramp viewing area – but don’t be tempted to dip toes in the water!

The end of the highway is Jabiru, a larger town with resorts, caravan parks and shops, but is probably just the beginning of a Kakadu adventure. A variety of tours within the National Park leave from here or if you’ve got your own 4WD and have carefully checked road conditions, you can self-drive one of Australia’s greatest natural wonders.

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