Jay Bichard loves exploring the Top End, the northern part of Australia’s Northern Territory (NT), which contains Darwin and Kakadu National Park. She has made the region her home.
She knows the area well, having spent three years working as a tour guide in Kakadu, Australia’s biggest national park, famous for its rugged cliffs, lush rainforest and rock art galleries up to 20,000 years old.
These days Bichard, a native of Jersey, the largest of Britain’s Channel Islands, lives in Darwin, where she works for Tourism NT. Her duties include creating itineraries for tourists visiting the region.
Here she shares some of her favourite places in the region to eat, drink and shop, and where to get a nature fix.
1. Ella by Minoli
Punchy, modern Sri Lankan flavours feature at this Darwin restaurant that was opened in 2022 by MasterChef Australia contestant Minoli de Silva.
Dishes include soy ghee prawns in Sri Lankan prawn bisque with papaya and pickle, and kangaroo tartare – a favourite of de Silva.
“It is a great spot for date night,” Bichard says.
20/12 West Lane, Darwin, NT, 0800