Job #1 for the day done – additional time booked and thankfully we don’t
even have to move sites which is a rather large blessing. So far we’ve only had to have the air
conditioner on once and I largely thank the thick wall of shade trees for
that. We have definitely used the aircon
in the car every day and have heard air conditioners running in other vans so
moving would probably not have provided such a perfect spot. Not to mention having to pack everything up
and re-set.
Job #2 was to book me on the courtesy bus that goes to Mindil Markets
on Thursday nights (and, one hopes, brings you back as well). Given there are no dogs allowed at the
markets it’s a one person job and I think I’m up to it! At $12.00 it certainly beats trying to get
there early enough to find a car park close enough that you can walk there
without having to train for a marathon beforehand!
That done we hopped in the car and ventured out for some more sight-seeing. Today was very hazy from all the fires around
the area. Living, as we do, in a high
bushfire risk area, we are always keeping an eye out throughout fire season for
any sign of smoke. I was therefore
interested to read in a “Top End Visitor Guide” book that in the early dry
season, bushfires in the Top End do not need to be reported unless they are a
thread to property or land values. Many
fires have been intentionally lit in order to manage land. Bushfires in the later months however, August
– November, can be reported by contacting Bushfires NT. It seems this week there are lots of
bushfires that haven’t been reported.
The thick grey smoke hung around the entire area.
Our first site visit was to a WWII Anti Aircraft Battery which was
responsible for protecting the southern section of Darwin Harbour from enemy
aircraft. Only the reinforced concrete
walls remain along with a few rusted fittings where there were once four large
guns, together with a command post complete with Plotting Room which is an
underground room with steps leading down from the top of the structure. Being dark inside, neither of us were keen to
venture in, but put a camera inside the doorway to take a photo. As it turns out there was some plotting going
on in there by the thousands of mosquitos who on being awakened by the flash of
a camera came flying out in a plume of wings and stingers. After letting them rest a while, I venture
back with the flash OFF to try again. On
one of the exterior walls where some of the surface cement has come loose you
can see that any kind of steel or wire handy had been used to try to reinforce
the cement walls and no doubt roof.
Imagining what life the men who attended this post must have endured was
next to impossible, but the signage around the site spoke of the issues of the
heat and consequential skin and dehydration issues, together with boredom.
As we left the Battery site, I noticed this tank beside the road – an Aboriginal art project that was an awesome effort.
Next stop was the Darwin Train Station which much to our surprise and somewhat amusement was barely larger than the one at Colac despite playing host to the famous Ghan each week, and so far away from the city of Darwin in the midst of an industrial area surrounded by a whole heap of nothing that you could be forgiven for thinking you had disembarked in the middle of nowhere.
We are both struck by the enormous amount of development going on all around the area, especially in the industrial areas. But also the amount of planning that has gone on long before any of this development as, not unlike Woomera, there are roads that just finish 30m after an intersection and footpaths with not a building in sight. “Good Future Planning?” Shane asks, but as I am reminded of Woomera and its paved streets, street lighting, shop car parking and road entrances adjacent to the bare undeveloped land I can’t help but think it is more “Wishful Thinking!”
Continuing along whichever road looked interesting we found ourselves at Francis Bay and followed the road around further to a wharf that included a fishing fleet. We finally ended up going as far north to Nightcliff before heading back to camp again.
What a way to end the day with a delicious chicken satay stirfry and this dessert including salted caramel cheesecake, ice-cream, strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream! Life is hard on the road!
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