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This article is to explain why Berry Springs tops our list of the best day trips from Darwin… especially for families.
In fact:
If you only have 1 day to spare then this is the place to go.
And, even if you have plenty of time in Darwin…
…it’s still worth putting on top of your list.
So what makes Berry Springs so good? What makes it one of the best day trips from Darwin?
Berry Springs is only just over 40 minutes from Darwin
The Northern Territory has a lot to offer (and most of it is hard to get to). In some cases, the remoteness adds to a place’s charm.
But if you want a good taste of the NT without spending hours in the car?
At Berry Springs you get the tropical foliage. The wildlife. You can use a pool noodle to float between freshwater swimming holes. And it’s only a 40 minute drive from the CBD.
[Even though Berry Springs is on our list of best day trips from Darwin, you could easily do it in half a day]
You can actually swim there
One of the main reasons this place is so popular?
Because the rest of the ‘Top End’ is a tease. There’s amazing beaches and water holes that you don’t dare go in.
The good thing is that Berry Springs is from a natural freshwater spring:
It’s isolated from other watercourses. There’s fences. And croc traps around the place.
During the Dry Season this keeps the Estuarine “Saltwater” Crocodiles out. Most of the time. The good thing is that rangers do regular checks.
[Personally, I wouldn’t want to be the first person in the water each morning though!]
There’s plenty of space (and swimming options) for everyone
Even when there’s lots of people at Berry Springs, it still isn’t that crowded. On the swimming side of things, there’s:
Berry Springs, a shallow rock pool with mini waterfalls (suitable for toddlers and non-swimmers)
The Main Pool. A freshwater swimming hole with a ladder from a concrete platform. Perfect for relaxing on a floatie with a Great Northern!
The Lower Pool. We didn’t swim in this part. It has a bit of a ‘Heart of Darkness’ feel about it. If there *were* crocs, it’s here I reckon they’d be hiding…
There’s some steep steps going down to the shallow pool. This makes them difficult to access. Luckily the rest of it is…
Berry Springs is pram (and wheelchair) friendly
You can get from the car park, through the picnic area, and all the way down to the main water holes.
NT Parks and Wildlife have done a good job of putting infrastructure in (but without ruining the natural charm of the place).
Why is this important to us? Access. And using the pram as a pack-mule. Not to mention doing laps with a sleeping toddler!
There’s great snorkelling for the kids
If you come, make sure you bring a mask and snorkel. There’s no fishing at Berry Springs. This means that there’s plenty of fish and freshwater prawns here, and they’re a decent sized.
The kids loved the snorkelling… the big Barred Grunters and the weird looking Longtoms were the kids’ favourites
Berry Springs Nature Park is set up well for picnics (even if you don’t swim)
A lot of people visit to use this place without going in the water… There’s shady picnic areas with tables and barbecues. Wood is provided. There’s a kiosk that’s open in the Dry Season. There’s the Monsoon Rainforest and Woodlands Walk. The whole place is great for bird-watching and checking out the massive Merten’s Water Monitors!
There’s an awesome pub close by!
You can’t visit unless you go to Berry Springs Tavern. The play area makes it kid friendly, there’s a freshwater crocodile for the kids (and big kids) to check out… and the burgers?
They help bring Berry Springs to the top of the list of the best day trips from Darwin!
Is Berry Springs on your list? What are your best day trips from Darwin?
Doing a lap of Australia, Uluru has been our favourite place (check out our 10 Tips to Help You Plan Your Trip to Uluru)
But when you’re up in the Top End?
These are the reasons why we thought Berry Springs is one of the best day trips from Darwin…
Honestly, we thought it’s up there with places like Mataranka.
But a lot closer.
Comment below: is Berry Springs in your list of best day trips from Darwin?
