The wet season usually starts in the Victoria Daly Region with severe heat and thunderstorms in late October. This is called “the build-up”. Unlike Darwin, the risk of a major flood or electrical storm is rated as very high – particularly in areas around Daly River. This makes travel within the region extremely difficult due to road closures. The dry season is a pleasant time of year in the Northern Territory, attracting many tourists to the beautiful Big Rivers Region. For storm and severe weather advice and local weather warnings, listen to the local radio stations and keep up to date by visiting the Bureau of Meteorology website.

Flooding in the Victoria Daly Region area can occur any time of year. Inland flooding of the region’s waterways, creeks, rivers and low-lying plains is a regular occurrence. Council recognises that it is never possible to eliminate all risk of flooding and flood damage in the region. However, by making yourself aware of the characteristics of flooding in your local area you can reduce the risks. So find out about the flood risks of specific areas of the Victoria Daly Region. Dangers are inherent in all floodwaters – across roads, creeks, dams, parks or backyards – so never enter any floodwater be it on foot, rubber dingy, body board or in your vehicle: If it’s flooded, forget it.

The Victoria Daly Region’s bushfire season starts in the dry season at the beginning of April and runs through until the beginning of the wet season in late October, however there may be a bushfire risk at other times, depending on local conditions. If you live in or near bushland, you need to be prepared for the possibility of bushfires.

From the bush to the billabongs – the river catchments within the Victoria Daly Region are the lifeblood of the region. The rivers flow across the region, and carry with them a source of economic, social and environmental wellbeing – central to the region’s character and culture.

The Simpson Desert is approximately 176,500 sq km, which is bigger than the country of Greece (131,957 sq km). It is located near the centre of Australia and extends into the southern region of the Northern Territory. The desert is a spiritual area for the Aboriginal people, and they have stories about its various features.

Did you know: the oldest river system in the world, the Finke River, is located right here in the Northern Territory?

The Northern Territory is home to the world’s largest exposed rock, the Uluru/Ayers Rock. Other famous rock formations are the Kata Tjuta and the Olgas, which are both 500 million years old and consist of a total of 36 separate domes.

Three of the largest islands in Australia are located just off the northern coast of the territory: Bathurst Island, Groote Eylandt and Melville Island. Together, Bathurst Island and Melville Island form the Tiwi Islands, which are often visited for their unique cultural offerings.

About 80 introduced animal species have established significant feral populations on mainland Australia and some of these have become major environmental and agricultural pests. In the Northern Territory there are currently 18 mammal species and 51 bird species declared as feral species under section 47(1) of the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2006 and therefore subject to control. Some of these animals include camels, horses, pigs, foxes, buffalo, cats, dogs, rats, rabbits and cane toads amongst many others. For more information regarding feral animals, including the cane toad.

The Northern Territory has over 4,100 species of native plants including some 567 endemic species, many of which are of conservation significance. With the Territory comprising of (roughly) one sixth of the Australian land area (or 1.335 million km2) across a range of topographic, edaphic and climate conditions, there is also a great diversity of vegetation communities. 

The Territory is rich in wildlife, in part because it spans a substantial environmental range from the deserts to the monsoonal tropics. Documentation of the Territory’s biodiversity is relatively recent, although Aboriginal Territorians have long held a profound knowledge of their environments. The bird and mammal fauna is now closer to comprehensively being described, but new species of fish, frogs, reptiles, invertebrates and plants continue to be discovered. The Territory’s vertebrate fauna includes about 400 species of birds, 150 species of mammals, 300 species of reptiles, 50 species of frogs, 60 species of freshwater fish and several hundred species of marine fish.