Loving Darwin!

While we were at Darwin we went to the Botanical Gardens to have a walk and look around.  We saw lots of interesting plants, trees and flowers of all different colours.

 

In the playground there was a tree house that you could climb right up into around a huge tree.  The tree house looked like a big bird cage.  I climbed up ladders to the top and I could see views of Darwin city and views all over the gardens.  I felt a bit weird like I was going to fall down because it was that high up! 

Afterwards we went on the rainforest walk and saw a little waterfall.

On a rock we saw a crocodile sculpture made of metal.

In amongst the trees I saw a couple of Orange-footed Scrubfowl scratching around.  I tried to catch one but he was too quick. 

Orange-footed Scrubfowl

I also saw a really unusual lizard about 12cm long and he had funny little beady eyes that moved around and had green around the outside.  Our most exciting find was when we looked up at a big tree and on one of the branches was a massive python that was about 5 metres long and was coloured creamy white with rusty brown markings.  I know my Aunty Del and Uncle Michael are going to love this snake!

One of the best times I had in Darwin was going to the Aviation Heritage Centre.

I saw heaps of military jets and helicopters, but my favourite plane was the B52 Bomber!  It was so massive!  Pop and I also looked at an old helicopter that had a mower engine. 

The B52 took up all the shed and planes were parked underneath it

Under the B52 cockpit

Spitfire

When we were in Darwin city we went to the Wave Pool and had a look around Darwin Harbour.  The Wave Pool was really fun especially when I rode the waves on the boogie board. 

View of Darwin from East Point north of the city

 

The next day we rode our motor scooters to Darwin Museum.  While we were there we saw a display on Cyclone Tracey which destroyed most of Darwin on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in 1974.  I went into dark sound room and heard what the cyclone sounded like when it hit Darwin.  It must have been really scary for all the people in Darwin!

At the museum I also saw lots of stuffed native animals, fossils and a crocodile called Sweetheart who was 5 metres long.  Sweetheart died when the men were trying to move her to a place away from people.  It was pretty sad that happened as she would have been really old. 

In the art gallery I saw some cool Aboriginal art and a truck made from straw rope.

While we were in Darwin we went to see some underground oil tunnels that were built when Australia was going to be attacked by Japan.  The tunnels were meant to keep Darwin’s oil safe from being blown up by the Japanese.  Darwin kept the tunnels a secret because they were embarrassed because the tunnels were never used.  This was because the tunnels leaked and oil couldn’t be kept in them.  The tunnels were about 2 km long and they were really dark.

After seeing the tunnels we rode up to Darwin’s Military Museum.  I learnt all about the day that Darwin was bombed by the Japanese on the 19^th February 1942 and 292 people died.  It was really sad.  The Japanese also bombed other places in the north of Australia.

My favourite things in the museum were the huge gun battery built to protect Darwin, a machine gun and a military boat.  There were heaps of tanks and other machines.

Gun Battery

We have left Darwin now and are going to Kakadu.  On the way we are going to the Jumping Crocodiles on Adelaide River.  I can’t wait!  I am really looking forward to that!

I saw this copy of the Northern Territory News about the Jumping Crocodiles and I hope I see Brutus when I go!