Some help with planning Darwin trip.

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

Hey all. Just having a few beers and me and a couple of mates thought about doing the July 5th Darwin game in TIO against Fremantle. Has anyone done the trip from Melbourne to Darwin to watch the boys play before? Just some simple questions if you don't mind. Where to stay? Is TIO near Darwin? How many days is enough to see enough of Darwin? Being a member do I need to book a ticket for the game? Any other advice would be awesome. Thanks all.

[Guest]

Pretty certain you need to buy ticket. Stay in the 'CBD', only place you'd want to stay. TIO is slightly out of town, but only a 10-15 minute drive from memory. Don't stay more than 4-5 days, you'll quickly run out of things to do. Nice town, nonetheless. If wildlife (crocodiles in particular) isn't to your fancy, then 4-5 days may even be too much

[jackaub 1,402]

Been twice Stayed Mantra on Waterfront.Cab to TIO is 15-20 minutes No cab return so Bus is layed on This year will stay in Fanny Bay Closer and not as many drunks as CBD Dont get sucked into MFC "Cocktail Party " Use social media to find other supporters Unless you want to go crocadile hunting or look at nature 3 days is enough time

If with your girl sunset dinner cruise is great

Edited March 1, 2014 by jackaub

[Demanding Success 298]

We went to the first game up there. We have afl membership and didn't buy tickets. Afl membership got us a ticket in the grandstand and there were plenty of empty seats there. We hired a car at the airport and stayed for 4 days. We stayed in a hotel in the city which stynesy was also staying at. He was president then. It's easy driving around up there. The ground didn't take long to drive to and heaps of parking. Saw quite a few players both before and after the game in cafes in the city area.

[Its Time for Another 4,298]

I went last year. Had a great four days. Flew in Thursday afternoon, took a hire car and drove down to Jabiru in Kakadu. About a three hour drive. Stayed in the main hotel down there, Gagudju Crocodile Holiday Inn. (The famous hotel shaped like a Crocodile), then did a tourist flight out of Jabiru to see all the areas you can't get to by car which is something like 97% of Kakadu. About $110 for under an hour. Well worth it. Did a bunch of tourist hikes that day and ended up at Cooinda Camping Ground which is a large caravan park with basic restaurant etc. It is just down the road from the Yellow Water cruises on the river. I real must. Got there just in time for the dusk cruise which was amazing. Plenty of massive crocks in the water. Next day did a bit of driving, went on a three hour hike and drove back up to Darwin. Stayed at the Adina Apartments on the Darwin Waterfront. That's the precinct to stay at. It's only a 15-20 minute cab drive to the ground. We booked our tickets to the game well in advance and could pick the best seats right in the middle of the Grandstand on the wing. The game was needless to say the low point of the trip. But that shouldn't have again. We got up early and spent the day till 2pm looking around. There is a good Darwin museum with a display on Cyclone Tracy and the Military museum is a bit of a must with a very good interactive exhibition on the Japanese bombing in WW2. So we arrived Thurs arvo left Sunday arvo. Could have possibly done with one more day but it was pretty good in that time frame.

The Club was very disappointing. We rang them around this time before the game and they couldn't tell us what they were going to organise. In the end it was a very expensive fishing trip for a day and a half. Around $2-2,500. Probably great if you have the money. The only thing they could offer at the game was a designated area with a bbq and drinks for $150. Again way over priced. We just sat in the Grand Stand which was very interesting anyway. Sitting in amongst a crowd of locals and interstaters.

We had a great time and a good excuse to go see a part of Aus I would probably not get to otherwise.

[dees189227 12,432]

I went 2 years ago. Just rocked up at the gate and bought a ticket. So dont think you should pre book. It wont sell out. You can sit in dry areas behind the goals and dont rely on buying food there. There isnt much on offer and they ran out quickly. Rent a car and drive to the ground, dont rely on public transport or a taxi. people try to hijack them.

The mindall market is great to go to. Plenty of great food and things to look at. Because I was with young children the wave pool is great, can spend all day there in the city and we went to croc a saurus cove and other tousity stuff. You will bump into the players a lot walking around the city especially coles and outback jacks.

Its actually a nice place to visit. The bus into the city only cost you $2.

[jumbo returns 6,741]

Hey all. Just having a few beers and me and a couple of mates thought about doing the July 5th Darwin game in TIO against Fremantle. Has anyone done the trip from Melbourne to Darwin to watch the boys play before? Just some simple questions if you don't mind. Where to stay? Is TIO near Darwin? How many days is enough to see enough of Darwin? Being a member do I need to book a ticket for the game? Any other advice would be awesome. Thanks all.

I'll lend you the HK Panno, CFH.

Throw the boys in the back, a coupla fan belts, extra coolant, and extra water and several slabs.

Sit on 70mph, the 202 will love it!

Be careful you don't have your own version of Wolfcreek!

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

I'll lend you the HK Panno, CFH.

Throw the boys in the back, a coupla fan belts, extra coolant, and extra water and several slabs.

Sit on 70mph, the 202 will love it!

Be careful you don't have your own version of Wolfcreek!

You should be a holiday planner. Every holiday comes with a HK and some slabs!

[Barney Rubble 1,576]

I went last year and took my wife to her first game of AFL.

If you haven't been to NT before, then certainly spend the money and see Kakadu and Arnhem land.

We did the return Journey via the Ghan to Alice (uluru) then Adelaide.

We had a fantastic time in spite of us going down to the Lions.

CBD the best place to stay.

[old dee 23,915]

Here we are on the third of March and nothing on the MFC website that I can see about going to either game in Darwin.

This never ceases to amaze me.

By now all cheaper plane tickets will be gone

Three weeks ago you could book Jetstar for $240 return today $387 return.

By the time the MFC gets its offer up it will $500.

I rang them last year when we had a travel company as a major sponsor and crap offer appeared five minutes before the trip.

I wrote a letter to PJ at the end of January this year.

We have the NT as a sponsor and play games there ( which I am happy about ) but seem to do bugger all to entice members to go.

I have been to Darwin a few times for work and pleasure, IMO it is a good place for a few days in our winter.

Consider a six day break, go up Thursday back Tuesday. However you are now probably too late for the cheap fares

Weather will be good, go anyway and enjoy the top end

[Satyriconhome 10,880]

CFH, ignore the staying in the CBD , been three times, stay at SkyCity, it is a twenty minutes stroll into the city centre, it has a casino, a decent bar and two or three restaurants, the bus to the game stops right outside,

it is next door to Mindl markets,

you can actually stay a week and find plenty to do, there is a really good information centre near Parliament House, you can book everything there....

.would recommend any of the day or two trips to Kakadu, Lichfield, Katherine Gorge.....the War Museum.....an evening trip 65km out of Darwin to see the turtles etc etc

.if you are into fishing, would recommend one of the trips....

.we booked through Qantas which covers the hotel and flights.....they could do with the money......

.ignore the Club travel agent, very overpriced.....

..there is nothing wrong with the Club organised functions.....a bit pricey, but isn't everything

[old dee 23,915]

CFH, ignore the staying in the CBD , been three times, stay at SkyCity, it is a twenty minutes stroll into the city centre, it has a casino, a decent bar and two or three restaurants, the bus to the game stops right outside,

it is next door to Mindl markets,

you can actually stay a week and find plenty to do, there is a really good information centre near Parliament House, you can book everything there....

.would recommend any of the day or two trips to Kakadu, Lichfield, Katherine Gorge.....the War Museum.....an evening trip 65km out of Darwin to see the turtles etc etc

.if you are into fishing, would recommend one of the trips....

.we booked through Qantas which covers the hotel and flights.....they could do with the money......

.ignore the Club travel agent, very overpriced.....

..there is nothing wrong with the Club organised functions.....a bit pricey, but isn't everything

Pretty much spot on there Saty.

People going should organize their own get together.

Just nominate a hotel and time and turn up.

I am sure that would be way cheaper than an MFC event and as much fun.

perhaps a MFC supporter in the NT could make a suggestion.

[McQueen 17,867]

I travel regularly through Darwin on my way to a customers mine site so I've ever really only passed through with a nights accomm and a stroll around town. Mitchell St is where it all happens in the CBD or a bit further down on the Waterfront as 'It's Time' mentioned earlier. Good restaurants and places to rehydrate and if you're a single bloke there's a bit on offer with the amount of Backpackers about town.

I plan to head up this year with a work mate who's a Freo supporter but it'll be an overnighter only.

Would be great to celebrate the win with a few other Landers so I'll keep an eye out for anyone heading up.

[jazza 1,323]

the backpackers get a bit roudy at night ,rooten drunk as a matter of fact.

if they still have it,you can be put in a perspect tube in a pool and they put a big croc in the pool.top notch experience not to be missed.

[Its Time for Another 4,298]

Here we are on the third of March and nothing on the MFC website that I can see about going to either game in Darwin.

This never ceases to amaze me.

By now all cheaper plane tickets will be gone

Three weeks ago you could book Jetstar for $240 return today $387 return.

By the time the MFC gets its offer up it will $500.

I rang them last year when we had a travel company as a major sponsor and crap offer appeared five minutes before the trip.

I wrote a letter to PJ at the end of January this year.

We have the NT as a sponsor and play games there ( which I am happy about ) but seem to do bugger all to entice members to go.

I have been to Darwin a few times for work and pleasure, IMO it is a good place for a few days in our winter.

Consider a six day break, go up Thursday back Tuesday. However you are now probably too late for the cheap fares

Weather will be good, go anyway and enjoy the top end

Spot on. Don't understand this either. Got no special support for this specific footy trip from the Club or NT Tourism for that matter. They were good but didn't have anything set up especially for D's supporters.

I thought it would have been great to stay in the same hotel as the Club and mingle a bit with them given the big effort to fly up to Darwin. But no, nothing.

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

Here we are on the third of March and nothing on the MFC website that I can see about going to either game in Darwin.

This never ceases to amaze me.

By now all cheaper plane tickets will be gone

Three weeks ago you could book Jetstar for $240 return today $387 return.

By the time the MFC gets its offer up it will $500.

I rang them last year when we had a travel company as a major sponsor and crap offer appeared five minutes before the trip.

I wrote a letter to PJ at the end of January this year.

We have the NT as a sponsor and play games there ( which I am happy about ) but seem to do bugger all to entice members to go.

I have been to Darwin a few times for work and pleasure, IMO it is a good place for a few days in our winter.

Consider a six day break, go up Thursday back Tuesday. However you are now probably too late for the cheap fares

Weather will be good, go anyway and enjoy the top end

Spot on old Dee. I couldn't find anything at the Melbourne website. It's damn hard to find the NT tourism logo on MFC.com. Obviously I want to start planning and booking soon and I thought the MFC would have something on the cards but everyone on here has been a massive help. I plan on going for 5 days. I'm looking forward to it.

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

Big thanks to everyone posting suggestions on here.

[old dee 23,915]

Checked the MFC site today that I could see still nothing about going there.

The match is approx. 10 weeks away .

We are really serious about encouraging members to go to the NT right?

[bazza226 74]

Try this link http://www.melbournefc.com.au/deesdothent?camefrom=EMCL_244857_11848853

[old dee 23,915]

Try this link http://www.melbournefc.com.au/deesdothent?camefrom=EMCL_244857_11848853

Well there you go bazza turns out I am stupid as well as blind.

4 days to Darwin for $590 is not too bad actually but I cannot see too many takers for the 7 Day $3345 all dancing show.