Darwin (Day 2) Part II - Australia

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Continue from Darwin (Day 2) Part I...
 
We waited at the hotel lobby around 1.45pm for our 1/2 day Darwin City sights by AAT Kings. The friendly driver guide came shortly to picked us up before proceed for other pick up. It was indeed a relaxing trip as we get to relax inside the air-conditioned coach. Along the way, our friendly driver introduced us to Darwin's history and landscape.
 
Departs: Daily 2.00pm from Darwin (earlier from Hotel pick up)
Returns: 6.00pm approximately
Price: $75 per adult
 
 
AAT Kings air-conditioned coach (view from inside the coach)



AAT Kings air-conditioned coach (view from outside the coach)
 
 
First stop of the day was the Survivor's Lookout. It was on the escarpment overlooking Darwin harbour that the city's first substantial stone buildings were constructed, including Government House, the Post Office, the Courthouse, Police Station and Government Offices. It is believed that the name of Survivor's Lookout originated from the first air raids on Darwin in 1942. Residents and military personnel from the shattered town gathered on top of the escarpment to look at the devastation in the harbour below.
 


Survivor's Lookout to Government House

 
Our friendly driver guide in red shirt

 
Can you spot Diamond Princess?

 
We spent 5 minutes at the Survivor's Lookout before heading to Darwin city. We passed by The Mall, Smith Street, Bicentennial Park, Chinese Museum and Temple and Church St. Mary. Our driver guide then drove us around Stokes Hill Wharf and Darwin Convention Centre before heading to the museum.
 
 
Church St. Mary

 
Take a closer look at Diamond Princess Cruise
 

We saw the hop on hop off Darwin bus
 
 
Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) was our 2nd stop of the day. We reached there around 3.30pm and spent almost an hour there. You can take a break and enjoy a cup of coffee at Cornucopia Museum Cafe. Below are some of the galleries found at the museum:
 
a) Cyclone Tracy exhibition - tells the story of Darwin's destruction in 1974
b) Transformations exhibition (natural history)
c) Sweetheart - a male crocodile over 5m long
d) Ken waters gallery
e) Southeast asian link gallery
f) Flinders gallery
g) Maritime gallery
 



Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory












 








 
Colin Jack-Hinton Maritime Gallery


Address:
The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
19 Conacher St, The Gardens,
Darwin NT 0820
Admission: Free
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm
                        : Weekends and Public Holidays 10am - 5pm

 
Fannie bay is just a short walking distance (2 minutes away) from the museum. While waiting for the rest of the group members to gather at the coach, we took a short stroll along Fannie bay and snapped a few photos.


 
Fannie bay

 
Fannie bay
 

Our third stop of the day was East Point Reserve. This is one of the most popular recreation areas for both visitors and locals. Great place for sunset view. However, we were unable to enjoy the sunset view as we need to proceed to other places of interest.
 

 
East point
 
Final stop of the day was George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens. The gardens cover 42 hectares and display plants of Northern Australia, south east Asia and other tropical regions of the world. We spent less than half an hour at the garden. Just a short stroll and along the way, we spotted a unique cannonball tree, plants and a large snake. Yup!!! It was the highlights of the day when our driver guide pointed to us the large snake resting on a tree branch!
 
Address:
George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens
Gardens Road, The Garden NT 0820,
Australia.
Admission: Free
Opening times: 7am - 7pm daily
 
Before sending all of us back to our respective hotels, our driver guide showed us Cullen Bay Marina. Many luxurious private yatch, fishing boats and sunset cruise charter boats. (No photos available as all of us did not request for photo shoots)
 


 
George Brown botanic gardens



George Brown botanic gardens

 
Couroupita guianensis (Cannonball Tree)



Livistonia benthamii (Fan Palm)


Highlights of the day. There's a large snake on the tree!
 
 
Since the hotel that we stayed is just nearby Stokes Hill Wharf, we requested the driver guide to drop us there. We had our dinner overlooking the sea. One of the most popular places among tourists and locals due to the location within the Darwin Waterfront precinct. Dozen of food counters and outdoor tables lined up along the pier.
 

 
Stokes Hill Wharf
 
 
Stokes Hill Wharf (outdoor tables)
 
 
Stokes Hill Wharf (outdoor tables)
 
 
Stokes Hill Wharf (indoor tables)

 
Bombing of Darwin 19th February 1942


I ordered fish and chips from Fish & Chips On the Wharf. Light crispy battered fish served with chips. My partner ordered mini rump steak from Portside Char Grill. Mini rump steak comes with chips and salads. Overall the food was ok. Just placed your order at the food counter and you will be given a paging system. When your food is ready, the paging system will either flash, beep or vibrate. 
 
 
Fish & Chips On The Wharf
 
 
Paging system

 
Fish & chips - $9.90

 
Sweet chili

 
Paging system "Bring me back when I start to flash, vibrate or beep"
 
 
Portside Char Grill

 
Mini rump steak - $14.90
 
After our dinner, we walked around the wharf and decided to have a cup of ice cream as our dessert and call it a day. We saw The Ice Cream Shop selling varieties of ice creams and sorbets. We ordered double cone that comes with any choice of 2 scoops ice creams. I choosed mango sorbet while my partner choosed chocolate and roasted almond. Not a perfect combination and the ice cream was just so-so for me. Check out the price of the ice cream and flavours below:
 
a) Single cone - 2 scoops $5.80
b) Double cone - 2 scoops $6.80
c) Double cone - 3 scoops $7.80
d) Giant cone - 4 scoops $8.80
e) Ice cream in a cup: 1 scoop $4.80, 2 scoops $6.80
f) Waffle cones single 2 scoops $6.80

 
Types of flavours available: Rainbow, vanilla, strawberry, mint choc chip, caramel, coconut, ginger, banana, macadamia, pecan divine, cookies & cream, choc fudge swirl, black forest, licorice, chocolate, New York chocolate, mango, passionfruit, butterscotch, boysenberry, choc chip, cappuccino chip, rum & raisin, mango yoghurt, choc & roast almond and Vienna coffee.


 
The ice cream shop on the whaft

 
Ice cream shop

 
Chocolate & roasted almonds & mango sorbet - $6.80
 
Address:
Stokes Hill Wharf
Darwin NT 0800 Australia
 


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