The small suburb of Casuarina takes in a large shopping and business area and the adjoining emergency service facilities/ buildings. It is home to the largest shopping centre in the Northern Territory - Casuarina Square. Casuarina derives its suburban name from the casuarina trees that grow along the nearby Casuarina Beach. Casuarina was the name used in the early 1960s for the proposed main business area in the northern suburbs.

Casuarina Square has around 165 specialty shops, including Coles, K-Mart, Big W, and Woolworths. The eatery is a popular place on a hot day as people take advantage of the air conditioning and high quality restaurants and cafes. The Casuarina Post Office and Cinema are inside the complex, however the banks are located in separate buildings nearby.

Casaurina Beach is located 7km east of the city of Darwin. Backed by the Casuarina Coastal Reserve, it is an extremely wide ribbon of clean sand, particularly in the east. Casuarina Beach is home to the Darwin Surf Lifesaving Club. A 7km stretch of the beach is officially designated as a nudist beach. The beach commences at Dipstone Park at the suburb of Brinkin. Here the beach is backed by the colourful Dripstone Cliffs.