The multi award-winning salon, located in Wharf 1, opened its doors on Saturday 20 February.

Owner Lee Babbs said she jumped at the chance to build on the success of her Cavenagh Street salon and open at Darwin’s hottest address.

“We had reached capacity in Cavenagh Street and really needed to expand. We saw the Waterfront development and thought what a great opportunity,” Lee said.

“It’s amazing down here and with our view I feel like I’m on a permanent holiday.”  

The salon uses GHD, L’Oreal Professional, Kerastase and GKMBJ products and has stylists who specialise in texturing, styling, hair straightening, extensions, up styles, blow waves and colouring.

The services and prices at Scalpt Hair in Cavenagh St and Waterfront are the same.

Specialising in jewellery, Bohemia crystal, opals, local art and giftware, Shine makes an exquisite addition to Darwin’s newest retail and dining precinct.

Developed and owned by long term Territorian, Anne Clifford, Shine provides an outlet for local photographers, artists and crafts people giving visitors and locals a real taste of the Territory. 

“For such a small population we really have a surprisingly high number of creative people in the NT,” Anne said.  “Being able to promote their work is an absolute pleasure and at times very exciting.”

Shine will open with work from Paul Arnold, Jenny O’Donnell, Jasmine Jan, Flora Wallace, June Lowe, Christa Coetzee, Victor Fox, Michelle Burgoine, Christine Fox and others.

It will build on the success of Shine Success Solutions, Anne’s image consultancy business in Cullen Bay. 

“Come and visit – you will surprised by the excellent range. We cater for all tastes, from classic through to modern and funky designs for men and women.”

Established in 1971, and focusing on the extraordinary life of a coral reef in Darwin Habour, a tour of Indo Pacific Marine will enlighten you on the amazing natural eco-system that exists.

Tours are offered during the day or if you are looking for something a little more unique take the time to experience their magical dinner and coral reef tour by night.

For more information visit http://www.indopacificmarine.com.au/index.htm

Located along Kitchener Drive the Oil Storage Tunnels provide a unique tourist attraction. Tunnels 5 and 6 are open to the public and during the 1950s these very tunnels were used to store jet aircraft fuel.
While exploring the tunnels visitors can step back in time as they look through the World War II photographs on display.

Entry cost is $5 per person.

For opening hours and more information visit http://www.darwintours.com.au/tours/ww2tunnels.html 

or call 08 8985 6322.

Mr McCarthy said the $86,000 cast bronze Owl – which is 1.7m tall – was created by respected Larrakia leader and artist Koolpinyah Barnes.

“The Territory’s unique arts and culture is one of our greatest treasures and that’s why the Territory Government invests up to $300,000 each year in public art,” Mr McCarthy said.

“I congratulate Mr Barnes on creating an impressive bronze statue and am proud to unveil it today with him.

“The Owl will be one of the key highlights as part of the new $3.2 million walkway between the Smith Street Mall and the Darwin Waterfront.

“Generations of Territorians and tourists for many years to come will be able to enjoy their walk between two of Darwin’s two major attractions by marvelling at and learning about the Owl.

“This major work fulfils a desire across different levels of government to ensure that Larrakia culture has a high level of presence and dignity within the Smith Street Walkway.”

Mr Barnes said his bronze Owl has strong cultural connections with the registered sacred site on Stokes Hill.

“Larrakia history and naming of places within the landscape goes back to the beginning of time,” Mr Barnes said.

“Stokes Hill was named after Captain John Lort Stokes, one of the officers who in 1839 arrived in the harbour on the HMS Beagle.

“Larrakia were the first people to live in this area and know ‘Stokes Hill’ to have within it a Larrakia spiritual ancestor.

“This ancestor is known as Chinute Chinute and manifests itself from time to time in the character of a Tawny Frogmouthed Owl.”

Mr McCarthy said other public art set to feature along the new walkway include electronic artwork and Indigenous place-markers.

Picture: Koolpinyah Barnes

Contact: Edwin Edlund 0401 119 563

Opening in 2010 is Jimmy Shu’s new Italian restaurant.

In a prime location at the Darwin Waterfront, the restaurant looks over the Convention Centre, Wave and Recreation Lagoons, and over the magnificent Darwin Harbour.
With a fresh and bright tropical feel, Il Lido will become your favourite breakfast spot, a fab venue to linger over lunch or a divine dinner destination.

Shu takes great pleasure in introducing Italian chef Ivo Perrotta, who currently runs Perrotta’s in Cairns, as consultant chef of Il Lido. Perrotta will deliver the cuisine while Jimmy provides logistical support. Shu elaborates:

His breakfast is brilliant. Italian food is a world class cuisine and I found there is a market niche to be had in Darwin. There are lots of tourists coming here, many of them from Italy. There are lots of southerners coming here for conventions. They know Italian food. Also the setting is very beautiful and we need a very good breakfast destination in Darwin.”

For more information visit: www.illidodarwin.com.au/

Media and general enquiries to info@illidodarwin.com.au

In preparation for their calendar of events, the Darwin Convention Centre is advertising to fill positions for this year’s intakes of casual employees, building up their teams of wait staff, cleaners, kitchen hands, and front and back of house team leaders. 

Schedules of events are being prepared for distribution to cafes, restaurants, hotels, taxi and hire car companies, tourism operators and retail outlets, so that local businesses can fully capitalise on the flow-on effect of Centre visitors to Darwin City.

Visit: http://www.darwinconvention.com.au/

The Deckchair Cinema program moves indoors, and into the city during the wet season – every Sunday afternoon from 14 February until 4 April.

The program is a brilliant selection of films from Australia and around the world which have never been screened in Darwin! The films will only screen twice so make sure you catch them on the big screen.

Come along during February to catch Liam Neeson starring in Irish political drama Five Minutes of Heaven (M) as an ex IRA loyalist facing the murder he committed in his youth. The very riveting music documentary Anvil:The Story of Anvil (M) exposes the determination and passion of this band who never really made the big time, but powerfully influenced some of the biggest bands of the 90’s; Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax! It will entertain and enlighten music and non music lovers alike (there is a bit of swearing!) Matthew Newton directs and stars in Australian film Three Blind Mice (M) alongside Ewen Leslie and Toby Schmitz as three young naval officers with 24hrs on shore leave before shipped to Iraq. Eden is West (M) is a quiet French comedy drama about one Mediterranean migrant’s search for freedom which winds up on the shores of a nudist beach in France.

Australian Films will be followed by free cake, nibbles and drinks to encourage viewers to stay and have a chat about the film! Full program details are available at http://www.flixinthewet.com/or by phoning 8981 0700.

Between 10am and 2pm there will be free jumping castles for the kids and surf life saving displays for the whole family to enjoy.

The Wave Lagoon will be open all day – 10am-6pm.

Please remember no alcohol, BBQs or glass.

People accessing the Waterfront from Smith Street can do so via the stairs or by using the footpath along the Esplanade which turns into Hughes Avenue.

The Darwin Waterfront Corporation apologises for any inconvenience.