Sorry friend, I lead you astray ……that beautiful crocodile that liked munching on outboard motors was  740 kg. I had put her on a diet. She was caught with plans to put her in a crocodile farm but was accidentally drowned when given a sedative to make her easier to handle. Phew now I have admitted that and can I add  BULEY was auto corrected to Bluey.   I will make sure my checker doesn’t doze off in future…you all know what a terrible speller I am.

Today we joined lots of Darwinians at the Parap markets. These are held every Saturday  and are an opportunity to try different foods from just everywhere, collect some crafts , flowers or local fruits.

   

The naughty corner is definitely one to visit as the cakes looked amazing , unfortunately we had just had breakfast so no room for Vanilla slice.  Mindil Beach  markets are the most famous markets in Darwin but only operate between April and October.

Fannie Bay is an historical area in Darwin’s settlement. It is also the site of  a Gaol . Initially for both men and woman ,and then women and children until 1979. It’s the first place that aboriginal art was recognised and the place where the last two men were executed, ( they were convicted of murder).

Conditions  were hard  for the inmates as there was initially no electricity or toilets. Ventilation was through a small window high in the wall.Prisoners were taken to the beach to wash. Without facilities the rooms would have been hot , smelly and dark. The only advantages were :staff had a good relationship with the prisoners (even joined them in games) and there were areas for communal dining and activities.

 

 

Next stop is Myilly Point. This was the home country for the Larrakai      People. When Darwin began to settle, it became known as the Kahlin compound as houses were built for the local people. Unfortunately as time went on, it became fenced and the locals were only allowed to enter the main town with a special metal disc. It is also where you can find 3 houses from the 1930’s built in Darwin. These were built raised up on stilts so you could use underneath the building for entertains in hot weather. Louvers and big windows allowed air to flow through the house. Doors were only open above and below to also help keep the rooms cool. These 3 houses escaped the bombing of Darwin and surprisingly because of the design, also survived Cyclone Tracy All three houses have been restored now and are looked after by the National Trust.Burnett house is gradually being furnished as it used to be. The Audit house is being used for functions such as drawing workshops and the remaining house is rented at present.        Next stop for the day…. I know you thought you were done…. is return the car and walk to the Flying Doctor exhibition. This exhibition is mainly information boards but there are virtual displays too. I really liked the holograph movie telling the history of the Flying Doctor service and one American Naval officer’s experience during the bombing. Reverend Flynn certainly had forward thinking about the needs of supporting the people of the outback , initially by camel, then car and finally by air.

So you have had a full day. Relax, take the sunset cruise and enjoy Darwin harbour by night , tomorrow you can rest before heading to Kakadu.