Darwin, Northern Territory - April 2021 part 1

We decided on seven nights in Darwin, and as we don't need jumping castles and wiz bang campers kitchens and toilet blocks, so we decided to stay in an industrial area close to town. Yes, it was a shed and it was great. We had power and water, toilets and shower, and even a dump point on site - which we didn't expect, for $25 a night. The facility was locked each afternoon and we had a key to get in and out. It was also very quiet, although Peter could hear dogs barking at night.

We went out each day exploring, just so much to see. On the first afternoon we just did a drive around to get a sense of the town, the rest of the week it was day trips to different places. I was surprised with Darwin, I'm not sure what I expected, but I was really surprised. It was hot, it was located on a beautiful bay, it had so many eating places from fine dining to food trucks, it was so full of history, and so much to see.

The first European sailors reached the harbour in 1839 on the HMS Beagle. Lt John Stokes named the harbour after his former shipmate Charles Darwin (Darwin never visited the area). Originally named Palmerston in 1864, after the Prime Minister of the England. The name was changed to Darwin in 1911. In 1980 a satellite city near Darwin was established with the name Palmerston.

One of the first places we went to was East Point, a 200 hectare reserve on Fannie Bay. We thought about going to the WW2 oil storage tunnels, huge purpose built tunnels near the waterfront, built to store oil after the Japanese bombing of Darwin destroyed 7 of the 11 tanks above ground. The tunnels were never used for oil storage as the war ended before completion. Today they have a lot of memorabilia about the bombing and war effort in Darwin. I love history, but seeing the outside structures was enough.

Peter has been here before when he would visit for work. It was really amazing. The Darwin Military Museum is located there and has interactive media and displays for a fee. We wanted to see the real gun placements and buildings that are around the grounds. This is where we saw our first ‘live’ wildlife – a wallaby. We actually saw about 4.

Next stop was the information centre. We were surprised that there was no free tourist parking outside, only meter parking, and underwhelmed with inside. Better to look online to find information, or even go to any of the tourist activities, some of which had more information than the information centre.

Walking around the city and the harbour, there are information boards with photos of what was before either the bombing in 1942, or Cyclone Tracy in 1974. Christ Church Cathedral, originally built in 1902, and devastated in Cyclone Tracy in 1974, it was rebuilt in 1975 incorporating part of the ruins of the original structure.

 

Old Town Hall ruins, originally built in 1883 as Palmerston Town Hall, and used during WWII as Naval administration, the building was virtually destroyed by Cyclone Tracey.

 

Browns Mart Theatre was originally built in the 1880's as a mining exchange. Also damaged in Cyclone Tracy, and restored.

... and the different type of art work throughout the city is diverse.

Darwin's Harbour is larger than Sydney Harbour and has much sea life.

We enjoyed walking around the water front.

The Water Wave Park was such a fun place and great way to spend a hot afternoon. There is a lagoon pool and beach that is free and the wave pool that costs $8 ($6 for concession) for the day. There are 10 different wave patterns, with 20 minutes between each one. Boogie boards and noodles are available free. We loved our afternoon there and the waves were just so good. We all got a little sun burnt.

So many interesting places in the city. Jonnie wanted to see the Chinese Temple. It is hidden away, but we found it. It was closed! Probably closed due to Covid. This is the site of one of Australia's oldest Chinese Temples, and has a bodhi tree that is believed to be descendant of the tree under which Buddha sat. The temple is free to enter, and the museum has a fee. The museum tells the history of the Chinese families that lived in the Darwin area. The colours of the streets and the many different cultures.

We did a day trip to Fanny Bay Gaol and a Thai Festival down on the water front. Fanny Bay Gaol was only open Saturdays when we were there, and has free entry.

Run by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), it is well worth a visit. Covid sign in and a self guided tour, so you can spend as much or as little time as you need. Free Parking is out the front.

Fanny Bay Gaol was Darwin's main prison from September 1883 until September 1979. Both male and female prisoners were held in different blocks in the prison from 1928. Interesting was the story of the last executions held in the Territory in 1952 are in the infirmary building.

One corner of the building has the initials of the prisoners that were last hanged. They are not buried there.

Next we went to the water front and the Annual Thai Festival. Parking for the water front is limited, and the day before we found the multi-level car park with the first two hours free. 

It was lovely to walk around and look at the art and the cultural dances and games.

 

 

The harbour is beautiful. We discovered this 'love seat' which a permanent feature. 

Being situated so close to the city, about 2-3 minutes away was the Charles Darwin National Park, off Tiger Brennan Drive. Jonnie wanted to go there, we had no idea why, so when we saw the sign before heading into town one day, we turned off to go there. Another good idea Jonnie had! We followed the track around an passed a numbered bunker. Then we got to another one that was open and had a display. Really interesting stuff, information and artifacts. The bunkers were built after the bombing of Darwin in 1944 to store ammunition and do testing. Just as we finished looking at the display bunker a school group arrived with their bikes. After briefly talking to their teacher, we found out there are a number of mountain bike tracks in the park.

Continuing past other bunkers, we get to the highest point in the park, and a lovely picnic area with tables and a great lookout of Darwin City. We did plan to come back for a picnic lunch or an afternoon drink, but it was really too hot and the air-con of the van beckoned.

Another day we went to Stokes Wharf, named in honour of Lt. John Stokes who sailed into the harbour in 1839, and named it Darwin Harbour. We went to visit the Flying Doctors Service Museum and the Bombing of Darwin Display. It was really good. There is heaps of parking and it is free. There is also a free shuttle bus from the wharf into the city. 

This museum was on our list after we heard and read so many good reports. It has a virtual reality 3D glasses experience about the bombing of Darwin. WOW. We did that first, and Jonnie and I did it twice so we could look in different directions the second time. Really well done.

 The bombing took place 19 February 1942 and the museum tells individual stories from that day via holograms, information boards and audio recollections. There is also a platform in the middle and when one hears the air-raid sirens, stand on the platform and it vibrates to give the to the sounds and sights of the bombing and displays a map showing the locations where the planes flew over and the bombs hit. All very well done.

 We have learnt so much about Australia and the war. Between February 1942 and November 1943, the Australian mainland and off shore islands were attacked at least 111 times by Japanese naval and air forces. The first attack, 242 aircraft, hit Darwin on the morning of 19 February 1942, and killed at least 235 people and caused much damage. This first bombing made many people homeless and resulted in the abandonment of Darwin as a major naval base, and saw the establishment on many smaller airfields up and down the north of the Northern Territory.

All the first section of the museum is about the bombing and the war, the second part is the story of The Royal Flying Service. There is a life size hologram of Rev. John Flynn, the founder of the service, and other interactive holograms and touch screen activities. There is also a decommissioned Pilatus aircraft that one can walk through.

There is a theatre that screens two films, one about the bombing and the other about the Flying Doctors. Both were ok, but one really needs to sit in the front few rows to see, and there were no Closed Captions for Jonnie. It was very dark so I couldn't sign.

After the museum we walked along the pier to the food arcades for lunch. There are two food arcades, with much the same food and prices. 

Peter had a crocodile burger. He said it was pretty ordinary - not tasty like the Cairns ones. I had fish and chips and it was good, and such a big serving, it was too much for me. Good that Peter is always there to help me out. Jonnie had chicken schnitzel which looked really good, and it must have been as he ate it all. The best part was the view - the beautiful aquamarine sparkling water. Photos don't do it justice. 

So much more to see in and around Darwin...... part two coming soon.