The 1st of July is Territory Day - the only day of the year when any man and his dog can buy fireworks and set them off to their hearts' content. Which is why it's also known here as cracker night.

There's a big official fireworks display from Mindil beach, but the main event is really happening all over Darwin (and the rest of the Northern Territory too). Pay packets are blown on pyrotechnics, and the sky is filled with bright lights and the smell of gunpowder.

We went along to Fannie Bay, where we could see the Mindil beach display as well as the fireworks that were going off at East Point and all along the coastline in between. We arrived in time to see a beautiful sunset too.

Sunset and fireworks on Territory Day

I took a short video of the amateur fireworks along the beach. They're not as spectacular as the professional fireworks, but it gives an indication of the enthusiasm shown on the night! I've also included here an audio capture of the crackers that were going off nearby :)