Fannie Bay

Arriving in Darwin was bitter sweet as I didn’t want to leave the train but was excited to be in the tropics. Tony was also staying in Darwin for a few days so we planned to annoy each other by meeting up later in the week. The rail terminus is 20km outside Darwin so you are driven by coaches into the city. If you look to the left there are acres and acres of savannah forest and in the distance amidst this sea of green is Darwin popping up like a Dallas of the north with a sky scraping skyline. It all looks a bit sci-fi and the nearer you get the forest turns to mangrove swamp so it gets even more like you’ve just landed on a planet from Star Wars. I seriously expected to see Ewoks or a selection of creatures from the Eisley Cantina just wandering about.

I was staying at The Argus Hotel, pretty generic but clean and with a truly tropical city view.

There are lots of things to do in the ‘Top End’ (as they like to call it) from outback trails to river cruises with amazing waterfalls and leaping crocodile displays but what I could literally not wait to do was find (the now infamous in my own little mind) Fannie Bay!

So my first trip out was expedition Fannie. I had to walk round the block to find the bus stops (outside Woolworths – yes! They still have Woolies! Albeit a sort of Tesco version, more supermarket than . . .umm crockery and pic and mix?!) and who should I see in the distance dithering around the bus stops peering at the timetables with a huge neon sign above him saying ‘I am a tourist’ , yes, Tony. He was off on a Botanic Gardens expedition and couldn’t be persuaded to join in the Fannie Bay hunt. (In fact I’m not sure he really approved or approves of my infantile adventures) But a short drive out of town, in fact it’s the next Bay round, found me stepping off the bus at the sign posted Fannie Bay shops.

I obviously spent a certain amount of time smirking and giggling in a very carry-on manner and taking pictures of my favourite Fannie signs.

I had a pleasant coffee in Fannie Bays famous cool spot and I can affirm it is thankfully very cool (with air conditioning) because the rest of the time the place is seriously hot and seriously humid. It seems to be the Beverly Hills of Darwin though, with manicured lawns, huge mansions, palm tree lined drives and I’m sure it would be a pleasant if it weren’t so sweaty. (Or I wasn’t so sweaty?!)

I’m sort of sorry to say I didn’t stay long in Fannie Bay. I was going to have a look round Fannie gaol (there is also a Fannie Bay aerodrome and race course) but I had literally melted, like the wicked witch, and now dripping somewhat, was pretty sure it also looked like I’d wet myself. Best get to the safety of air con, time to stop Fannying around.

So I visited the Northern Territory Museum and Art Gallery. Which I cannot praise highly enough. I loved it. Not too big, great layout, fascinating exhibitions especially one on immigration and the terrifying Cyclone Tracey that decimated Darwin at Christmas in 1974. There are beautiful natural history exhibits, like the enchanting ‘ Splendid Fairy Wren’ ( what a great name?!?) and some stunning original aboriginal art.

Despite all this I spent most of my time trying to make it look like I was being attacked by the huge crocodile exhibit ‘sweetheart’ who at over 5 metres long became famous in Australia after he kept attacking dinghies at a popular Darwin fishing spot. He never hurt anyone but safety concerns raised they decided to catch him but after being caught and anaesthetised he became entangled with a sunken log and drowned. So he was stuffed. Now everyone can come and see him at the museum and if they have the time spend a while making, let’s face it, embarrassing selfies.

The rest of the week continued hot, steamy and migraine filled unfortunately (possibly the excitement of finding Fannie Bay?). Tony and I had a little trip out to Darwin National Park which is a sort of country park affair with walks and cycle paths, the obligatory bbq spots and loos. Not much else. Apart from us, wandering aimlessly, trying to be upbeat and not thoroughly underwhelmed (!) but there are an inordinate amount of old WWII bunkers. In fact Darwin is quite obsessed with its Second World War heritage, everywhere you go there is a plaque of some kind, or just old remnants left to rust. It was coming up to the anniversary of the bombing of Darwin by the Japanese on February 19th 1942 and as the only place in Australia to see such a bombardment you can kind of see why it still resonates. The park does have some epic views back across to Darwin which I tried to capture. (!)

Despite the constant clouds and huge rain, we had no big thunder clapping or tropical lightening but I did try to film some of the rain.

I spent quite a lot of time amusing myself in Woolies as there are quite a few brand names of food that, (well how to put it?) Well brand names that don’t travel well, most of them I’ve sort of decided to self edit (don’t want the site shut down!) but let’s leave Darwin with some 1950’s sunniness!