Week 19 : 29 June to 5 July 2012 -- Darwin

Well, the countdown is on for our departure from Darwin, and time is running out to do a couple of things not yet done. You’d have thought three months would be more than enough, but as usual, those things that got put back to later are now looking in doubt.

I’m mostly concerned about Litchfield National Park. It had been on the agenda for last weekend, but as I told you in my last blog, there was a murder suspect on the loose down that way and we thought it best to stay away. Early this week, Police apprehended the bloke in question, but with only two weekends left in Darwin, I fear we won’t be able to give the park it’s due. We’re thinking we might have to visit Litchfield when we pass back through the NT in a year or so.

As suspected, we ended up at the Parap Markets again on Saturday, and after grabbing some fresh fruit and veges, we headed home via Nightcliff. In the car park by the Nightcliff Public Pool, there is a mobile café called The Jellyfish Café. They do some good looking toasties and quick meals, and the coffee is jolly good as well! What I love about the place though, is the bean bags placed on the grass, under some nice, shady trees, where you can sit back and relax while enjoying the view out over the Arafura Sea.

Relaxing on the waterfront

Sunday was ‘Territory Day’ (1^st July), and it is celebrated up here by being the only day of the year that fireworks are allowed to be sold, bought and detonated. Over the couple of weeks prior we were bombarded with letter box drops, tv and press advertising the sale of fireworks.

Signs everywhere

Outside Office Works

Oriental Emporium Supermarket
+ "Fireworks"

Pots & Pans + "Fireworks"

There were huge signs and banners everywhere you looked. Because of the limited sales time, every man and his dog seem to sell the stuff and we saw them being sold at corner stores, a fruit shop, a Beaurepairs Tyre shop, a sex shop, service station and heaps of temporary outlets.

The local council sponsored a fireworks display, in conjunction with a Darwin radio station, at Mindil Beach, and was held during the markets. The display was set to music (shades of Riverfire in Brisbane) and to say it was spectacular would be to sell it short.

Waiting for the fireworks

Check out some amazing photos of the fireworks below.

As we drove home, the smoke in the air was thick with explosions going off all around us, and when we arrived, Flash (the wonder dog) was a bit on edge, so we let the poor thing sleep inside. Fireworks were still going off after midnight and some even woke me before the alarm on Monday morning. Mind you it doesn’t get light until nearly 7am. The council gave permission for open fires and fireworks on the beaches below the high tide mark, so consequently, the remnants have been washing up all week. It’s my opinion that the mess created is a very strong argument for the banning of private fireworks consumption.

  

I’ve given you all a break from my military site ramblings for a few weeks but I did get to visit the Darwin Military Museum on Wednesday and found it a really interesting way to spend a morning, oops sorry my ramblings are back.

Nicely restored Willys Jeep  

9.2" Gun emplacement

Once you pass through the ticket counter (don’t forget your seniors card… concessions apply) you enter the WWII galleries, loaded with interactive audio visual presentations that allow you to listen to the personal experiences of those people who were evacuated from Darwin, those who stayed and those that fought. There are many old photos and films from the time, and after checking these out, you should visit the ‘Defence of Darwin Experience’. 

Remains of a cliff-side observation post

This is an extremely moving Filmspace presentation of the events of 19^th February 1942, and as the enemy planes fly over and release their bombs onto an unsuspecting Darwin, you feel you are part of the happenings of that day (reminds me of Sunday night really!).

Outside, there are military vehicles, field guns of varying sizes and heaps of other pieces of equipment on display, so it’s easy to pass time here.

6" naval shore gun

Anyway better get packing so until next week… happy travels!