top end

Northern Australia is a vast region stretching from the Kimberley Plateau of Western Australia through the Top End of the Northern Territory to the tip of Queensland's Cape York. In Northern Australia five percent of the population inhabit approximately half of the continent. The Top End has been constantly occupied for more than 60 000 years. This is reflected by one of the oldest currently practiced cultures in the world, which has been passed down through countless generations. The Top End includes spectacular wetlands and waterfalls, awe inspiring rocky outcrops and Precambrian escarpments up to 1.6 billion years old. The abundant wildlife includes freshwater and saltwater crocodiles and a wealth of rock-art that is amongst the oldest on earth.

During the dry season (May - September) the weather in the Top End is near perfect - 27-32 degrees celsius, with very little or no rain. The build up or troppo season (October) and build down (April) are characterised by high humidity and low rainfall. Once the wet season begins in the Top End (November - March), it's more difficult to get to places. The monsoonal rains make rivers impassable and some areas inaccessible , cutting off roads. The wild electric storms turn the sky into a spectacular light show and the rain dramatically transforms the landscape. The Top End is the monsoonal top half of the Northern Territory of Australia. Choose a place and find out more about the Top End of Northern Australia.