Part 5, a week in Darwin
First here is a copy, annotated of my activities as potentially selected:
LOCAL
Get a copy of this week in Darwin and Welcome to Darwin
Darwin Festival 11-28th/Aug--various venues, did not attend any
Beer Can Regalle-held before we arrived
Rodeo & Mud Crab tying--could not find out about this
City Tour $54 sights museums etc -a city tour was included in our trip and then another with the tub, so skipped this.
1883 Fannie Bay Gaol-yes
Museum/Art Gallery of NT, Fannie Bay, Conacher ST/Bullocky Pt., 9-5 s/s 10-5 Café, incl Maritime Museum-yes
Parliment House-end of Mitchell St (1 blk E and a couple south) Bennett St 8-6, no Sun-see notes
Admirality House and Lyon’s Cottage (1925 restored on Esplanade M-F 10-4:30 s/s 10-4) and Gov’t House2 blks N of War Memorial (all near hotel). see notes
East Point Military Museum-yes
Survivors Lookout-long walk S on Esplanade.
Past Survivors Lookout-missed
D Botanic Gardens, Gardens Road, free M-F 7:30 to 5, s/s 8:30-5-yes
Chinese Temple Statue-missed
Cullen Bay Marina-ferry trip, ride, food, shop-yes
Stokes Hill Wharf-dining etc. So of city, past WWII Oil Storage Tunnel-missed
Indo Pacific Marine & Pearling Exhibit (aquarium), Wharf Mitchum Dr/McMinn-missed.10-5 SHW…goodly distance from hotel, SE and east side of Wharf Precint
Darwin City Coles Mitchell Centre (nr Mitchell/Knucky St)-groceries, wine shop-yes
Casino, dress code almost non existent
DRIVE
Crocdylus Park-nr AP, E on McMillan thru 1 roundabout site on lift (5 minutes from AP, 15 minutes from city 815 McMillian. Catch #5 from Darwin, 5 minut3e walk from stop 9-5 A425 Crock, Gator Birds Monkeys iguana, big cats…etc-missed
Batchetor (?) Butterfly and Bird Farm 9:30-4:45 100 kn sw of D-missed
Bathurt Island M-F 7:30 flight $325-should have done an overnight
Aust.Aviation Heritage Centre (15km) S of D, B-52-missed
Aquascene fish feeding at shore N of Daly St, Extention of Esplanade@ Bicentennial Park A$7, North of Carlton Hotel (Doctors Gully), Wade in water 8:30-11 or so. Tidal--missed
Territory Wildlife Park…Berry Springs birds, aquar, 45 mins So of D. (Tour 7:30-1, $60) Cox Pennsula Rd 8:30-4--took a tour bus
Darwin Croc farm 40km on Stuart Highway @ Noonamah $10 9-4, ½ hr drive Guided tours/feedings 2pm--seen enough of crocs
Majestic Orchids…Darwin River Rd, Darwin Rier 8-5 M-F-missed
Woolworths Casuaria Shopping center 3km, bus rte 1. Lots of shops s/e Crn Dripstone/Trower Rds--took free bus
Palmerston 15 minutes on the way to Stuart Hwy, lots of stores--missed
We stayed at the Saville Suites 88 The Esplanade. We had a 1 bedroom with full kitcheon. Expensive (A$305nt). We were on the 4th floor, water front/w balcony. Any lower floor would be tree impacted!!! as to view. Two chairs and table on balcony. Beautiful sunsets every night! See pictures to be posted later. Nice place to drink some wine and relax after a day of activity. The room developed or had several problems. Each was repaired timely except the clothes dryer that kept overheating and shutting down. It needs to be replaced but likely will not. It took us hours per load to dry. We just did a load a day!
The facilities were a mix. The lobby was nice airy and functional. Elevator service was good. Desk access was mixed. Desk information was undependable as to attractions. The pool was not heated. The hot tub was the same water as the pool. While the air temp was about 33, the water was not warm enough, except for children and hearty. Access to the pool from the rooms was through the garage. Poorly marked. No pool service, but you could go into the bar and order. Lots of backpackers came and used the pool area the day we did. They were not staying at the hotel. It was interesting to see some many young people (20's) removing their close and redressing under a towel. Lots of drinking and smoking too. Another family there, told us this was an everyday occurance and that the management was unresponsive. Apparently, two people would rent a room, 10 stay in it and they would invite another 15 from the youth hostile down the street.
Our last morning on the tour included a city tour. We went around the town, out to the Marina, the botanic gardens (45 minutes), the Museum (1 1/2hrs) and were given a commentary of the area. Our driver was from Humpty Doo.
Early on we went to Coles (2 blocks) and stocked up on brekie stuff, sandwich meat, rolls and wine. It is an easy walk. It takes you past the backpacker place, a good place to get internet access on the cheap. We did. You buy a block of time, and can use it over days. The server is in the Czeh. Republic, the time shown was always wrong. We got more that we paid for. We reported the issue, they did not care. This area is a main part of the business district with plenty of eateries and shops. Nice walk.
For "at home shopping, major chain stores, etc." it was off to Casuaira Shopping center. It is almost a 30 minute ride, on the free red bus. Problem is, the bus fills up and you then have to wait another hours, with no assurances. Same problem coming back. They do pick up at the Saville.
On our City tour we had visited the Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory for 1 1/2 hours. We needed to go back for another couple of hours. The taxis are expensive. There is a "group shuttle" service, Arafura Shuttle that is a better deal. They took us to the Museum for A$3pp, each way. They supply various travel for different prices. The Museum entry is free. The museum has lots of exhibits, including a famous croc, Sweetheart, the cyclone exhibit (including a sound room and some recordings by victums during the event), abroginal art, birds, stones, etc. The boat museum is also included. The area between the two is a "science" wonder hall with a guide.
The Tour Tub is a flat fee for the day (A$25?). (Book this and other tours behind the hotel at the travel center and get free bottled water, included). They provide modest discounts on many of the attractions and on some eateries. 15% off Hog's Breath Cafe. It goes to the fish feeding, wwII oil storage tunnels, indo pacific Marine, Pearling Exhibition, Botanic Gardens, Casino, East Point Military Museum, Fannie Bay Gaol and Museum and Art Gallery. It runs to each place once per hour. It is important to decide what activities this transportation works best for. Areas under a 1 hour visit are best. This allows you to see the most in one day. They only operate until 4 and I beleive they started at 9 (slightly different depending on where you get own). They do stop at the Saville.
We used the Tub to go to the Military Museum. It was a about A$9. Lots of US Military equipment, some bunkers and a modest area with displays. The movie of the attacks on Darwin during WWII were the most interesting. You had better be interested in this category or skip it.
We took the Tub to the Fannie Bay Gaol. The original fence of 1883 is gone, compliments of Cyclone Tracy in 1974. This smallish gaol was closed several years later. Much of the facility survived the cyclone and can be viewed today. Photos are allowed. It is free to enter and takes about the hour you have between buses, so watch the time.
We took the Tub to the Casino and had lunch. A great, very reasonably priced buffet lunch overlooking the pool. There was no wait inspite of being near noon. Glad we made this stop. We did not gamble, but were surprised that the slots could be played for as little as 2 cents a pull!!
The ride on the Tub is narrated and is a good City Tour!
Darwin Day Tours offers various touring options. We used them for our Morning Territory Wildlife Park Tour. It costs A$60pp, including entry. The tour starts at 7:30 and returns about 1:30. It is a material ride to the park. The park was nearly deserted. It was hot. The place is layed out very well. You can walk it like an oval over gravel paths, or walk in and our off the road. There is a transport trailer also (too slow, unless your spending the whole day). We attended the bird show which was really average. They have a food vender. The nocturnal house was large and fully stocked. Lots of birds were on exhibit in the aviary. There is a water fowl lagoon. We saw a wallaby getting a drink (hopefully the picture came out). Oh, have bug repellant and perhaps fly screening. There is a aquarium witha viewing tunnel. Lots of large animals. You can also see wallabies and woollybutts. I recommend this tour/place for families or people like us who just like to see the animals. They appear to be well cared for and well displayed for viewing too.
This company also offers A City tour (A$54 or 92 with a Harbour Cruise option), Afternoon Jumping Crocodile Cruise($80), and trips to Katherine and Kakadu.
Our "walk about" day was nearly a bust. The Lyon Cottage was closed for painting. The Admirality House was under reconstruction. The place we bought chicken, the Red Rooster, was quite poor quality. We passed on getting an ice cream. It was hot.
There is lots to do, as well as some time to just relax. We did this a couple days too. Laundry, tired feet, playing some gin, people watching and bird watching from our balcony.
Well, that was our visit to Darwin. Our trip home was uneventful. Note flights out of Darwin are generally one stop back to Sydney. They are much cheaper if you go at 1 am!! Boo. We left about noon. Qantas was very good compared to past flights--refer to write up in the Qantas forum.
Our stay in near SYD at the Airport Sydney International Motor Inn would have been better if our expectations were not of a motel 6. This place was more a cell with bath and bed. Pizza was good as was the beer on tap. Quite windy and cold after being in Darwin.
PLEASE HELP: Anyone tell me how I post a "clickable address" for this write up?