Cheers Mate!
by Tripack
Do not forget to drink with MODERATION... even if the aussie beers are very tempted.
Each Australian state have its own proud:
Tooheys (NSW), my favorite by the way
XXXX (QLD), my favorite too by the way
Cascade (TAS), my favorite too too by the way
VB (VIC), my favorite too too too by the way
Coopers (SA), my favorite too too too too by the way
Emu (WA), my favorite too too too too too by the way
??? (NT), ouf I'm saved I did not taste the local beer as I never go there (yet)... should come back soon ;-)
My first virtual local beer ;-)
Blown Away again: Cyclone Tracey
by tiabunna
I’ve mentioned that Darwin is very tropical. That unfortunately means it is in the climatic region frequented in the “Wet” by tropical cyclones (also, in some regions, known as hurricanes or typhoons). Cyclones pass through the region yearly, usually offshore and with little effect.
Cyclone Tracey was not a lady though – at Category 4 she provided Darwin’s second defining event. She arrived on Christmas Eve, 24 December 1974, with the 8km diameter eye passing right across the city. Winds were estimated to have reached 280 km/hr, but the Weather Bureau’s anemometer was destroyed before the peak. At the time, Darwin had a population of about 48,000 people living in 12000 houses – it is estimated that only 400 houses escaped undamaged, with most totally destroyed. Evacuations reduced the post-Tracey population to about 6,000 but most of the city was rebuilt by 1978 and population growth resumed, with self-government for the Northern Territory also achieved in 1978.
The first of my photos, taken of a photo in an insurance company window, shows the typical damage to a typical Darwin house such as in my previous tip. The second photo, from an explanatory public sign, shows the effect spread over an entire suburb, with debris everywhere and all trees stripped back to bare trunks. Tracey levelled the city more effectively than had the Japanese! Luckily, casualties were fairly low as many people were away for holidays at the time and the cyclone traversed the city at night, when few were in the streets. The third photo is of an information sign, illustrating the changes in Darwin’s population since the 1930s – sorry about the shadows!
The sunset cult?
by tiabunna
There’s nothing new about the sun setting at the end of the day – it’s been doing that for quite a while! It’s not even unknown for it to appear to splash into the ocean. What is unique is that watching this happen seems to be THE Number One pastime for most of Darwin’s population!
Come the end of the day, Darwinians head in their thousands for the beachfront areas, or the clubs on the foreshore, thankfully not continuing their lemming-like herding instincts by diving in! There they congregate, with cameras or stubbies in hand, sitting or standing and contemplating the big red light going out! Then, it appears, they return the next night, and the next... It’s either some form of obscure cult, or something of a statement on the standard of television up there.
Items to not leave behind for Darwin
by skatzcatz
a bag would help hat, sunglasses, shorts, sandals/thongs, swimmers, towel, wouldnt bother with umbrella or wet weather gear, if it rains just get wet. all the usual stuff. camera towel, plenty of suntan mosquito repellent may be useful, sense of humour, patiences for the locals and plenty of time to chill out
ROADIE
by a5floor
If you are driving around in the outback, there is a chance to find a Roadie. A Roadie is a Road Train. It is a truck with several "containers" behind it. Most of them have 3 behind it, several have 4 and ones have 5 behind it.
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Lunch with guide
Gary in lecture mode
Not a beach but beachy
TYPICAL DARWIN BEACH SUNSET
