darwin

Left Perth on a 1C morning and arrived four hours later in the top end to a lovely, humid 30C!
A and E met me at the airport looking a tad weary after a very early start from Groote Eylandt this morning and their farewell bash 'on island 'last night.
So they slept and I went off along the Esplanade for the first walk of this territory day.
Down to the waterfront to a hive of activity with hotels and apartments, a beach to swim from , a wave pool to bob and boogy board on and the Darwin Brass Band setting up for a twilight concert.
Will be back to further explore after a few days in Kakadu but the blip is of the Northern Territory Coat of Arms and spotted on the gate of old Government House and below is an explanation of the symbols which may give a little hint as to the character of this amazing part of the world.

The Northern Territory Coat of Arms is symbolic of
the people, history and landscape of the Northern
Territory. It contains our floral and faunal emblems:
the Sturt's Desert Rose, two Red Kangaroos and a
Wedge-tailed Eagle. The kangaroos are holding a
shield decorated by Aboriginal motifs in one hand
and shells found on our coastline in the other.

In the centre of the shield is an x-ray drawing of a woman
derived from rock art in Arnhem Land. The designs
on either side symbolise camp sites joined by path
markings of Central Australian Aboriginal people.
The eagle is holding an Aboriginal Tjurunga stone,
below which is a helmet. The helmet is a reminder
that the Northern Territory was an area of wartime