2026/10 Darwin Part 2

Darwin
Part 2

Wednesday, 14 October

After a day exploring town, we looked forward to our Beach Camel Ride at Mindil Beach from the Darwin Botanic Gardens at 5.00 P.M.

Camel arrival

setting up

lining up

getting on view from the top

Nice being in the lead

view to the right and to the left

footprints

Our fellow riders

Swaying on the ship of Mindil Beach

Heading back to base

Those who go on must go off

Looking for shell treasures on the beach

Even the seagulls are watching the sunset

2 guides, 1 traveller, 6 camels on a sunset ride

Scottish-born artist Ian Fairweather needs no introduction. Having been exhibited at the Qld Art Gallery and major galleries, and having lived on Bribie Island, the artist’s last home, his art is well known to Queenslanders.

We were surprised to see that Darwin pays tribute to the artist by creating ‘The Fairweather Walk’.

Memorial to Ian Fairweather

The Fairweather Walk

Epic Journey Across the Timor Sea

Fairweather left Darwin in 1952 on a homemade raft to return to Britain. He was inspired by Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki expedition account.

Looking at this replica, it is not surprising that his journey ended after 16 days on a beach on Indonesia’s Roti Island.

Thursday, 15 October

Dan picked us up for a full-day small group Litchfield Park Adventure, starting with a visit to Berry Springs Nature Park.

Can you spot the Golden Orb spider?

Berry Creek is a beautiful spring-fed creek ...

... with cool, clear water

Bush tucker grapes ... Bowerbird's nest

Bowerbird

Magnetic Termite Mounds, in the shape of a hand, sort of ...

... these mounds can usually be found near water

Wangi Falls

Wangi Loop Walk

Monsoon forest, a remnant habitat due to the permanent water of Wangi Creek

Florence Falls - A Spiritual Place

Ancient wave imprint on paving rocks - once there was a sea

Shimmery, flaky mineral crystals of Mica found near the creeks and historical sites of Litchfield National Park

Buley Rockhole - an ancient spiritual place

toe-wetting

Banyan Tree Caravan Park ... NT Humour ...

The stage is set for Banyan Tree Resort performance

Where is the audience?

Maybe they are bogged down somewhere?

Garden Drilling. We are a safe working team?@#!??

Dan got us back to our hotel safely, leaving us with memories of some of his:

Queries: 'How heavy is Ayers Rock? ... 1 Stone!'

Facts:

(1) Palmerston was the original name for Darwin.

(2) Queen Victoria annexed the NT to the colony of SA by Letters Patent on 6/7/1863. Before that, the area was part of NSW. On 1/1/1911, it was transferred to the Commonwealth of Australia.

(3) Litchfield Park comprises about 1,500 square km.

(4) 270,000 people live in the NT; 160,000 live in Darwin; around 26,000 are NT public sector employees.

(5) During WWII, Darwin was bombed 64 times; Australia was bombed 97 times.

Cures for headaches:

Palm strips:

RNM searching for a Palm strip, as, according to Dan, it cures headaches if wound around the head. The RNM confirmed this after its application.

Pandanus Spiralis ... Melacula: rub into nostrils for head cold

And many wonderful memories of another wonderful day in the NT.

Friday, 16 October

Being our last day in Darwin, we meandered into CBD Plaza to browse, check out the local bookstore, investigate the history of this lovely Water Bearer statue and felt an amazing fascination for the surrounding trees.

On 23/4/1982, the people of the Greek island of Kalymnos presented this statue of the clay pot water bearer to the people of Darwin to commemorate the founding of a ‘sister city’ relationship and strengthen bonds of friendship, culture, and commerce.

Darwin has the world's largest population of expatriate Kalymnians. Like Darwin, Kalymnos has a long history of deep-sea diving and remains renowned for the quality of its sea sponges. The water bearer statue symbolises the hard work of the Kalymnian mother in supporting her family, and Kalymnian sculptor Irene Kokkinos created it.

Allosyncarpia ternata - RNM forever looking for seeds under trees

In November 2010, the City of Darwin transplanted this 9-metre-tall tree from Moil Oval Surrounds. The trial, Australia’s first for this species, will help the city assess the success of transplanting mature native trees. Allosyncarpia ternata is endemic to the sandstone escarpments of western Arnhem Land and Kakadu National Park, where it provides shade and shelter for Traditional Owners. A surviving Gondwanan species, it is closely linked to plant types in South America. Its wood is used to make lightning sticks, and a bark infusion is applied to sores and open wounds. This Top End native is expected to become one of Darwin’s finest and most stately street trees.