A QUICK TRIP TO DARWIN AND BACK

  When I say we took a quick trip from just north of Katherine to Darwin, the capital city of The Northern Territory and then back to Katherine,  it is in reality almost 650 kms. Up here that is but a daily drive for some. Not for us though, we needed a stop over at Bridge Creek free camp , about half way, there and back. Darwin is a difficult place to stay in for the Grey Nomad as Caravan Parks are very expensive sometimes charging over $55 per night and free camps are non existent. In addition many, if not most Parks refuse to allow Backpackers in tents, "Whizzbangs" (old vans popular with your tourists), Campervans with "Pop Tops" or "High Tops". The reason given is that travellers in those types of vehicles have not respected the rules and etiquette of responsible travelling and have spoiled things for those that do. We stayed at one of the Showgrounds and that even cost $25 unpowered. Marj, who has a nicely fitted out Hi Ace Van, even had trouble booking in at first but was allowed in after it was noted that she was an experienced Senior.
   Fortunately for us Colleen, one of our travelling companions, is from Darwin and has a daughter living there, so was able to borrow a car and take Marj and I for a tour of the city. We  both did like the feel of the place and have vowed to return next year for a more detailed reconnaissance. The greater Darwin area is the ancestral home of the Larrakia people.
  On 9 September 1839, HMS Beagle sailed into Darwin Harbour during its surveying of the area. John Clements Wickham named the region "Port Darwin" in honour of their former shipmate Charles Darwin, who had sailed with them on the ship's previous voyage which had ended in October 1836. The settlement there became the town of Palmerston in 1869, and was renamed Darwin in 1911.
 " Around 10,000 Australian and other Allied troops arrived in Darwin at the outset of World War II, in order to defend Australia's northern coastline. On 19 February 1942, 188 Japanese warplanes attacked Darwin in two waves. It was the same fleet that had bombed Pearl Harbour, though a considerably larger number of bombs were dropped on Darwin than on Pearl Harbour. The attack killed at least 243 people and caused immense damage to the town. These were by far the most serious attacks on Australia in time of war, in terms of fatalities and damage. They were the first of many raids on Darwin."
  Having been almost entirely rebuilt twice, once due to Japanese air raids during World War II, and again after being devastated by Cyclone Tracy in 1974, the city is today one of Australia's most modern capitals. It is quite a and sprawling place with small with a population of only 136,000.