Nina Fitzgerald is the co-founder of Laundry Gallery, a multidisciplinary hub on Larrakia land (the Larrakia people are the traditional owners of the Darwin region, and Nina is a proud Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander woman). With the tagline ‘old stories, new spin’, the gallery focuses on making Indigenous art accessible – and relatable – to all. ‘It’s a small space, but it is beautiful, open, outward-facing, and we change it every six weeks,’ she explains. ‘One of the main goals is to share the stories and creativity of First Nations Australia, but to pull it away from the white-walled institutions where it is so often held, and make it fun – which it is – and exciting and vibrant.’
This love of storytelling is born from Nina’s upbringing in Darwin. ‘It was such a beautiful place to grow up in – there’s a big sense of community, and getting to know people and their stories is one of the best parts of living here,’ she says. ‘It’s a melting pot of cultures. And we have this close connection to Indigenous cultures right across the Northern Territory. There’s so much that people can come and learn about and get involved in. And the natural world is exceptionally beautiful. I always think of the incredible contrasts in our landscapes – the bright blue sky against the green ocean or the red rock. And it’s warm all year round – an endless summer.’
Below, Nina shares her favourite places in Darwin and across the Northern Territory.
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‘There are a couple of galleries that really home in on First Nations arts. Outstation is one that works with many well-known, established artists from remote communities, who are making some of the most ground-breaking new works – often beautiful large-scale paintings and sculpture, which I love.
‘MAGNT Darwin hosts the annual National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, which opens in June and runs until January next year. That’s always a showstopping exhibition. Throughout the year, it will also have multiple exhibitions, so it’s worth checking out.
‘Overall, August is the best time to be in Darwin. There’s the Aboriginal Art Fair, which represents 70-plus art centres from around the country, and also the National Indigenous Music Awards, which is a live concert. The Darwin Festival runs throughout the month and, because it’s our dry season with clear skies and cool days, everything is outdoors. There are pop-up events and just so much happening in the city in those few weeks.
‘In terms of fashion, one of the coolest exports at the moment is a brand called House of Darwin, run by a local Larrakia man, Shaun Edwards, who celebrates the Northern Territory through these incredible, graphic-heavy T-shirts. Last year, the brand opened a custom-built store that celebrates this place and reflects the Territory.
‘There’s also some really cool stuff coming out of remote Aboriginal communities, where there’s a long history of textile printing and making. At Laundry Gallery, we get a small stock rotation of printed fabrics. They’re super unique and hand-printed, largely by women. It’s something that’s increasingly being picked up by the fashion industry.’
Darwin’s best restaurants
‘The best restaurant for dinner is Ella by Minoli. It’s Sri Lankan food and always phenomenal. There’s also a really big Greek population in Darwin and there are a couple of great Greek restaurants. One is called Meraki and one is called Yots. Our proximity to Asia also means so much Asian produce grows here, so the selection of food from this region is incredible as well. There’s a great choice at the Parap Markets, which is quite iconic.
‘If you want scenery, there are a few yacht clubs down by the water: the Ski Club, Sailing Club and Trailer Boat Club. They’re all right on the beach, and you can just have a drink or a meal overlooking the water. And because we’re western-facing, we have incredible sunsets every night.’
Beyond the city
‘Litchfield National Park is really easy to get to – less than 1.5 hours driving from Darwin. It’s a loop road, and there are all these gorgeous waterfalls and water holes [ponds and lakes] that come off it. One of my favourite ones, which is often really quiet and not busy with tourists, is called Cascades. It’s not a massive waterfall but it’s very relaxing and you can swim there.
‘If you have the time, get out to Kakadu National Park. I go at least once a year and do the Yellow Water Cruise near Cooinda Lodge. It runs year-round and it’s really different in the wet and dry seasons, but it’s full of wildlife and they have incredible guides who talk to you about the surrounding landscape. Where the boat leaves from, there’s this amazing lodge that’s really good for families. You could make it your base for a night, do the cruise and visit one of the surrounding water holes. In Kakadu, there are also rock-art walks and different gorges you can go into.
‘The other national park is Nitmiluk. It’s a series of huge gorges with rock walls on either side. You can go on boating trips, you can canoe, you can hike in this incredible scenery. And, if you have the time, go to Alice Springs and Uluru [formerly Ayers Rock]. It’s like nothing else. The photographs don’t do it justice. It’s unbelievable.’
Start planning and book your adventure at northernterritory.com
