If you really want to get out and enjoy Darwin like a local, you're going to have to hire a car at some stage. Rental cars in Darwin usually start from around $23 a day so you shouldn't waste your time on public transport and taxis.

Oodles is a tool that allows you to compare rates from rental car companies from across Australia including Avis, Thrifty, Hertz, Europcar and Budget. If you've got frequent flyer cards with Virgin or Qantas they'll also give you rewards.