Historical Tours
1–2 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 97% of travellers
97% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
AU$60
per adult
The Darwin History and Wartime Experience
The Darwin History and Wartime Experience
The Darwin History and Wartime Experience
5
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
Join this iconic Darwin tour and discover the city's fascinating history while travelling in a genuine WW2 period army vehicle. Sit back in style and relive wartime Darwin complete with 1940's music and speeches from important figures of the time. Cruise past historic landmarks, wartime relics and visible evidence of the bombing of Darwin by the Japanese and gain fascinating insights into Darwin's pre-war, wartime and post war periods. Tours take approximately an 1 hour 20 minutes. Half day ( 4hr) tours also available Monday and Wednesday afternoons. All tours start and finish outside Tourism Top End (Tourist Information Centre). Some tours include the option to 'hop on/hop off' at the Darwin Military Museum/Defence of Darwin Experience at East Point (entry fees apply).
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5.0
119 reviews
Excellent
100
Very good
16
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
2
Scenic05786696923
1 contribution
Aug. 2023 • Couples
The driver, truck owner had an amazingly fluent interesting commentary, very well informed with general and lesser known facts. It was varied occasionally with historic voice recordings. Very well worth while
Written 3 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ros C
1 contribution
Jul. 2023 • Couples
Driver was wonderful, full knowledge of the Bombing of Darwin, easy to understand. Useful information of Cyclone Tracy.
Written 27 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DavidL15383
Glad you enjoyed
Have a great stay in the Top End!
Written 29 July 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jules2treasures
Tugun, Australia16 contributions
Jul. 2023
Totally stoked with the information we received regarding the history of Darwin during the war and Cyclone Tracy. Driving around in the old war truck was not only comfortable, but helped transport you back in time while you saw the actual aftermath of time gone by. We did the tour which included the drop off at the War Museum. This place is huge and needs lots of time to explore it properly, so I'd recommend just doing the truck tour and going to the museum in your own time.
Written 23 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Trish2650
Wagga Wagga, Australia163 contributions
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and the information we were given was interesting and covered a lot. The truck is great to look at but just beware it is a little fumey and a little noisy but that’s to be expected with such an old beauty. We both really enjoyed hearing about Darwin’s war experiences and so much more. I’d love to sit and listed to the guide over dinner!
Written 15 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DavidL15383
Hi Trish glad you enjoyed "Old Betty"
The idea is to keep the vehicle as much as possible as it was when it was built over 80 years ago - so you get the real feel of what the diggers of yesteryear went through
glad you enjoyed
Written 16 July 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Laura
Sydney, Australia2 contributions
An excellent tour - the guide is both knowledgeable and engaging. He details a ton of interesting history about Darwin. The WWII era truck is very cool and it was comfortable to ride in even during the hottest part of the day. If you do one tour of Darwin, make it this one!
Written 19 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DavidL15383
Hi Laura
glad to hear you enjoyed it
Have a great stay in Darwin!
Written 20 May 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Diana M
2 contributions
This is a must do tour of Darwin. Do it early in your trip so you can revisit places of interest. Our tour guide was amazing - knowledgeable, entertaining and efficient. Fascinating view of Darwin.
Written 18 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tasman1
Sydney, Australia22 contributions
Sep. 2022 • Couples
This was such a novel way to experience Darwin and learn about its wartime history. The open truck allowed the breeze to flow through on a very hot and humid day. Dave, the driver and guide, was so knowledgeable and easy to listen to. We chose the option that allowed us to be dropped off at the Military Museum for a good hour and then rejoin the truck for the rest of the Darwin tour. Would highly recommend.
Written 25 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Irene L
Carterton, New Zealand8 contributions
Sep. 2022 • Couples
The driver didn't introduce himself. He was so very rude to us barking orders at my husband to open door, retract steps and move an E scooter that was in the way, while he sat in the truck cab. Made a big deal 3 times in a row that the scooter was now partially blocking a bullet hole in the fence....we were most uncomfortable. Later in the trip when I said how rude he had been, he replied I wasn't rude..I was abrupt!!. Felt very unwelcome. Would instead recommend hop on hop off bus and pop into war museum along the way. Saves money and much more pleasant. Big thumbs down to the driver
Written 15 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DavidL15383
Sorry guys - big thumbs down to you as well. You got on the wrong vehicle - another company - despite being redirected by both ourselves and the other company, which meant we waited past our departure time by a significant period, our staff made a big effort to contact the driver of the bus you were on - that you hadnt paid for and werent supposed or entitled to to be on and that wasnt going to the military museum ( that you wanted to go to) in order to try and sort things out, you were then picked up at a "non pick up point", further putting the vehicle behind schedule and putting other passengers both onboard and at the museum behind schedule - without any apologies or consideration for others, on top of that you placed a scooter directly in front of the object we were trying to describe when you got onboard - all in all a very poor showing by yourselves
Written 16 September 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Maureen B
Adelaide, Australia6 contributions
Sep. 2022 • Couples
This was a great tour. Travelling around Darwin in an old army truck and learning about some of the wartime events right where they happened. Loved it. Would highly reccommend it.
Written 15 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
justinemagee
Wollongong, Australia14 contributions
Sep. 2022
This trip was incredibly informative and Dave was amazing sharing his knowledge about all war facts. The museum was well worth the stop. It was fantastic venturing around in the open vehicle, and the additional sound of jets flying past in "Pitch Black" exercises that were being conducted at the time. The four of us loved it.
Written 7 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BOB M
Brisbane, Australia
What time does this tour depart from Darwin on a Saturday & what is the return time ?
david l
Darwin, Australia13 contributions
tour times are 10am, 11:30am and 1pm with a 2:30pm tour also if we get 4 or more people. The first two morning tours include the option to be dropped off at the military museum and be picked up by a later tour