There’s an adventure for everyone in the Northern Territory, so get the family ready and take advantage of all that’s on offer, writes Tatyana Leonov.

The Northern Territory is magical, for kids and adults alike. Hiking trails weave their way past ancient rock art, gloriously colourful sunsets leave you breathless, and hidden waterholes provide revitalisation in every sense of the word.

The big must-see

If you’re flying into Uluru, you may see the protruding rockface from the plane, but once you’re in its vicinity, there’s no missing it. Hubby and I try to look away and wait to really see the sandstone formation for the first time at sunset… and are thankful we did.

We join a throng of sightseers for what will be the event of a lifetime. First, a series of pinks and reds begin to dance across the sky. As the minutes tick by, the famous hulk transforms into a dark bulge. The sky goes up in orange flames before the sun sinks into the horizon. We are mesmerised, but occasionally manage to express our awe to one another.

The next morning, we set off on the Uluru Base Walk, following the 10-kilometre track that circumnavigates Uluru. It’s mainly flat and accessible for walkers and wheelers, be they the pram, wheelchair or bicycle variety. We later hire bikes and cover the trail numerous times, finding something different to admire each time we do a circle.

It doesn’t matter if you’re two or 92, the world’s biggest rock monolith astounds.

King of the mountains

Climbing to the top of Kings Canyon is a challenge, but once you’re trailing the edge and gazing down into the ravine below, your burning thighs are all but forgotten. Still, my daughter prefers to sit in the carrier whenever she sees an upward slope.

About halfway into the hike, the Garden of Eden makes for a lovely respite, with lush greenery in every direction and the sounds of galahs squawking and finches cheeping. Where my little one is concerned, snack breaks happen often, but this is by far and away the spot to enjoy it.

Top of the world

The Northern Territory is home to 24 national parks, 73 nature reserves, several conservation areas, historical reserves and marine parks. And if your brood loves to soak up the great outdoors, there really is no better place than Australia's Top End.

Ubirr in Kakadu National Park is definitely worth a visit, and the walk to the lookout isn’t too challenging for little legs. First, a mostly flat one-kilometre circuit knits its way past a remarkable collection of well-preserved rock art. More recent artworks are etched over older ones on the rockfaces, and we spend close to an hour engrossed in scenes of centuries past.

The climb to the lookout is about 250 metres, and we time our ascent to arrive just before sunset. My husband manages to set up his camera in time to snap the medley of bright pinks, oranges and purples shimmying across the sky and highlighting the vibrant greens and dusty brown plains below, while my little miss and I just gaze in wonder.

Croc-spotting adventures

Gangly trees sweep over reflections of themselves and water lilies quiver with only the slightest of movements. As our boat purrs along the Yellow Water Billabong, our guide points out white-bellied sea eagles, black-necked storks, magpie geese and plumed whistling ducks.

And crocodiles! We see one, then two, then three, four, five… I hold my daughter so firmly she yelps. It’s estimated approximately 10,000 crocs call Kakadu home, so it’s a fair assumption that there’s a few lurking in this patch of paradise. My husband snaps photo after photo and I demonstrate great restraint from holding him painfully tight too, as he leans over the edge of the vessel.

Open-air art

After a while you become accustomed to outdoor art galleries in the Northern Territory, and our family favourite is Anbangang Gallery, found in Burrungkuy (Nourlangie).

During peak season from June to September, the Bininj/Mungguy people guide visitors along rock art walks and cultural activities, and we join a guided walk one hot morning. We follow a gentle trail passing rock shelters and crevices cut out in the form of short-eared rock wallabies before reaching the Anbangang Gallery.

Our guide doesn’t talk for a while, and neither does anyone else in the group. Thankfully, our daughter is napping in the carrier, and we are able to admire the artwork in quietude. Eventually, our guide breaks the silence and introduces us to the famous painting of Lightning Man, the Dreamtime ancestor who controls the dramatic lightning storms that light up the night sky during the Top End's wet season.

At the end of the trail, tucked away into a neat little corner, the smaller Nanguluwurr Gallery features illustrations of ancestral spirits, animals and sailing ships. The sight of these vastly different artworks makes you aware of the changes Indigenous Australians have experienced. They have always been around native animals, but it’s hard to imagine what they would have thought when they first saw a vessel nearing their home.

Cooling off

The ascent to the top of Gunlom Falls, where lies a magnificent collection of waterholes, is not an easy one. When you add a toddler in a carrier to the equation (along with swimmers, towels, water and snacks), the challenge is magnified tenfold. But we do hard things for amazing outcomes. And it is amazing. The natural rock pools overlook the cascading waterfall and sprawling bushland below, and soaking up that view (pun intended) is really out of this world.

City taster

There are plenty of family-friendly restaurants and cafes at Darwin Waterfront, but don’t tell the kids about the Wave Lagoon until after you’ve eaten… that is, if you want them to eat. At the Wave Lagoon, 20-minute bursts of simulated waves (followed by 10 minutes of calm conditions) keep young and old alike entertained for hours, and if it weren’t for plans already in place, hubby would stay all day.

My little one is a tad too young to enjoy the waves, so we head to the Recreation Lagoon for a relaxing swim and to construct a few sandcastles. We end our Darwin adventure with a visit to Mindil Beach for sunset, and vow to return when the markets are on. On Thursday and Sunday afternoons from April to October the Mindil Beach Sunset Market is the place to be, with great food, jumping castles and all kinds of kids’ entertainment to keep the little ones going.