Adelaide River to Darwin

June 23 to June 30

Snake Creek Underground Bunker

Thursday was a quiet day for us in Adelaide Creek, we caught up on some chores and had a good walk around the river and town area. As I mentioned last blog post, I got some inside knowledge to find a war ruins area at Snake Creek, which I rode my bike to (not motorhome friendly tracks). It was a bit further than I thought and 32⁰C, but it was worth the effort.

Snake Creek Munitions Store 

Not all relics you find are WW2!

The area was a secluded ammunitions centre, where large (and some underground) storage and manufacturing facilities were constructed, as well as accommodation and administration buildings and rail facilities. The (overgrown) bitumen roads are still there and the concrete floor slabs, as well as some of the thick concrete walls of the above ground storage. Unfortunately by the time the construction was completed in 1945 it was too late to be involved in the war effort.

Friday we drove to Humpty Doo, a township 35km south of Darwin. We stopped at a CMCA Member Stop Over farm here. I think I have mentioned in the past that the Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia (CMCA) members who have space can offer their properties for other members to park overnight.

Member Stop Over, Humpty Doo

Mike and Janine were very accommodating and we stayed for two nights, sharing the farm with two other members on Saturday night.

Saturday we drove into Darwin to visit the Visitor Information Centre, and walked the waterfront parkland and Darwin Harbour precinct. There is a lot of war sites, memorials and information points, you often forget the involvement and importance of Darwin as a defence post for northern Australia during the Second World War.

Sunday we were meeting up with Peter (a mate from my “college” days) and Sharon in Darwin, whose driveway will become our home base for the next couple of weeks in Darwin. They live in a very central spot in Darwin, and one street from the beach, so we are very appreciative of the opportunity to spend time with them and do day trips exploring the region.

Well known taxidermy'd croc, 5.1m beast

The weather, although the “dry season” has officially arrived, is still very hot and humid, 70+% humidity and 33⁰C maximums and 22⁰C minimums, with no change expected for the next week. So it was a relief to spend a few hours in the Casuarina Shopping Centre on Monday as we caught up on some shopping (and a haircut for me). Pete and Sharon have a pool and a great breezeway area so it is a haven in the afternoon heat.

We visited the Museum and Art Gallery of Northern Territory. The Cyclone Tracey exhibit was excellent, you forget how devastating the Christmas 1974 cyclone was and the amount of disruption it caused to the community, with more than 80% of the population displaced for up to four years as the city was rebuilt. They also have a terrific taxidermy collection of many local creatures (land, sea and air) that have been preserved and displayed.