Tue 12th August – Day 94: Darwin – Sight Seeing

No computers today, we promised the kids a day off school and set off into town to see the brand new ‘Crocosaurus Cove’. A reptile park right in the middle of the CBD, set over 3 levels (similar to the wildlife park in Darling Harbour, Sydney). It showcased the reptiles found exclusively in the Northern parts of Australia, and we were very impressed with all the animals (6 enormous Crocs – all in large, well landscaped enclosures), hundreds of baby crocs in an enclosure which has large plexi-bubbles were you can stick your head up and get up close and personal with the little ones. Snakes, frogs, lizards, turtles, dragons and aquariums of Barramundi, rays and other Northern fish kept us enthralled for the entire morning. You could swim in a pool for free where one wall was clear and a large Croc patrolled the other side or even enter a plexiglass tank and dive with the crocs (for a fee of course) - the people doing it all emerged wide eyed and ecstatic.
Lunch in Bicentennial Park overlooking the murky blue waters of Darwin Harbour, we relaxed on the grass surrounded by groups of straw-necked ibis. Around the corner we checked out the WWII Oil Storage Tunnels, which were constructed to protect the Navy’s Oil supplies from overhead bombs during WWII. Only 5 of 11 proposed tunnels were every built, none were ever used to store oil, and at a cost of millions of pounds, 5 steel-lined tunnels extend from the Wharf under the city, 2 of which are open to the public, their walls depicting historical photographs of wartime activity in Darwin and around the top end.
Now the kids aren’t normally too interested in Art Galleries but the Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory managed to hold their attention for a good 2 hours, helped along by the worksheets given to them by museum staff about the art, natural science, history and culture of the top end. The Cyclone Tracy exhibit was particularly interesting and the story of ‘sweetheart’ the Croc kept them entertained.
Along the Darwin Wharf Precinct the new Darwin Conference Centre and associated waterfront apartments were being showcased so we spend a ½ hour day-dreaming about buying an investment property up here – rents are currently climbing at 47%/year and with the population on the rise from nearby mining exploits, Darwin will be a very large capital city before too long. Nearby Stokes Hill Wharf for dinner of prawns, oysters and barramundi, washed down with a couple of beers rounded off a great day.
Free Spirit Resort Darwin Big 4 (powered $55/night)