Farewell Darwin

Well reading back through my blogs - it's been awhile since I last posted - isn't it amazing how quickly time fly's by.  We've had a fantastic time here in Darwin, and whilst everyone down south has been battling the cold and sadly quite a few of you have had your share of colds & flu - we've been sweltering up here.
It's quite obvious why you seen so many travellers heading North for the winter.  We haven't had a day below 33 the whole time we've been here.   It's been funny weather - whilst it was 33 in July, the sun didn't feel hot however the humidity was around and you felt sticky all the time.  Along came August and the humidity dropped and we had some lovely weeks of enjoyable warm weather.  Then suddenly it's September and whilst the humidity comes & goes - it's the heat of the sun that has been the biggest change.  Now the minute you step out into the sun the force of the heat nearly takes your breath away.  Some of our best times here have been taking the bikes in and riding around all the wonderful bike paths that run around the harbour & foreshore.  Yesterday Rob & I thought we would have a last ride but after 15 minutes we had to head back and get back in the car. The force of the heat made you feel physically sick.  Oh well - off to the Oyster bar and some cold beers!!

We started a bucket list of things we wanted to do whilst in Darwin when we first arrived and each week we've been ticking something off and with Lou & Bruce from Kingscliff here working as well - we've been able to share some of these things with them.  We've had lots of visitors, including my Mum & Dad who travelled up from Narromine.  It was lovely to be able to show them some of the things that we love about Darwin and the NT.   Mark & Cathy from Narromine also dropped by on their way home from Dragon Boat racing in Broome (of all places).   

We had a weekend out at Crab Claw Island (now I want to point out that it's only an island once or twice a year when there is a King tide but apparently this allows them to call themselves an Island)

It was a great weekend with lots of laughs, not many fish but some amazing mud crabs given to us by another guy who appreciated our help pushing his boat out to water when then tide went out and left him high & dry. 

View from our Deck

Amazing Sunrise with the moon still up

so worth getting up early

Don't throw the lines in just yet boys! 

Catch of the day to Lou

Check out the fog

A feast of Mud Crabs

We even fitted in a swim at Berry Springs - so beautiful and the water crystal clear (& safe to swim in)

With the Darwin Festival on in August we also enjoyed a couple of shows, with a local band and also a theatre show on Parliament house lawns. 

We had to fit in a day fishing trip.  I can truly say that by the end of the day I was heartily sick of reeling fish in.  We didn't keep them all but we had plenty to keep us in fish for quite awhile. 

Our companions for the day

Heading out through the 'lock'

My little shark

Now that's a bit better

Some of the haul for the day

We've checked out the Botanical Gardens which have great bike & walking paths

Botanical gardens

Lots of cool shade

There was an Open day at Government House so we went and checked out the Governor's lovely home and gardens and enjoyed scones & tea in the courtyard. 

Lovely cool verandah's on 3 sides

Government House - Darwin NT

The Living Room

Dining Room - sure my name was on one of the placecards

View from near the Living room

Another verandah - little sitting areas everywhere

The gardens were just beautiful, and with a stunning harbour view - who wouldn't want to live here!

Beautiful stonework paths and borders

Cannot get enough of this view

So Pretty! 

And a Pond of course

My last 5 weeks in Darwin I have been working for FORWAARD Drug & Alcohol Rehab Centre.

I have to say it's been the most interesting and challenging job I've had.  It's a Government funded Aboriginal centre that offers 12 Week rehab program.  Some clients are there voluntarily and some are there on court orders.  They live on-site whilst on the program and have counselling, AA meetings, etc plus they also partake in a variety of different activities like going to the movies or fishing whilst under supervision.   I was very fortunate to spend some of the past 2 weeks with a lady who graduated from the program last Friday.  She was very open and talked with me about her life, family and the difference that a program like FORWAARD's can offer.  She still has a long road ahead of her and I wish her all the best for the future.  

The family violence, suicide rate and problems with alcohol and drugs within the aboriginal committee's up here is horrific, like nothing I could possible imagine.  It's not about the money handed to them as this appears to play a very small role for the majority of them.  It's more about an ancient civilisation trying to adapt to a 21st century lifestyle whilst still firmly anchored in the past.  I certainly don't know the answers but it is heart breaking to see them trying to fit in around the city of Darwin.  You might look and only see a drunk person sitting on the footpath or a group sitting around in the park but it's so much more than that.  

In the past 3 months there have been 30 suicides in the NT.  Not something you will hear about on the News - and before we all ask why isn't it in the news - it's more to do with a fear of copycat suicides.  Just last week there was a 14yr old boy who killed himself in the same manner and in the same place as his brother the year before. I'm also told Families are having their children removed, and whilst they may try and clean their acts up - the children by then don't want to go back. The Mum/Dad then do note want to live with the shame of having let their children down.

Well to finish on a more cheerful note - Rob & I leave Darwin on Friday.  We need to be in Kingscliff on the 4th October for a couple of days and then headed south to see the family and get ready for the Cherry season.   Hopefully we will catch up with a lot of you over the next couple of months - then WA here we come !!

Cheers !!

Darwin Ski Club with Lou, Bruce, Sharon & Phil Klein from Kingscliff

Oh another selfie!!

Rob with his cousin Tom 

Darwin - TERRITORY DAY

Well my days of laying by the pool have ended ☹  Darwin workforce is very much reliant on Employment companies providing the labour – so I checked around and signed up with Hays Recruitment.  Hays are Worldwide, so hopefully I will be able to use them at times when we continue to travel.  The process was pretty simple, I sent them my resume and then went in for an interview.  They then contacted my references (thanks once again Paul xx)  and then started looking for work for me.  Wow isn’t that easier than me running around!  First posting was 2 weeks holiday relief as Receptionist/Admin assistant with a Construction company.  Working in the office, checking invoices and job coding them before entering into the system.  Can I say hear how much I love Reception with Construction Companies.  No one ever comes in and the phone hardly ever rings as everyone calls mobiles these days.   Really enjoy this type of work and hopefully get to do this sort of stuff again.   I finished up there on the 13^th July and my next posting for 4 weeks is working with Peet Developments, a few minutes drive away from the caravan park.  Another good thing about Hays – at the end of the working week I put my times in online, they are authorised by the company I am working for and then Hays put the pay is in my bank account within 24hrs. 

We've been doing lots of bike riding around the Darwin area, and we had niece Aimee join us for a few days at the end of June.  We took a leisurely morning ride on Saturday 1st July, from Casuarina Beach - past Mindil Beach and around the Darwin City Centre and Stokes Wharf area.  Then of course (our usual Saturday) lunch at the Parap Markets.  Aims and I had a Chicken & Wonton Laska - it was amazing (and I've had it twice since).  Then a swim, bit of a rest and then it's time to join in the Territory Day celebrations.  It you haven't been in the NT for Territory Day - put it on your list of things to do.  It is July 1st and a Crazy must do thing.   Anyone can purchase fireworks on the 1st from 9am to 9pm  No restrictions - except they say "you must use them up before 11pm or return them to the supplier".  Yeah like that happens!  Nearly every second business had them for sale and people lined up waiting..  Darwin advertises the main attration as Mindil Beach.  They kick off with markets at 3pm, followed by a concert from 4pm (Killing Heidi & Pete Murray this year), then the fireworks from 8pm.  They are set off from barges in the bay and free buses to & from.  We had also heard that the locals let off their own fireworks everywhere.  They anticipated 10 to 15 thousand at Mindil, so deciding to give this a miss we headed off to join the locals at Casuarina Beach.  Grabbed an esky, a blanket, coupe of chairs and good to go.  We arrived around 5ish and the first thing we saw was 2 guys in uniform at the entrance to the beach.  Coming from NSW our first thought was "Oh shit they aren't going to let alcohol on the beach"  But not - they were NPWS guys and just handing out rubbish bags in the vain hope that people would pick up their rubbish. 

It was an absolutely crazy, wild night.  Words don't really do it justice but where we were there was around 200 - 300 people ranging in all ages.  They started letting their fireworks off from around 5.30 when it was still daylight but I guess they figureed what the heck!  It went continuously all night - you couldn't sit down to watch as they were going off all around you and you just had to keep turning to watch different displays.  As it got dark you could see that there were people all around the bay letting off fireworks, in fact we could see them going off on the opposite side of the bay at East Arm Wharf.  Never seen anything like it.  We left around 9 when the smoke and smell of gunpowder became too strong but they were still going to 11pm (and some still after that).    So yes there were 22 report incidents of injuries - but hey so worth it... 

Darwin SLSC

Great way to enjoy a drink

Tug at Stokes Wharf

The Navy was in town

Enjoying our ride

Cullen Bay Marina

East Arm Wharf

Sunset at Casuarina Beach (bonfire on rhs)

Ready for the fireworks

Photo's just didn't capture it well enough

Rob & I are slowly working our way through the list of things we want to see & do here, unfortunately there is always something else we hear about that gets added.  One thing that was on the list was Charles Darwin National Park - which is only 10 minutes from the centre of Darwin.  We arrived there on a lovely Sunday morning and one of the first things we noticed was a small sign saying "Biting insects".  Well we've not seen a sign more accurate!  We would have only been out of the car for 10 minutes and both covered in bites.  Beautiful view looking back at Darwin itself but won't be going back there to do the walks. 

View from Charles Darwin Nat Park

We also visited Burnett House, the only surviving example of B.C.G. Burnett's Type K  design (for tropical conditions) - unusual in being of two-storey configuration.  Built in 1938, the house survived the bombing of Darwin in WWII with only minor damage, only to sustain damage by Cyclone Tracy in 1974.  It has since been restored by the National Heritage Trust.  We couldn't find them but apparently there are bullet holes in the front fence and Fragments of a bomb in the garden from WWII.

Burnett house - bedroom upstairs

Burnett house - sitting room upstairs

Bedroom 2

Front view - Burnett House

The Main living area & Kitchen were downstairs and feature a beautiful cement design in the flooring.  It has a unique form of louvers with patterning by casements windows.  With the roof steeply pitched and a ridge vent at the top to allow air to circulate from open eaves through the ceiling space and out of the ridge.  The internal room doors upstairs are like swinging barn doors (3/4 height) to allow airflow go under and above them through the rooms - a really great idea.

Casuarina Beach

Croc trap at inlet to Casuarina Beach

No Surf today!!

Apparently stinger season is over at present and we are starting to see a few people swimming in the bay - however on our walk  on Sunday we came across this Croc trap - Think we will stick with the pool!! 

Continuing from last week I'm just saying - Don't mention the Eels game.  Wow what a total fizzer - we would have enjoyed a local game more.  I could vent more but loyalty won't let me :)

After settling into our site at the Freespirit "Resort" - we did the logical thing and asked them for work.  Sadly for me nothing as yet, but Rob has scored a job here.  2 Evenings and 3 Days per week - and free rent so that's a bonus.  It's a bit lonely for me lying by the pool whilst he's working but everyone tells me I'll get used to it lol.

After familarising ourselves with Darwin we have started a to-do list of things and places to see before we leave in October.  First thing on the list was Dunedee Beach which is located West of Darwin.  You have to go South to go West due to the Harbour, however it's only about 120km and we decided to do a Rec trip out there last friday.  We had been told that Crab Claw Island Resort was better than Dunedoo Beach C/Van Park as there are less midgee's, so we thought we'd explore both.
Crab Claw Island Resort is a little bit of false adversiting as it's not actually on the island - just looks out at it, however after a short 15km private dirt road we came across as little bit of paradise.   There is a small caravan park, numerous cabins on stilts and a restaurant/bar. 

Crab Claw Island Resort - Restuarant/Bar

Anyone for Beach volleyball

Beautiful outlook from the cabins

Did I mention the beach, complete with volleyball setup?  And they say the crocs will act as ball boys for you....  Well anyway the fishing here is meant to really great and we are looking forward to a weekend out here with Lou & Bruce when they arrive (Hey Guys don't forget the fishing rods).

With still plenty of the day left we then headed further west to Dunedee Beach.  Going on the signs along the road, which is bitumen all the way, it may not be fully accessible at High tide as there are lots of low lying areas - however we were there at Low tide so all good.  And wow what a beautiful spot. There are lots of homes and fishing shacks out here but most appear as though they are used as weekenders for Darwin residents.  As we were out there on a Friday we had the beach to ourselves.  Made up of rocky outcrops and beautiful coloured sands along with turquise water we could have stayed forever however yet again spoiled by the thought of those nasty crocs. 

Dunedee Beach looking South

Picture perfect

We enjoyed a walk in utter peace

From Dunedee beach itself we then went to check out Dundee Lodge and C/van park. 
Great spot and they NT Govt has just spent a fortune on upgrading the Boat ramp.  We had lunch out here and I'd have to say for a little place out of the way - our Burgers were amazing. 

Dunedee Beach War Memorial

Rob contemplating the serenity

The view from Dunedee Lodge

You know I cannot get enough of trees right?

Sorry couldn't get enough!

And these little guys were our only company

All in all - a great day out and although it's ticked off our bucket list - we have to go back!

Saturday saw us explore the Parap Village Markets.  Oh the food - so with so many different nationalities represented here it was hard to choose what to eat.  So we've added this to our weekly to do list and we will just try them all  !!
Mindil Beach Markets are the big name up here, however unless they've changed I think Parap Village Markets are much nicer and better HOWEVER we will sacrifice ourselves and revisit Mindil Beach and keep you posted.