Hidden Valley V8 Supercars

Voted best round of the year by drivers in 2008, as soon as the V8 Supercars roll into Darwin city, you can feel the excitement sweep across the town!

by Aisling

The Hidden Valley Darwin round of the V8 Supercars Championship has always been my favourite Top End event. Voted best round of the year by drivers in 2008, as soon as the V8 Supercars trucks roll into Darwin city, you can feel the excitement sweep across the town. The hotels are full, the streets and restaurants are buzzing and SKYCITY Casino ensure that the V8 fans are always entertained with a series of local events which run right through the week!

This year I flew up from Sydney to work at the Triple Crown event as a SKYCITY V8 Supergirl, so I booked my flights, accommodation and touring all through Territory Discoveries to make it easier to organise from home. Here’s what I got up to during my week in Darwin!

Day 1: Started with a film shoot down by the gorgeous SKYCITY pools, followed by a relaxing drink at SKYCITY’s new Sandbar while we watched the sunset. In the evening I joined my friends for a film and some delicious organic wraps under the stars at the outdoor Deckchair Cinema in the city.

Day 2: Met up with the drivers giving autographs in the Smith Street mall while we eagerly awaited the V8 Supercars truck convoy! Thousands of people line the streets of the CBD to welcome the convoy and in the mall you can meet most of the drivers, check out the display cars, find merchandise and watch some exciting (and loud) demonstrations. Later on you can catch the drivers at the autograph session on the SKYCITY lawns from about 5pm before taking a stroll through the famous Mindil Beach Sunset Markets which are conveniently located right next door

Day 3: We went down to the track early to do a final shoot before the crowds arrived but pit lane was already filled with excited fans and it remained that way for the whole weekend. People come from all over Australia to attend this round so it is a really interesting crowd and generates a great atmosphere. In between the grid and podium appearances we visited various corporate tents around the track and ran into lots of excited people from both local and overseas businesses. Many had decided to make the most of their group trip by adding on tours to either end of V8 week. Some were doing tours to the Top End national parks such as Litchfield National Park and Kakadu National Park but most of them were booked in on fishing charters, hoping to catch themselves an infamous Territory barramundi!

Day 4 & 5: Saturday and Sunday at the track finish off with a live band performance and free buses to get you home. This year it was the Presets who closed the event with a fantastic live performance. I can’t wait to see who they bring next year!

If you would like any help deciding on things to do while you’re in Darwin, I’m happy to answer any questions! If you’re thinking of taking a group next year for either a corporate or leisure trip, have a chat to the Territory Discoveries Groups Department about your options.

Do you have any holiday reviews about spending your summer in Darwin? Comment below to share your NT holiday reviews with fellow outback travellers!