Sport in tropical Darwin

Darwin may be far from any other city, but the people here love their sport just as much as everyone else in Australia!

Though the population may be small, there are plenty of great sporting events across the calendar year to enjoy in Darwin.

• Australian Rules Football

  Though Darwin, or the Northern Territory, is yet to have a team in the national league, Australian rules football is one of the most popular sports here. Dating back to the 1910s, footy has been an extremely popular sport amongst Indigenous communities. The competition here is so fierce that the territory produces more professional footballers than any other in Australia.

  Due to the different climate to other parts of Australia, their competition runs at the opposite time to the national league. The game is fast, high contact and unlike anything else you’ve ever seen. We promise you’ll have a ball!

  One of the most popular games is the Tiwi Islands Football League Grand Final. Situated just a short ferry from Darwin, the Grand Final is the biggest footballing day of the year. People from around Australia come to support the remote community and watch a fantastic sporting spectacle.

• Rugby Union

  Australia has two codes of rugby, league and union, and though both are played in Darwin, union is certainly the most popular. There is a local league that runs senior men’s and women’s games as well as a junior competition, however, the real show is the Hottest 7s.

  Rugby sevens is a variant of rugby union. It was developed as a fast-paced, summer alternative to full union games. The sport has gained more popularity in recent years, even being played in the most recent Olympics.

  The Hottest 7s in the World competition is held in November each year and is the richest rugby sevens tournament in the world. The competition sees high profile national teams from New Zealand, Fiji, Singapore, Hong Kong, Borneo, England, Japan, Kenya, South Africa, and Australia participate. Head on to witness some of the best teams in the world strut themselves in Darwin’s wicked heat.

• Great Northern Darwin Cup

  The Melbourne Cup might stop the nation, but the Great Northern Darwin Cup stops the territory.
  It’s done in just over two minutes, but it takes over a year of dedication and planning to pull off the magnificent eight-day racing carnival. The race is Australia’s richest dirt track horse race and brings people from across the territory for a week of entertainment and great fashion. The event has everything a good racing carnival needs; fashions on the field, great races, delicious food, and plenty of entertainment.

• Darwin Triple Crown

  If you prefer your racers to be in cars, the Darwin Triple Crown is for you. The V8 Supercar race is held annually at the Hidden Valley Raceway. Held over three days, the Triple Crown refers to the three races across the weekend; the 120km sprint, top ten shoot out, and 200km sprint. The elusive Triple Crown remained elusive until just last year when Scott McLaughlin was the first to win all three races.

As you can see there are plenty of sporting events in Darwin for you to enjoy. No matter what type of sports you prefer, Darwin has something perfect for you!

Related article: What is the History of Darwin?

Cameron Ward

Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia

Cameron Ward turned his travel passion into a thriving Australian tourism business. Before he co-founded his own business, Sightseeing Tours Australia, he was enjoying being a Melbourne tour guide. Even now, Cameron delights in helping visitors from all around the world get the most out of their incredible Australian trip. You’ll see Cameron leading tours or writing about his favourite Australian places where he shares his local insights.