Darwin

Another collage of Darwin. Top left was taken on a short bike ride along the shore before we caught a sightseeing trip around the harbour. 

Top centre is one of the few remaining homes from early in the 1900s. Many were destroyed in the bombing of Darwin in WW2 or the cyclone of Christmas Eve 1974. These few are now being cared for by the National Trust. The cyclone happened when I was almost at the end of my nursing training and we had some patients transferred to Sydney. One family lost their mother, their dad was hurt along with a couple of children. It was very sad looking after them. Apparently 70% of the buildings were flattened. 

The bombing was by the same regiment as the one that attacked Pearl Harbour. The anti aircraft guns were pointed north towards the ocean but after reconnaissance by the enemy spies the locals were surprised as the planes came inland and attacked from the south. 

Top right is the city including the Parliament House and Government House. The latter is very old and also survived the bombs and cyclone. Apparently even though it’s old it is very comfortable to live in with shutters, wide verandahs and being so near the sea. 

The lower photo is the beach at Cullen Bay. There are well manicured lawns down to a concrete barrier and then the sand. Looks beautiful but there are no swimmers as it isn’t safe to swim in Darwin Harbour. They take 300 crocodiles from the harbour each year and there are irukandji and box jellyfish in the water.