East Point Reserve

East Point Reserve is Darwin’s largest park area. It is popular with locals and visitors for its safe year-round saltwater swimming at Lake Alexander, military history, and the uninterrupted views of Darwin and Fannie Bay and sunsets from Dudley Point. There is an extensive network of walking and cycling paths, landscaped picnic areas with free barbecue facilities and playgrounds for the kids.

East Point played a significant role in the protection of Australia during World War II. Visit the Darwin Military Museum to see footage of the WWII bombings of Darwin, its photographic and information displays, and explore the gun turret precinct. East Point Reserve is home to abundant wildlife, so go for a stroll to look for wallabies, bandicoots, brushtail possums and numerous species of reptiles, butterflies and birds. Take the 30-minute loop walk from the car park near the lake through monsoonal vine forest into the mangroves. Follow the boardwalk into the tidal region – look out for many species of fish, crustaceans and molluscs.

East Point Reserve includes several popular beaches, including Darwin’s most popular family beach at Fannie Bay. Lake Alexander draws its seawater from the bay, for safe and ‘stinger-free’ swimming throughout the year.