ANU North Australian ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ Unit (NARU) campus is a research facility in the Northern Territory with accommodation located on the lands and waterways of Larrakia Country. The Marrithiyal (also known as Brinken) people are the traditional custodians of this land.
NARU campus is about a 15km drive from Darwin city and about 8km drive from Darwin International Airport. It was established in 1973 to specialise in research in north Australia and to provide a base and logistic support for Canberra-based members of The Australian National University (ANU) and members of other Australian and overseas institutions undertaking research in North Australia. At the NARU campus, ANU has established the Arafura Timor ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ Facility (ATRF), a joint venture between the Australian Institute of Marine Science and ANU.
ANU academic and research staff based at NARU remain part of their school while at NARU. This structure frees research staff to focus on their research with the full support of their peers. This dynamic structure also allows ANU to respond to new research opportunities in north Australia.
The is responsible for providing advice and direction for the unit.
Aboriginal Heritage
The Darwin area is the Country of the Larrakia people, with the Brinkin area having been named after the Brinken (also known as Marrithiyal) custodians of the land.
Unfortunately, tomes of cultural history have been co-opted in this region due to colonisation. Contact between white colonisers and the traditional custodians of Larrakia Country occurred as early as 1837 (Stokes 1846). In 1868-70 Aboriginal people were described to have created collections of spears, baskets and boomerangs (Stokes 1846; Kerr 1971). Stokes' (1846) diaries contain detailed descriptions of the Aboriginal people of Larrakia Country, where he was speared for invading.
Industrial development on the ANU property since its inception has been determined to have likely destroyed any traces of Aboriginal sites or artefacts on the site. In spite of colonisation, Aboriginal cultural connection to Country lives on in elders past, present and emerging and in the land itself.
Cyclone season
The Top End of the Northern Territory is naturally prone to tropical cyclone events with some two to three cyclones affecting the Darwin region between November and April each year.
Please check with the for any current cyclone warning for the Darwin area prior to your departure.
In the event of a cyclone warning being issued by the Bureau of Meteorology the NARU campus will be closed up unto the cyclone warning has been downgrade or cancelled.
In the event of a cyclone occurrence in the Darwin area please confirm with NARU administration staff if the campus has reopened prior to your arrival.
Accommodation & resources
Accommodation, office space, field equipment and a seminar room are available for rent. Facilites are nestled among the tranquil surrounds of ANU Northern Campus and offer quiet and secure spaces to undertake research or hold seminars, meetings or workshops. Please visit the page for more information about the facilities and booking procedures.
Location
NARU is easily accessible by car and is located next to the Charles Darwin University Casurina Campus. The campus is 15km from Darwin and approximately 8km from Darwin International Airport.
Our postal address is PO Box 41321, Casuarina NT 0810.