Fresh air today and history yesterday. You have finally escaped to have a “real” holiday where you have to catch a plane. Yes I know it was a bit different with mask wearing and no inflight entertainment, but the flight attendant did give you extra chocolates so no complaints please.
Car collected and we are off to learn about Darwin’s history.
It has sought independence but was administered firstly by South Australia and then the Federal Government. From its earliest settlement, the population has been multicultural but with Indigenous and Chinese ( came during gold rushes) being the most dominant groups. Government jobs were mainly performed by people of Anglo background and felt they were above the rest of the workers. The settlement struggled with distance and few industries. As one former drover, Bruce Simpson said the Territory attracted
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World War2 brought changes the population. Leading up to the war, there had been a movement to prepare the area for possible invasion and supply centre for the American army. There were several airports built for both Australian and American Air Forces. The population grew to 3000. On 19th February, 1942 the first of 20 months of bombing occurred. Shipping, airplanes and supplies were destroyed. Civilians were evacuated and only military or essential workers remained. Darwin was pretty well flattened. The military museum covers the events of all the wars which Australia has been involved .
Now we think of conscription as being in war time but in the early 1900’s all males were expected to do some military training from 10-14 and 18-20 for home defence. For some reason, 16 and 17 year olds got time off….fo good behaviour?
Darwin was flattened again in 1974 by a cyclone. Most of the population was evacuated. Some people returned when it was rebuilt but many resettled in other states.
The museum has amazing art displays, natural history and the history of Darwin…..something for everyone. Here is a sample that I liked. Feel free to add what you liked.
So you must be ready for some fresh air now. If you are like me, you have reached overload . Nature time…….Litchfield Park here we come. Firstly, the Magnet termite mounds, so called because they face north. The mounds are created by Cathedral termites.
Feeling hot? Break out the swimmers , we are going to Bluey Rockpool.
The water is so strong that it sweeps you along. Be careful, I nearly went over the waterfall.
Keep those swimmers on as we are going to the plunge pool just a bit further along Florence Creek at the Florence falls. Admire the falls , the grass and other plants but watch out for spiders.
One more stop and then you can have a rest. Darwin has an amazing Botanical Garden. It has been rebuilt twice but has magnificent areas for all to enjoy……wide grassed spaces, intriguing paths, and sculptures. A wonderful place for hide n seek.
The first church in Darwin
Are you hot , tired and ready for a rest. Off you go. I promise tomorrow won’t be so jam packed….maybe.
Hill End has been declared a heritage area . Many of the original buildings are there. Some have found new roles. 
Artists are invited to come and stay to use the area for inspiration. This is reflected in the heritage centre that has visual and auditory displays as well as a few static displays.
Sofala, a short distance from Hill End , was also a gold town. Unlike Hill End, it does not have the same sense of history. There are some historical buildings but they are not well maintained so feel a bit lost.
Each sign has some quirky fact to help you relate to those people of the past e.g when the first police station was built there was no secure jail. Prisoners were attached by a chain through a hole in the wall and the policeman had it around his wrist to jerk it during the night to check the prisoner was still there.
Yesterday you followed the Cobb and Co coach route to Bathurst. Today you will look at the affect of another transport on Bathurst. 
Railways were important for the transport of people and goods in rural NSW. At the museum, interviews show the different roles of the people and the railway. At Bathurst people were trained by experienced workers doing the job. An apprentice to any role was mentored and then additional study and exams were performed in the Institute. This was also an important social hub for the community. From steam to diesel and electric rail, the Institute trained the people to perform the role. The sense of comradeship helped make Bathurst a close knit group.
There is a display of 900 pistols and rifles ,part of 1500 donated to the museum. A favourite would have to be the walking stick pistol. It evokes memories of spies in the olden days. When there was a downturn in production, management diversified products to include mix masters,sewing machines, tools and even handcuffs. This kept industry in the area.
The view from the lookout overlooking the valley was beautiful, don’t you think and your tour is not costing you 17 shillings and 6 pence. The trees are magnificent and it’s amazing how many have survived fires over the years.
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You will see the boatie ,oooops, I mean the ship tomorrow. Just letting you know, I have been warned that wifi is not readily available on the ship so you will have to wait till I get to shore to fill you in on your adventures ( in case you forgot what you did at sea🤣).
