Week 10 : 27 April to 3 May 2012 -- Darwin

As we end week 10, I find we are into a routine of taking Vic to work, a 40 minute round trip, coming back and doing the chores, going back at the end of the day and picking Vic up before a quick swim, drinks under the trees (sometimes with neighbours), dinner and quiet nights.

Not much happened Friday except that we watched the Broncos down the Titans… 26-6. Since leaving home, the Broncos have played each Friday night (except last week when the Aussies beat the Kiwis in the test) and they’ve lost only one. Funnily enough, that was the only game we’ve missed, and even though we’ve been in some out of the way places, the television coverage has been good enough to allow us to enjoy the games.

Saturday was a complete surprise. When we woke in the morning we had no plans for the day, so we filled the flask, put some morning tea in the car and drove about 35kms south to Berry Springs Reserve where we hoped to have a swim. 

Berry Springs

The sign on the gate said swimming was not allowed due to a “seasonal condition”, which we think means that : there is no guarantee that saltwater crocs aren’t present until the water levels drop sufficiently to allow a thorough check.

Rainbow Cafe was still closed in the Berry Springs picnic area 

Vic and I checked out the very pretty picnic areas and forest walk before leaving and vowing to return.

Further up the road we visited the Darwin River Dam which supplies water to Darwin. We strolled across the dam wall and had a look at the spillway.

Darwin River Dam spillway

As we left the dam we decided that since we were half way there, we’d explore the Cox Peninsula. We drove on through coastal brush and tall termite mounds until we came to Wagait Beach. This is at the very end of the Peninsula and is 128kms from Darwin by road. The village here is made up of holiday houses and a small number of locals who call the area home.

Wagait Beach

The beach is absolutely glorious. The tide was low and allowed Vic and I to wander along the water’s edge and just suck in the beauty of the spot. The water temperature was perfect for a swim but, as with all the beaches up this way, swimming is a no-no! (A fellow vanner described it as torture… like hanging lollies in a child’s room and banning him from eating them!!) Salt Water crocs are an ever present danger and while October to May are the more dangerous months, the deadly Box Jellyfish are a year round hazard. None the less, Vic and I spent ages here and collected some more shells to take home. We are constantly amazed at the different shells that can be found here compared to the ones we find on the East Coast, however, you need to check them because on more than one occasion I found a Hermit Crab in residence. This place is heaven to any tidal pool explorer!

Hermit Crab

We walked to where the beach becomes Maluk Beach at Two Fella Creek!

Mandorah jetty with Darwin in the background

When we got back to the car we drove the 3kms to Mandorah, which, although being 130kms from Darwin by road, is a short 15 minute ferry ride across the harbour. Just beside the jetty here is the Mandorah Inn where Vic and I had a lovely cold beverage as we sat looking at Darwin in the distance. It would appear that this is a very popular spot for Darwinians at the weekends as the ferry runs every 30mins. We were too late for a counter lunch so headed back to the Wagait Beach store for some fish and chips. The proprietor here, a fellow Jeep driver, was very helpful and gave us a mud map of the area showing some interesting WWII sites worth visiting.

Remnants from Anti-Submarine boom net tower

Armed with his map we returned to the Mandorah Jetty and took a short drive along a two track which runs parallel with the beach. Here we found some rusting remains and concrete anchor points which were once part of the Anti Submarine Net which was strung across the harbour during war time. Also here were three large concrete gun emplacements.

As it was in the war years

From here we drove about 6kms west to a dirt track that ran off into the scrub. The track was muddy, rutted and washed out after the recent wet season and it would appear to be rarely used. About 2kms in we came upon the crash site of “The Milady”, a B24J Liberator Bomber which came down here on the 17^th June, 1945, killing all six airmen aboard. The plane had been returning from a bombing training run ( hence the skeleton crew… normally 13) over nearby Quail Island when it crashed. 


There is a lot of wreckage still here and the site is preserved as a tribute to these, and all, airmen who didn’t come home. The exact cause of the crash is unknown, although two possibilities exist. One is that the plane was damaged during low level bombing and was limping back to Darwin, and the other is that the pilot was skylarking as he crossed the coast and became disorientated. I prefer to believe the former!

Standing at this site certainly made it all real and to say it was humbling is an understatement.

On Sunday we were given the ok to move onto the bigger site we had booked a couple of weeks ago. This site allows for a 40ft motorhome 

or 5^th wheeler so there is ample room for our little home sweet home plus the car and still leaves room for the outside table under the trees.

In the afternoon we ventured back to the Mindil Beach Markets where we grabbed some dinner and a couple of drinks before settling down to watch the sun set once again.

Mindil Beach sunset

Monday and Tuesday were non eventful, but most days are still hot with 32 to 35 degrees and balmy nights. Most nights Vic and I sleep with the air con running on low and the fan is on when we’re home during the day. 3 nights this week, around midnight, a storm has passed through bringing lots of lightning, thunder and plenty of rain. Officially we are in the dry season now.

On Wednesday after taking Vic to work I went to the bayside suburb of Nightcliff. Prior to the war years this area was a fair way out of Darwin and was only visited by weekend picnickers. At different times during the war the area was occupied by the Australian Army, the RAAF and the American Forces. An area at the base of the cliffs was used as a dump site and all sorts of military equipment was discarded over the edge. The stuff now is all very corroded and has become a mass of rusted leftovers, however some things are still distinguishable, such as airplane engines, truck diffs and motors, trolleys and wheels. I’m told that Jeeps were dumped here and of course, that’s what I was really looking for, however, if it’s true, I couldn’t find any evidence of them.

Discarded military equipment at Nightcliff

At the end of April I tallied the figures in the car log and, since leaving Rathdowney with full fuel tanks we’ve :

Done            6,803 kms   (4,621 towing the van… 68%)

Used            1,401.6 Litres

Cost           $2,082.65    (.30c/km)

Averaged          20.6 Litres/100

Until next week…Happy travels.

Week 9 : 20 Apr to 26 Apr 2012 -- Darwin

At the start of Friday we had no plans for the day other than to watch the Test between Australia and New Zealand that night, however that all changed when we got a phone call from Julie, one of the people we’d met firstly at Mataranka and then again at Katherine.

The two couples, Tony, Julie, Rhonda and Warren were booking a dinner cruise on Friday night and asked if we’d like to join them… an offer we readily accepted.

Cape Adieu in glorious sunshine

The weather report for the day wasn’t promising and as Vic and I had a swim in the afternoon, some light rain began to fall. By 5pm we were on board the Cape Adieu, a 22 metre motor sailing ketch, and ready to set off from Stoke’s Hill Wharf. It was at about the same time that the heavens opened up. As we’d begun to enjoy our first drinks, the showers moved across the city and became torrential as we motored out into the harbour.  

The Van Akkers from Canberra & the Blue Mountains

Warren in his green plastic finery

The Skipper, watching the rain showers on the radar, moved around behind them before tucking in close to the cliffs and out of the wind. The sunset we’d all been hoping to enjoy was a non event, due to the cloud cover. After making short work of the pre dinner selection of dips, we enjoyed a great fresh seafood buffet, before steak and fresh threadfin salmon off the bar-b-q.

Seafood buffet on board Cape Adieu

Sweets and coffee rounded the night off before we returned to the dock at 8 o’clock. The night had been a real hoot with a lot of laughs. If you are ever in Darwin, Vic and I would thoroughly recommend a cruise on the Cape Adieu. The Skipper and his crew are a lot of fun and keen to make sure you enjoy your night. If you are lucky enough to spend it with a group of fellow travellers like the ones we did, then, it’s a bonus.

At the end of the night you can still tell how wet we got by Vic's top

Vic and I got back to the van in time to see the Kangaroos trounce the Kiwis 20-12.

We’d noticed a black spot appearing on our photos since Tennant Creek that had been getting worse and were told it was mould, which would be an expensive repair. It got to the point where the camera couldn’t focus on anything so off we went to replace it. Dick Smith did a deal we were both happy with and that was how we spent the rest of the weekend… playing with the new toy. Hopefully you’ll notice a vast improvement in the photos from here on! 

Darwin Cenataph

Monday and Tuesday were Vic’s first couple of days working in the city and passed quickly. Wednesday was ANZAC Day, and while we spent it lazily, we were sure to thank those who had gallantly fought and gave their lives, leaving us with the ability to enjoy this free life. Lest We Forget.   

After dropping Vic at work Thursday I went to Doctor’s Gully, which is the site of the Catalina Flying Boat Base during WWII. At low tide there are many visible reminders of what would have been a busy spot during the war years. Mooring points, rusting tanks and buoys, solid timber beams, (which would have been part of a slipway) and rusting engine parts all make this an interesting place to visit.

Doctor's Gully - remnants of Catalina mooring 

rusting away on the foreshore

This was the first day of the Mindil Beach Markets for the season and with much anticipation, Vic and I made our way there as soon as she had finished work. We weren’t disappointed! The markets are held in the parkland fronting Mindil Beach and as you stroll around, the sea breeze gently blows through the trees carrying the combined aromas from the many food stalls. The smells are fantastic! It is said that there are over 1200 menu items from 5 continents available here. The markets support over 200 small businesses, provide employment for more than 1000 locals and contribute significantly to the NT economy.

Mindil Beach markets

We gave this one a miss....just don't know what you might get!

Vic and I chose a fresh prawn cocktail ( for 2 ) and Pad Thai, grabbed our chairs and a couple of cold drinks ( you can byo here ) then claimed a spot on the sand dunes where we watched the sun slowly set over the sea. As dusk drew closer, more and more market visitors settled on the beach and by nightfall, thousands of people sat watching the spectacle. 

From 2 people to .....

this...in a very short timeframe....1000's of people just enjoying the view and each others' company.

Most of us stayed for the fireworks, scheduled to start at 8.30, to celebrate the opening of the markets for another season. Mixed sounds of musical instruments and the distinctive didgeridoo filled the air, creating a surreal tropical atmosphere. As the fireworks exploded over the water, our new camera got a real workout. It was a fantastic end to the day.

So it was an interesting week, mixed with the excitement  of things we’d been looking forward to, the surprise of discovering things we hadn’t expected to, and the realization that  no matter where you are or what situation you find yourself in, some things just don’t change.

just magic

one of our favourite sunset photos

“til next week… happy travels!