Darwin

We have spent 6 nights in Darwin. We’ve seen and done so much in the 5 days we have been here. Tonight I feel utterly exhausted and I know that the kids and Clayton feel the same. Campgrounds on the outskirts of cities are interesting places. The Caravan Park we have been staying in is a mix of tourists and permanent residents. When we first arrived, the whole place was pretty much at capacity and the toilets and showers in demountable buildings are not a pleasant place to be. The plus side is that we don’t hang around the caravan park much, we head off straight after breakfast and then only come back in time for dinner in the evening.

Our first port of call in Darwin was one of the free water parks. There are two of them here and of course we needed to try both. The Northern Territory government runs the water parks and I must say that we thought they were great. So good in fact, that we there everyday for a part of the day except one.

We enjoyed the history here in Darwin. We visited the remains of Fannie Bay Gaol.

Clayton really wanted to go to the Military History Museum. I wasn’t overly excited about it, but happy to trail along. I am now so glad that I went, it was very interesting and moving. Well worth a visit if you are ever in Darwin.

Another day we visited the Territory Wildlife Park (another thing run by the N.T. government). This is also worth a visit, heaps to look at and very well maintained and run.

Graham the croc

I got to feed a whip ray. A fresh water ray found on the sand bars in Northern Australia.

A black buzzard cracking an emu egg with a rock.

Mindil Beach Sunset Markets and Beer Can Regatta.

Amazingly the beer can regatta was being held the same day we planned to visit the Mindil Beach Markets. The kids enjoyed looking around the stalls and eating dinner on the grass. We then watched the sun set over the ocean – just beautiful!

Litchfield National Park

Today was our last day here in Darwin and we spent it at the beautiful Litchfield National Park. We drove in through Berry Springs along the unsealed road. First stop – Wangi Falls. We did the tree top walk and then headed back down for a swim. The water was very ‘refreshing’ when first getting in, but lovely if you kept moving.

Wangi Falls

We then drove out to an old homestead, with some deep creek crossings on the way. The homestead was a small tin shack for the older children of the station owners to live at while they mined tin out the back. Dad would come check on them every few weeks and to bring supplies.

We then continued on and stopped at Florence Falls. Another lovely swimming hole at the bottom of a water fall.

Florence Falls

Last stop at the national park was the magnetic termite mounds. The only termites in the world to build their nests with a north-south orientation. This is so that one side of the nest is always in the shade. They are amazing to look at, eerie almost and reminded me of standing stones in the found in Scotland.

Off to Kakadu in the morning!!