Kate Dinning’s guide to a great Top End weekend
From huge music acts to outdoor flicks and tasty tacos, there is plenty to do across the Top End this weekend, writes Kate Dinning.
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WHAT’S ON THIS WEEKEND
How good is being able to watch movies, in a deckchair, outdoors? So good. How often do I do it? Not as often as I’d like to!
In case you missed it this week: The Deckchair Cinema is back.
Check out the range of movies on this weekend at this Darwin institution – including The Lost Tiger Saturday night and Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy on Sunday, and grab yourself a program to select some movies for a weeknight dry season treat.
Darwin has some big names this weekend – on Friday night, Peking Duk was DJing at Monsoons, and Saturday night, you can still snatch up tickets to see Eskimo Joe at the Darwin Entertainment Centre.
If rugby league is more your vibe, the NRL is in Darwin – and the Eels will be playing one final match as the Territory’s home team Saturday night.
Catch the Parramatta Eels face the Canberra Raiders at TIO Stadium at 5.30pm.
For those looking for a wholesome weekend activity – I hope you’re reading this early, because the Native Plant Giveaways are back at the Jingili water gardens.
On from 8am until 11am, there will be over 2000 native plants available and you can take up to six of them.
Just remember to bring proof of NT residence.
If you’re up for some art gallery wandering, check out the new exhibition by seven Darwin artists, Memento 25.
It’s a vibrant and diverse selection of artworks at a variety of pricepoints, at Qubit Gallery (formerly Mayfair Gallery) from 10am - 3pm.
SOMEWHERE YOU NEED TO EAT
I know we all love Mexican food here in Darwin, so I need to make sure you’ve all tried Sanchos Taco Bar.
It’s only small, but it has made a serious impact on my dinner rotation.
The thing I love is that the food is consistently fresh and consistently tasty – you always know your craving will be satisfied – and the specials change often enough to keep it interesting.
The fish tacos are battered in coconut, which is delicious, and the beef tacos have lychees which is a gamechanger.
Everything on the menu is gluten-free, which is worth noting.
You’ll find it on one of the city-facing corners of Stokes Hill Wharf’s food strip.
Just make sure you take your ID, you can also get cheap beers at the Takeaway Bar across the aisle.
LOCALS TIP
Where to go if you have no plans for Easter next weekend?
I’m still waiting to see what the weather is like next weekend and what these tropical lows off the coast decide to do… and it seems so is everyone else, because I was pleasantly surprised when I looked on the Parks booking system to see that there were still campsites for Easter.
If you’re a last-minute planner like me, you’ll be pleased to know you can still get a campsite for three nights at Leylin (Edith Falls), at Umbrawarra – which is great in the early dry season – and even at Wangi Falls if you’re looking for somewhere close to home.
There’s also a heap of bush camps on HipCamp in the Bynoe and Dundee region, so there are still options.
Maybe my Local’s Tip next week will be how to get mould out of your rooftop tent after a long, humid wet season… Stay tuned!
Originally published as Kate Dinning’s guide to a great Top End weekend
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