Northern Territory Sunrises and Sunsets

I think I have seen the best sunrises and sunsets during my time in the Northern Territory. Here are my favourite shots.

Fannie Bay

Casuarina Beach

Arnhem Land from the boat

Crocodile at sunset (a bit too close for comfort!)

Mindil Beach

The sunrises have been equally spectacular

And the moon deserves a mention too

Critters of Australia

With Spring is full swing in Australia I have seen a huge amount of the interesting flora and fauna.

Arnhem Land had a huge collection of creatures, which changes significantly between the wet and dry seasons.

 Lots of crocs

Lots of spiders (this is a non-poisonous St Andrews spider)

Rock wallaby

Harlequin beetles

Leichardt crickets

The majestic Jabiru

Sea Eagle on its nest

Water lilies at sunset with damsel fly

Jesus bird (runs on top of the lily pads to give the illusion of walking on water)

In Perth the flowers were blooming in King's Park

And Darwin is all about the tropical wildlife

I have seen many more creatures that I didn't manage to take photos of, including the huge hawks that fly over Darwin, dolphins, huge fruit bats (over 1m wing span) and all of the unusual and vocal parrots.

Darwin's WWII History

On the 19th of February 1942 Darwin was hit by the same strike force that had attacked Pearl Harbour  ten weeks earlier - except they dropped twice as many bombs, killed more civilians and sunk more ships than Pearl Harbour. The first wave of attack hit the harbour, the second hitting targets in and around the town.  On that day alone 292 people are known to have died, with scores more injured.

These old photos were on display in the oil storage tunnels, which were hand dug into the rock cliff after the main oil storage tanks were destroyed in the raids. You can access the tunnels today and find out about Darwin's role in World War II, which was not highly publicised at the time.

Darwin was used as a base for the allies, building up a force of over 60,000 men by the end of 1942. The allies managed to defend Darwin and the rest of Australia, despite a further 62 air raids in the region, and they finally pushed back the Japanese fighters back into the Pacific.

This remains the largest and deadliest ever attack on Australian soil, yet it is a largely untold story as the Government at the time didn't want to alarm the Australian public. The wharf was completely destroyed, along with many other buildings/infrastructure in Darwin, but I have enjoyed learning this story and the bravery shown on that day and the following years in the area. Stokes Hill Wharf today is the same structure that was rebuilt in the 40's after the bombing and today it is a lively place, with lots of boats/ships and fast food places - including some great fish and chips. There are permanent memorials for those who lost their lives here, with an annual remembrance service on the 19th of February. 

Sydney: The Best of the Rest

On my first morning in Sydney I went for a quick (very quick) dip in the Ocean at Manly Beach - I couldn't believe how many people were out making the most of the beautiful spring day - even at 6am.

I then headed into Sydney town by ferry (see previous post about the bridge) - which was a brilliant way to see the city for the first time.

After wandering around the NSW art gallery I headed down through the city and discovered the most beautiful shopping centre I've ever seen (I didn't do any shopping though!).

I also managed to have some fun at the Luna Park.

Which was followed by lunch in the old Olympic swimming pool - gorgeous food with the most spectacular views.

The trip back to Manly on the ferry at sunset was stunning too.

It was a great visit, I thoroughly enjoyed Sydney - even if I am still shaking from the bridge climb.