Things To Do With Kids in Northern Territory

Of the 14 places here, seven sit in and around Darwin, four in Katherine and three in Alice Springs, so the first decision is simply which town you are in. Darwin's headline is Crocosaurus Cove in the CBD, which The Ginger Wanderlust names among the best things to do in Darwin as home of the Cage of Death. Baby croc feeding is included in standard admission, and our verdict is that it works best from about age 6, since smaller children can find the saltwater crocodiles intimidating at close range. Kingpin Darwin is the air-conditioned wet-season fallback, with laser tag and arcade zones that let a mixed-age family split up. RFDS Darwin Tourist Facility uses VR and holograms to tell WWII history and suits kids 7 and older, the same starting age as Gecko Climb Darwin in Woolner, where staff guide first-time climbers.

For water and evenings, Wave Lagoon runs strong waves on a 15-minute cycle and suits confident swimmers, with a wristband for all-day re-entry. Deckchair Cinema is a sunset outdoor screening where deck chairs fill fast; BCC Cinemas Casuarina is the conventional option next to Timezone and the food court.

In Alice Springs, Alice Springs Desert Park is grouped by Northernterritory.com's family guide with the Reptile Centre and Kangaroo Sanctuary as places made for families; reviewers single out the free-flying bird show and Nocturnal House. Alice Springs Aquatic Leisure Centre has a 50m pool, a heated indoor pool and water slides, while Alice Springs Skate Park is free but reported closed on weekends and suits experienced riders.

Katherine offers Katherine Museum, an air-conditioned stop on the route to Katherine Gorge with Cyclone Tracy and WWII displays pitched at ages 8 and up; Top Didj Aboriginal Art Gallery, where kids paint, make fire and throw spears; Katherine Aquatic Centre, a 50m pool with approachable birdlife; and the compact Katherine Skate Park, which has no facilities on site.