Darwin- aboriginal heritage

It is a bit hot and steamy here but that didn’t put us off renting bicycles and heading off to the George Brown botanical gardens (very close). We had breakfast at the cafe and strolled round the well maintained park.

We saw several orange-footed scrub fowl – a rather clumsy name for a very gentle and gracious bird

They had a whole collection of baobab trees – from Africa, Madagascar & Australia – and they were in flower!

We cycled on to the museum – which includes history and natural history and maritime history.

Most impressive was a special exhibition by Mulkun Wirranda an indigenous elder who’s bark paintings illustrate the plants that have sustained her people for centuries.

She collaborated with a white artist, John Wolesley, whose enthusiasm in local botany persuaded her to trust and work with him. Here’s a section of his large collage-like work

I think this collaboration shows an amazing generosity of spirit: Her mother and sister were grabbed and handcuffed by police. Her father rushed to save them and killed the policeman with his spear – he was taken away and never seen again. She is an elder but that is still only one generation ago.

There were also some haunting images of aboriginal assimilation into white society.

The many boats on show demonstrated the close trading ties the Northern Territory had with Papua New Guinea & Indonesia well before European settlement.

There was a big display on cyclone Tracy which completely wiped out all buildings on Christmas Eve 1974.

We also learned about the first flight into Australia from England in 1919 organised by the Queensland and North Territory Aerial Services (soon to be Quantas)

There was some art too – we liked the colours in this one

Afterwards we cycled into Darwin & had lunch on the waterfront where they have made a safe beach.

Not yet done, we also visited Crocosaurus Cove where they promised reptiles, fish and big and little crocs

This is a blue-tongued lizard:

One, had starred in the film Crocodile Dendee

I felt rather sorry for them but most were there because they had started eating boats or people and at least they weren’t going to be turned into handbags.

A pleasant evening with a swim in the other pool under our first real rain cloud & a Greek dinner – off to Kakadu tomorrow!