Arafura Games

About Darwin

Darwin is the capital of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is a place that is renowned for it’s warm hospitality, perfect weather and spectacular natural beauty.

Darwin's unique geographical location as Australia’s most northern capital provides the perfect position for a close relationship with the Asia-Pacific region. Darwin is as close to Singapore and Malaysia as it is to Sydney making Darwin widely recognised as Australia's gateway to Asia. The coastal regions of the Top End have long welcomed visitors to their shores. Maccasins’ from Indonesia traded with coastal Aborigines for hundreds of years and in the 1870’s the discovery of gold drew many Chinese settlers.

Today, with a population of approximately 100,000, Darwin prides itself on being a multicultural city with more than 50 nationalities represented in the area. Darwin is clean, green and proud of it. The city boasts excellent roads and infrastructure helping maintain its title as the only “traffic-jam-free” capital city in Australia. This also means that it is possible to travel just about anywhere in Darwin within 15 minutes.

There is an excellent range of accommodation, attractions and restaurants, all within close proximity of Darwin City Centre. During Arafura Games week, participants can enjoy the attractions of this beautiful tropical harbour city which include local markets, art and craft, amazing wildlife and a rich cultural history.