DARWIN, CAHILLS CROSSING & MANNGARRE JUNGLE WALK
CURRENT DARWIN FIVE DAY FORECAST
DRIVE DARWIN TO CAHILLS CROSSING
Darwin is the largest city and the capital of the Northern Territory of Australia. To the north is the Timor Sea. A population of over one hundred and fifty thousand. Darwin is the most northern of the Australian capital cities. Two seasons, wet and dry. It's the wettest and smallest capital in population.
During World War Two, Northern Australia was bombed approximately 100 times by the Japanese. To safeguard from air raids six underground oil storage tunnels were completed before the end of the war. The longest, Tunnel 10, 184 metres. The tunnels are open to the public. Tickets are available onsite. Tunnel entrance on Kitchener Drive. A great way to avoid the hot daytime sun and take in some history. Darwin flight time from Melbourne 4 hours. Sydney, 4 to 5 hours. Darwin was devastated by Cyclone Tracy, on Christmas Eve 1974. 30,000 people of the population of 46,000 were evacuated to the southern states. Subsequently was rebuilt into a modern city. Unlike many large cities Darwin is one of the easier to drive about.
Accommodation was in the multi level Oaks Elan, in Darwin CBD. Great city views. Excellent service. Sign in room said never turn off air conditioning. Each floor level has natural flow through air.
Tims Surf & Turf restaurant is one of Darwin's gems. Open since 1994. In a small street, 10 Litchfield Street, it’s one of Darwin’s favourite dining spots. Meals are big and reasonable priced. Tim is often on hand. Steak, seafood or crocodile. Your choice.
I remember a 1990's visit to Darwin. A long solo drive from Victoria. Within a few days of arrival I planned a quiet Sunday afternoon visit to the Nightcliff Hotel. In the Darwin suburb of Nightcliff. Entering the building there could be seen floor to ceiling chicken wire out the front of the empty stage area. In the half filled public bar there were patron's tossing the odd empty glass stubbie with a few breaking against the wire and the occasional few small bar scuffles amongst the locals. All in early afternoon. Apparently the hotels unruly reputation was well deserved back in the day.
Winnellie Hotel Motel off of the Stuart Highway on Winnellie Road. Not far from the RAAF Base. The rear Caravan Park was a convenient place to stay with shady trees harbouring flying foxes. The Park does not seem to exist today due to industrial expansion.
Cahills Crossing
Located in Kakadu National Park and is approximately a three and a half hour drive east of Darwin on a sealed road. Cahills Crossing goes over the East Alligator River. Or more accurately, allows vehicles to drive through the river on low tide. Bordering Arnhem Land. It's Australia’s most dangerous water crossing. I had been there twice before. Both times shortly thereafter fatal crocodile attacks had occurred. Popular fishing spot. There is a safe Croc viewing platform. The Border Store is nearby for supplies and food and is on the Darwin side of the river. A permit is required to cross the East Alligator River into Arnhem Land. I was told, risk a spear thrown through the window if no permit is displayed and not shown on demand.
Manngarre Rainforest Walk
This is a easy loop walk of about one hour and follows much of the East Alligator River close to Cahills Crossing. I only partially did the walk. Along the riverbank. Meandering through a Monsoon Forest of scrub, vines and trees. Apparently home to the Scrub Fowl and the Drongo Bird. Metre wide crocodile mud slides frequent the river embankment. On a bend in the river on the opposite side of the river were flat outcrops of rock with large saltwater crocodiles motionless on top. Their jaws wide open in the hot sun. Would not want to do the walk in crocodile nesting season. No other people about. No dogs are allowed on the walk. I understand why with frequent crocodiles in the wild proximity. Obviously its dangerous to detour from the walking track. The track is not an elevated boardwalk. Only a cleared dirt walking track barely wide enough for two walkers side by side surrounded by scrub close to the river embankment. Who knows if crocodiles may be unseen in the leafy undergrowth between the narrow walking track and river? Also on the walkers right side of the track with the river to the left. The forest floor floods every wet season and is closed until the dry season.
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DARWIN CBD BY TOURIST BIKE
DARWIN TUNNELS WORLD WAR TWO
CAHILLS CROSSING KAKADU
CAHILLS CROSSING, WORLD'S DEADLIEST
CAHILLS CROSSING GOOGLE MAPS
