After an uneventful trip from Katherine we arrive in the big smoke of Darwin. Darwin has a pop. of about 120,000 but supports a larger area of the Nth.
Down town
Near the wharfs
Air conditioned tourist bus
A Queen fish caught from the wharf
Our camp at the Holiday Park. Pretty noisy with airport close, scrap metal yard behind the trees and the Darwin show and sideshows over the opposite fence.
We were really lucky to meet up with our great friends Di & Dick from NZ who are travelling around OZ two up on their bike. They started from Sydney and have caught us up. You can see they have been on roads we don't go on!!
We had the luxury of staying some nights in their downtown apartment.
Great views.
Great sunsets up here with all the bushfires adding to the glow
The night lights of Darwin
More of the bushfires visible from the city.
We were in Darwin for a week and had the vehicle serviced and some R & M on the caravan.
This gave us time to do some of the tours available in the district.
The tour of the Parliament buildings taught us that Northern territory is not a State but a Territory of OZ and how this makes them different. The National Government can overrule the Territory Parliament and has done so in the past. The Sturt's Desert Rose is the Territory emblem on their flag.
The Darwin Military Museum covers the bombing of Darwin in 1942. Films, displays and interviews with survivors goes some way in portraying the devastation and terror of over 60 bombing raids on the area. The National Museum (no photos allowed!!) showed us the next round of devastation with cyclone Tracey in Dec 1974. Darwin has had to rebuild 2x.
Judy's crocodile burger cooking.
This girl could make the whip crack!
The Mindil Beach Market was full of arts and crafts, displays and food from many nationalities.
We did a lunch cruise on the Mary River, croc. and wildlife watching
Some of the non indigenous place names can be interesting!
Lots of open wetlands
Some sort of radio spy station??
Our boat and party for the cruise. Paul, the guide, well informed on the wildlife.
Our 1st crocodile in the wild just opposite the boat ramp.
You don't want to wade while launching or re-trailering your boat.
The Sea Eagle and his house.
Some sort of heron
Jabiru
Egret
Jacana (Jesus bird)
Whistling Ducks but not like our Whio
Lots of water lilies for the crocs. to hide in.
Next blog Kakadu National Park.
What a great few days in Darwin.
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