Corroboree Billabong to Darwin Days 52 to 59

Exiting Kakadu heading north west there are a few more chances to see the river systems which enter the Gulf of Carpentaria. We camped at The Bark Hut, where the flies outnumbered the tourists 100 to 1. Fellow travellers gave us a tip off which saw us bypass the 1 hour billabong cruise and the croc jumping cruise and instead hire a tinny. It proved to be a masterstroke with 4 hours of croc spotting gold. The billabong is a huge network of canals which link to the Mary River in the wet. Putting along, we counted 20 saltwater crocs in the first hour. 

Some of these bad boys were well over the 4 metre mark and they weren’t about to move for anyone. Drifting in with the engine off we could get as close as we liked. Wow. 

Naomi grinned so much as she steered the boat she got lipstick on her ears.

Kael found his joy in the Kites and Sea Eagles as well as Jabiru and Brolga. Lissa only had eyes for the Lotus birds. The Beave was an able first mate.

Darwin is notoriously hard to find camping sites and when you do, they charge like a water buffalo. Our modest, overpriced patch of grass was at Coolalinga on the road into town. There are plenty of long termers in Darwin caravan parks. There seems to be plenty of work and not enough housing for the workers. It’s hard to complain about a place with weather like this. Every night, at about 5pm I repeat the refrain to Lissa: “How bout this weather Hun? Does it get any better than this?” It is repetitive and rhetorical and has been continuing since we passed Tennant Creek and shows no sign of changing. 30 degree heat which disappears quickly after sunset for a 16 degree night time low. Most days there is a breeze and of course, no rain. The defense rests, Your Honour.

The corregated iron fencing of Alice has been replaced by cyclone mesh. There are no gutters on the houses which are required to be concrete block construction, or have a cylone proof “bunker” (usually the laundry). Nothing like clean undies when you are watching 200km/hr winds uproot trees. I’d also recommend a popcorn machine be kept next to the dryer. Darwin is probably smaller than you’d expect.  The suburbs have to negotiate the river and straddle the disproportionately large airport, which sits like Pharlap’s heart in centre of the city. The military presence is marked by the fighter jets flying overhead as the air force train their pilots. The blue water harbour is a beautiful setting and provides a great view for those who holiday in hotels. 

It is hard to imagine what everyone is doing up here. There is tourism, and the military but the mining is hidden offshore and inland. I guess 120000 people are busy doing something.

After knocking off some school work we cooled off at one of the 2 free water parks at Palmerston. It was a nice chance to catch our friends Andy and Jane who brought their 2 little girls down for a dip. 

Dinner at the deckchair cinema with a screening of “The Pirates” completed our day. Naomi found the villainous Queen Victoria a little too intense for her liking.

We planned a week in Darwin to give us time to catch our breath. Breaking our church drought we tagged along with Andy and Jane to Hope City Church. Lunch at the other free waterpark saw Naomi conquer all 3 waterslides including one particularly dark and fast one, loving every second.

Have I told you about this weather?

Mindil Markets are another Darwin icon with the food stalls adjacent to the harbour beach. After 7 weeks watching other people eating out the kids were unable to go past a bucket of hot chips and some chicken skewers. We preferred Laksa, samosa and papaya salad as the sunset over the ocean. 

A day trip to Fogg Dam and Window on the Wetlands gave the kids a chance to learn about the ecosystems we have been seen throughout Kakadu.

Art Gallery has some Local Aboriginal artworks and other displays but the kids interest was held predictably by the animal displays. Mega-fauna skeletons, poisonous sea creatures and a giant croc taken from a nearby river in the 70’s. Even the crocs had sideburns back then. The Cyclone Tracey display tells the story of the day Darwin was flattened.

The kids resumed their fascination with all things gruesome as we took the Defense of Darwin Experience. Walking around the grounds examining the military hardware and the battlements from when WWII touched the top end. 

Questions followed questions as they tried to fathom the realities of a war. The display becomes interactive with touch screens and video of the event.

Our neighbours here have escaped a Melbourne winter. Kael spent plenty of time around their caravan and the girls were taken with their little white dog. Peter became my first paying patient with some improvised chiropractic on his crook back. It’s easy to spot a scar from 2 separate lower back surgeries performed 30 years ago on a man who seems to have given up wearing a shirt.

Getting quotes for a car service inspired me to do the deed myself. The oil was black as crude and the air filter filthy; it’s been a dusty 8000km since we departed Sydney.

On our last morning in Darwin I sent the kids out to collect bottles and cans. 3 bags full and a trip to the recycling depot and they had $15 to divide between them. A kid could get rich in this town.

Eva has been slowly emerging from her shell. She spotted a little girl as we set up at Tumbling Waters and wandered over. “What’s your number?” she asked, the little girls answer was interpreted by her mum “My name’s Eva”. Another Eva, same age, dressed in pink. A perfect match. They played together every spare moment until the little girl’s departure the next day. Tonight we had dinner and a show as Eva ran around the tent singing “I need some hot stuff baby this evening” channelling Donna Summer circa 1979. Solid Gold.