More of Darwin

On Tuesday afternoon we decided to have a look around Howard Springs.  I hadn't realised just how close it was to us, really just the other side of the highway.  We went to the springs picnic area and spent quite some time time looking around there.  It is a really lovely picnic area that has been developed from what was a WW2 R&R area for troops.  There is a lovely pool, closed for swimming now because of infection risks, but full of barramundi and turtles.  I thought this might be Jim's best chance to get close to one.  There's also a nice walk of just under 2 k's. There is a National Parks office there, and we saw a sign advertising their barramundi feeding which runs every Wednesday during the tourist season.  Looking at the dates we realised the first day was tomorrow.  So a quick phone call had us booked in for the talk and feeding.  We then headed to the township, passing this huge workers camp that is only part completed.  It will have 3500 workers living there very soon.  Darwin has had a big injection of workers with the Inpex gas project.  The town of Howard Springs isn't much, with a supermarket, caravan park, and a few other essential shops.

Wednesday morning, just as we finished breakfast, the tube in our dining area light blew.  Now what are the chances of a caravan repairer who specialises in 12 volt working on the caravan opposite us.  Within a few minutes we had a new LED replacement for the more power hungry fluoro. We then headed back to Howard Springs to discover we were the only ones booked into the National Parks talk.  A lovely Parks lady told us the history of the springs with some great photos from WW2 and then we headed to the pool to feed the barra.  Jim was more than happy to grab a fish and lean over, getting splashed well and truly when the huge barra grabbed it.  I was a bit more cautious and took the option of the long handled tongs.  It was a great experience and we think we were lucky to be so early in the season and have it to ourselves.

After leaving there, we went back to Palmerston to explore the other shopping centre.  After some purchases for lunch and having this back at the van, we then headed out to explore 17 1/2 mile camp, which is actually very close to here.  Although a hot walk, we very much enjoyed it, trying to visualise how it must have been during the war, compared to the suburbia it is now.  This was a prime defence line when they believed that a land invasion was imminent after the bombing of Darwin, and their orders were to hold at all costs.  Fortunately it never came to that.

Tin soldier cutout to give an idea of the conditions

One of the defence positions 

Remains of one of the toilets.

Thursday morning Jim installed a new 12 volt fan we had heard about and got delivered to here.  It is a marine fan, drawing very little power.  Neither of us particularly enjoy running the air con over night, but the nights are so warm, we need something.  We will also be able to use this when we free camp. It did take quite a bit more than the 5 minutes installation they say on the box.

In the afternoon we explored further afield, all the way to Channel Island.  We were looking for some good fishing spots.  There was a good boat ramp there, but no where you might want to fish from the shore.  On the island there is a power plant and a gas plant, but we were amazed at this great road that seemed to go nowhere.  Heading back we passed so many workers' buses, so we figure out there somewhere had to be something to do with the gas mining.  On the way back we stopped at the Elizabeth River Bridge.  What a great spot this is.  A lovely new jetty has been built, with good parking and toilets etc.  But despite these wonderful facilities, Jim still didn't catch any fish.  A place to consider heading to another day though.

Friday we decided to revisit our childhood - you are never too old to have fun, so we headed back into the city to the Darwin Wave Pool.  It did seem strange to have waves that tasted of chlorine.  Jim was a little disappointed that you really couldn't catch the waves with a boogy board.  But all the same, it was fun.  While still wet and in our swim gear, we also ventured to the lagoon pool next door.  After a shower, we walked around the waterfront area.  What a great place this is, and we thought it would be the best area to stop if you were flying into Darwin.  We had lunch at Stokes Wharf, another historic part of Darwin.  After that we headed to Cullen Bay, having a good look around that area with its big boats and even bigger houses.  It's also the point from which to catch the ferries to the islands.

Saturday was an easy day, where we decided just to do some maintenance and cleaning chores while enjoying the swimming pool here.  But Sunday was another full day of exploring.  First off we headed to the Fannie Bay Gaol.  This was still used up until 1979.  It was actually more interesting than we expected, as the main cell block has many displays in it.  This was also the original building built in the late 1800's and what amazed us the most was the width of the doors.  We couldn't see how an overweight person would fit through.

There was quite a lot on display regarding the last hanging in the Territory in 1952.  Two young Czechs confessed to murdering a taxi driver and were caught near Mt. Isa.  They had planned to sell the taxi in Sydney or Melbourne and use the money to return to Europe.  They were only 19 and 21 and both were pretty much orphans.

Tiny cell doors

The Infirmary, site of the last public execution in 1952

The gallows.  The pit was dug in secret for the hanging.  

After the gaol we headed down the bay to the National Trust property, Burnett House.  This was a fine example of a house that was actually designed for the tropics.  The lady there explained to us that when the house was built, there were no fans, no running water and no fly wire!!  The living area was down stairs, and sleeping was upstairs.  The upstairs area was completely louvered to allow the breezes through, and doors were swinging cafe doors, nothing at the top or bottom so the air could circulate even through doorways.  There are three other houses by the same architect next to this one, but the others aren't open to the public.  They are in a prime area of the city, and were all damaged during the war.  The front fence still has the damage from strafing.

The front fence

Our next stop was Charles Darwin National Park.  This mangrove habitat has great views of Darwin Harbour and is the area where the munitions were stored, during and for a long time after the war.  These concrete bunkers are still there. Number 12 has a number of displays in it.

Strafing on the door of number 12 bunker

The view of Darwin from the park.

From there we headed to another well preserved WW2 site, the Quarantine Batteries, so called because it was based at what was originally a quarantine station. This is the most complete anti-aircraft site within Darwin and protected the southern section of the harbour.

During our exploration of the WW2 sites, we have realised the extreme conditions they must all have worked under.  This is now into the dry season, but the days are very hot and often still humid.  It can get uncomfortable for us being out in the sun.  How did they manage with no airconditioning, lack of water, and the insect repellents we take for granted.  And the wet season is so many times worse.