Day 059 (02 Mar 2023) - Darwin, Australia
DAY 060 (02 MAR 2023) – I got on the ‘Hop on Hop off’ bus and visited Stokes Hill Wharf.
I got a chance to see the RMS Queen Mary 2 cruise liner docked at the port. The RMS Queen Mary 2 is a British transatlantic ocean liner. Apparently, it is the only ocean liner in the world that is still in service!
As the eight largest cruise liner in the world, it travels to several destinations around the globe. Its facilities include 15 restaurants and bars, 5 swimming pools, a casino, a ballroom, a theatre and the first planetarium at sea.
One of the stops was also the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Visitor Centre.
The RFDS is an NGO founded more than 80 years ago, providing aero-medical care and emergency service to people living in remote areas across Australia.
The interactive Visitor’s Centre provides an insight into the history of the organization and the sort of medical care they provide.
There were various historical displays such as the model aircrafts that were used in the past. There were also olden day radios and medical equipments on display. I toured inside a decommissioned RFDS Pilatus PC 12 aircraft that was equipped with medical equipments.
I also took the chance to see the short hologram and virtual reality (VR) films depicting the bombing of Darwin in 1942. It was very educational.
One of the last few stops of the ‘Hop on Hop off’ bus was the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. This museum has a series of interactive exhibits and interesting displays.
As part of the natural sciences collection, I saw exhibits showing various specimens from the centre to the tropical north of Australia, including huge whales, tiny insects and other taxidermy animal mounts.
The main highlight of this museum is the real skin mount and skeleton display of ‘Sweetheart’, the nickname of a large saltwater crocodile that was known for attacking dinghies at a Darwin fishing spot back in the 1970s.
He was caught in a trap when the attacks increased and subsequently, he drowned in the process of moving him.
Elsewhere in the museum, I saw plenty of displays that show indigenous art and rock art depicting the ancient history and culture of Darwin and its surrounding regions.
I also saw displays of images and interactive stories showcasing the history and transformation of the city of Darwin, that was once an important part of Australia’s maritime industry.
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