Nele & Andrew Around Oz: June 2011

Suburban Street, Darwin, NT (undisclosed location)

Day 134 – 30^th June 2011

Suburban Street, Darwin, NT (undisclosed location)

We did the grocery shopping and a few more errands this morning so we are ready to leave the big smoke tomorrow. In the afternoon we visited the Casuarina Coastal Reserve where we went for a short bike ride from Dripstone Cliffs to Rapid Creek and drove to Leeman Point to watch the sunset.

Dripstone Cliffs, Casuarina Coastal Reserve

Dripstone Cliffs

Rapid Creek

Dripstone Cliffs

WWII bunker

Leeman Point

Sunset

Suburban Street, Darwin, NT (undisclosed location)

Day 133 – 29^th June 2011

Suburban Street, Darwin, NT (undisclosed location)

This morning we caught up with Steven and Yvonne (rellies from Nele’s host family living in Darwin) for coffee at the Casuarina Shopping Centre. After lunch we visited Burnett House (a good example of early tropical architecture built in the late 1930’s), Cullen Bay Marina, Fannie Bay Goal (the goal operated from 1883 to 1979 and contains the gallows used for the last execution held in the Territory in 1952) and the Museum and Art Gallery of the NT featuring Aboriginal Art, a fascinating Cyclone Tracy exhibit and Sweetheart, the Top End’s most famous croc. For dinner we met up with Amy, a friend of Andrew, at the Stokes Hill Wharf.

Burnett House

Ah, Andrew's being eaten by a crocodile

Cullen Bay Marina

Fannie Bay Goal

Gallows at Fannie Bay Goal

Fannie Bay Goal

Cyclone Tracy Exhibit

Doesn't Sweetheart look so cute???

Stokes Hill Wharf by night

Malak Caravan Park, Darwin, NT

Day 132 – 28^th June 2011

Malak Caravan Park, Darwin, NT

Early morning we had an appointment with Ford service to get a loose handbrake cable fixed. Back at the caravan park Andrew gave the van a really good clean, while Nele spent the day updating the blog. In the evening we went to see the French movie Potiche at the Outdoor Deckchair Cinema. Good fun!

Cleaning the van till it shines

Outdoor Deckchair Cinema

Having a meal before the movie

Quite comfy chairs

Malak Caravan Park, Darwin, NT

Day 131 – 27^th June 2011

Malak Caravan Park, Darwin, NT

This morning we had to do some errands in the city and enjoyed a nice tapas lunch with Sangria. In the afternoon we went for a sightseeing walk to the Parliament House, the Darwin Waterfront Precinct with the interesting Wave Lagoon, a pool creating waves so Darwin residents can also enjoy the waves (as it’s not advised to go swimming in the sea with the crocodile and stingers danger), Stokes Hill Wharf and several heritage buildings along Smith Street. We went out for a delicious dinner to Hanuman, Darwin’s top fine-dining restaurant, to celebrate Nele’s birthday.

Tapas lunch

Parliament House

Government House

Wharf precinct

Wave Lagoon

Penguin art

Stokes Hill Wharf

This bridge rises with the water level

Old Town Hall Ruins

Brown's Mart Theatre

Delicious birthday dinner

Malak Caravan Park, Darwin, NT

Day 130 – 26^th June 2011

Malak Caravan Park, Darwin, NT

Today was Nele’s birthday which we celebrated with an Andrew baked pancake breakfast with yummy Belgian dark brown sugar! Next we visited the Nightcliff market and went for a wander along the Nightcliff foreshore. Late afternoon we drove to Mindil Beach to experience the famous Mindil Beach Sunset Market. Great place where you stroll along the many stalls offering local arts and crafts and fresh food. There is live entertainment with bands and street performers, creating an atmosphere that reminded Nele of the “Gentse Feesten”. We bought some food and sat down for dinner on the beach while watching the sunset before enjoying some more music and another walk along the stalls, which tempted Nele into a Baileys pancake dessert.

My new camera

Pancake breakfast

Nightcliff market

Nightcliff foreshore

Nightcliff beach

Want to go swimming?

Mindil Beach

Mindil Market

Anyone some roadkill?

Live entertainment

Sunset dinner

Mindil Beach sunset

Crowd watching the sunset at Mindil Beach

Malak Caravan Park, Darwin, NT

Day 129 – 25^th June 2011

Malak Caravan Park, Darwin, NT

We left the park early morning to travel to Darwin. After a quick stop at the visitor centre in the CBD, we visited our first of Darwin’s many outdoor markets at Parap Village. We browsed the stalls and enjoyed a nice mango lassi with a Thai chicken salad for lunch. Afterwards we drove to East Point Reserve where we relaxed on the beach – Nele practised some bird photography - and enjoyed a leisurely walk before driving to Vestey’s Beach to watch the sunset. We went out for dinner at this great Italian restaurant on Mitchell Street (yummy pizzas) and finished the day with a drink at Nirvana, Darwin’s best small live-music venue for jazz and blues.