East Point



East Point adjoins the beachside suburb of Fannie Bay. A spit of undeveloped bushland, East Point is good to visit in the late afternoon when the wallabies come out to feed. It is also home to the Darwin Military Museum, housed in a World War II bunker, which tells the story of the attacks on Darwin by the Japanese during the war.



East Point Reserve is a special place for the people of Darwin and is one of the most popular recreation areas for both locals and visitors. Not only is the reserve readily accessible from both the city and suburbs, but its range of attractions is considerable and it is by far the largest park area in or near the city. East Point Reserve covers almost 200 hectares, of which 30 hectares includes natural forest land.

One thing many visitors question is this locality's name, as it is one of Darwin's western extremities and isn't east of anywhere. The reason East Point and the headland opposite - West Point - seem to be named back to front is because they were named by someone approaching Darwin Harbour from the sea. That person was John Lort Stokes of HMS Beagle in 1839, when he first entered Darwin Harbour, naming it in honour of Charles Darwin, the British Naturalist, who had sailed with him on an earlier expedition of the Beagle. Since he was naming the harbour (there was not settlement there at that time) then East Point would have been the logical name to give the headland on the eastern side of the harbour's entrance, and West Point to the western headland.



The point's military history that goes back to 1932 and a range of community and tourist facilities including the Darwin Military Museum and the gun turret precinct recall the area's past use. Discover artefacts that chronicle Australia's involvement in international conflicts from the Boer War to the present day. Explore our vast collection of uniforms, weaponry, photographs, interviews, and propaganda pieces that tell the stories of our service men and women deployed overseas.



Take a walk through the lush gardens and find our stunning range of military vehicles and larger artillery pieces. Climb to the top of the gun emplacement and check out the 9.2  gun that it houses. Venture beneath the gun deck and explore our vast collection of Vietnam War artefacts, weaponry and photographs.

Open 7 days a week: Wet Season - (1st November - 30th April) 10.00am to 3.30pm; Dry Season - (1st May- 31st October) 9.30am to 5.00pm.



Lake Alexander
East Point Reserve offers safe year-round saltwater swimming at Lake Alexander, a range of barbecue and picnic facilities in a landscaped environment. The man-made Lake Alexander is a salt-water, jellyfish-free lake where swimming is possible all year round.

The beaches on East Point Reserve are an important recreation resource. Fannie Bay Beach, with its adjacent parkland and barbecue area, is probably the most popular family beach in Darwin.



Dudley Point
The reserve also boasts Dudley Point, which offers uninterrupted sunset views and is a popular observation area of Darwin City and Fannie Bay. It is recognised as a key tourist destination and is frequently enjoyed by local residents. Recent landscaping has established seating and shaded areas for sunset viewing.

This point, the easterly extremity of the entrance to Darwin Harbour has been used for a variety of purposes, including gun turrets and anchor for the submarine net during the War (1942-46), a post war golf course and currently a recreation reserve.