#MtKosiuszko Jindabyne and Canberra

From Darwin Rich and I flew to Sydney on an overnighter. It is 4 and half hours in the air plus a 1 hour 30 time difference. We hire a car and set out for the Snowy Mountains area. Our intention is to trek to the top of Mt Kosciuszko - the highest point in the whole of Australia (Rich had done it before when there was snow on the ground). It is about a 5 hour drive to where we were staying - but we had plenty of time and had quite a few stops overs for sightseeing, naps and refreshments.

The Snowy Mountains (the Australian Alps) are south west of Sydney and surprisingly offer proper skiing from May to October. Amazing really given the average temperature in Sydney.

We are staying at Jindabyne - a lovely base camp town for the skiers and year round outdoor pursuitors . Jindabyne sits above Lake Jindabyne a massive man made freshwater lake created to feed the Snowy Mountain hydro scheme. (Jindabybe was originally in the valley which was dammed and  flooded to form the lake) It is filled with trout and salmon and the lake is well used for boating and has beaches where it is safe to swim.

Next day we are up very early to take the Charlotte Pass route to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko - the highest point in Australia. It is at 7310 ft. Our Ben Nevis is 4413 ft. It is an 18km up and down walk on an established path. Despite it being summer and in full sun there was a cool headwind at times - a relief but for much of the time the sweat was coming off us. Amazing there were still large patches of snow in north facing areas going up.

It was a great thing for Rich and I to do together as father and son. We both got a huge amount from being in this beautiful place and for a minute or two the highest people in the whole of the continent of Australasia. Emotional and another big memory.

The advantage of an early start was a relatively early down. We stopped for a swim in Lake Jindabyne. The air temperature was very hot. The water was so refreshingly cold. A perfect foil for the walk.

We stayed at the Banjo Patterson Inn. A very entertaining place including live music. We met a full on group of locals and had a great time comparing notes about our relative countries. They are suffering much of the same issues but are probably dealing with them better than us. They have a terrible perspective of what has happened to our country - particularly Londonistan ! They might be right. They were both amazed and very respectful of young Rich for the work he has been doing in the Northern Territory (not somewhere most Australians get to.) In the end they concluded they live in the best place in the world - skiing - trout fishing - no big city hustle but Canberra only a couple of hours away if the big city is needed. The next conversation was about the smoke coming over the hill from the annual bush fires. Some years are worse than others ! The next morning early Rich and I did a decent Lakeshore ride. There were plenty of people out living the Oz outdoor life. Some very impressive tent set ups especially car top tents. Kings often seemed to be the makers. Everyone seemed so nice. And that was Jindabyne!

We have all-day to get back to Sydney so we could amble back. Our plan was to take a short detour into Canberra - Australia's capital city - its seat of government. We only spent about 4 hours there. It was a laid back Sunday. I wanted to see Australia's version of our Houses of Parliament. We were so pleased we could enter for a tour. I haven't quite got my head around their democratic system. However I understand their House of Lords - their second chamber is made up of Senators elected in each state based pro rata on the number of registered voters in the state - but please do not quote me on that.

A quick bit about Canberra. It is in the Australian Capital Territory - so neither New South Wales or Victoria. It is known as the bush capital as it is Australia's only major city not on the coast. It has a population of about 500000 and is Australia's 8th largest city. It is about equidistant from Sydney and Melbourne which is no coincidence - it is why Canberra exists.

Sydney and Melbourne - Australia's two premier cities were in bitter dispute about which should be the capital - the seat of government. In the end the only solution was neither. They built Canberra from scratch as a compromise. The government moved there in 1913. As a city it is totally planned - designed by American architects - heavily influenced by the "garden city" approach. Canberra is a success.- in a beautiful area with a huge lake - so plentiful water supply and for recreational use. As I said we visited their Parliament building - we sat by the lake and finally we went up to a famous look out point called Mt Ainslie to see Canberra spread before us as the architects of the new city envisaged. Mt Ainslie in many ways was from where Canberra was planned and designed. It was a short but worthwhile stop over.

Next stop Uluru. In the meantime here are some mob photos relating :-

Rich and I. A lovely emotional moment. For a few minutes we were the highest people in Australia 👊👍😂👏🍺🤞🤞 xx

Still some ice even at height of summer

At the top of Mt Kosiuszko

Lake Jindabyne

Canberra - Parliament 

On the Parliament roof

View from Mt Ainslie

Lakeside Canberra - as Geneva

The Australian Parliament 

Lake Jindabyne again

#Darwin Northern Territory. Kakadu.

Bali to Darwin a relatively short hop - especially after the long haul just a few days before. The Air Asia flight was about 2 hrs 30 minutes - 

Rich is there to meet me with Andy. They take me to the Beachcomer Hotel Bar in the area of Nightcliff. I am going to like Darwin. A huge bar. A blend of smart and scruffy chic. I ordered some beer in my best English and the young barmaid kept saying pardon - could you say that again - ha ha!

About Darwin. Capital of the NT - the huge Northern Territory - size 1.3 million square kilometers  but a tiny population of 250000 and over half live in Darwin. NT is extremely sparsely populated - known as the real outback - aboriginal land. ( more stats on comparing England with NT.) NT is 11 times larger than England. England's population is 56 million. NT as I have said is a quarter of a million. Darwin itself - the city at the top - has a tropical climate. Majorly hot with a wet season and a dry season. I am here in the wet season.

Darwin apparently has a population of 150000 people but you would never know it. It is low rise and spread out with huge areas of open land and parks. It is easy to feel you have left the city and entered the countryside. 

Rich and Andy have lived in Darwin for almost 6 months so they know their way around. They are both working as doctors - sometimes flying hundreds of miles to do outreach work at isolated aboriginal communities. Andy has been part of the flying doctor team that covers a vast area).

Darwin seems very laid back. Rich and Andy explained they say there are three types of people come to live in Darwin. They will be one of the 3 M's. The M's are Mercenaries ( for the money ) Missionaries  ( to work in the public services - like the hospitals ) and Misfits ( who don't fit in anywhere else. 

In December 1974 Darwin suffered a direct hit by a tropical cyclone named Cyclone Tracy. It destroyed 70% of the buildings and 80% of the houses. It created a national emergency and a large percentage of the population were shipped out. Subsequently Darwin has been rebuilt using better construction methods and this fresh start has made Darwin a well planned place to live.

Be under no illusion however - Darwin can be harsh. It has a tropical climate. It is very isolated. Alice Springs the only other city in NT ( apart from Palmerston which is effectively a suburb of Darwin ) is 15 to 20 hours away by road. A flight takes 2 hours. There is very little in between except brutal hot terrain with plenty of nasty things that can hurt you - ha! This is aboriginal territory and much of Crocodile Dundee was filmed in Kakadu National Park and Arnhem Land. The hardest bit to get my head around is the sea is effectively a no go area. There is the Box Jelly Fish - a lethal threat in season - there are sharks of course - but also saltwater crocodiles. They are huge killers.

But Darwin is increasingly popular. Property prices are increasing. Why ? It is laid back smart in the city. A cool place to be. What it really offers though is an authentic unspoilt outback. Real wilderness on the doorstep. Superb National Parks within an easy drive. In an increasingly under pressure world NT is stable, unique and special.

Rich and Andy arranged a Barramundi fishing trip for us in huge Darwin Harbour. We followed the tide up muddy creeks in search of these prized fish. This was crocodile territory. Alas we never got a Barramundi but tiddlers. It was a great afternoon.

On another day we drove to Lichfield National Park and trail walked through the monsoon forest to reach a gorgeous isolated water hole fed by a waterfall that you could swim in. The crocs could not get to it ! A wonderful setting and priceless cool water on such a hot walk.

Rich and Andy then went to a great effort to take me for an overnight stay in a lodge in the incredible Kakadu National Park. It was a long drive but so worth it. It is a World Heritage Site. Apart from anything else it is enormous - the size of Wales. Most of the land is owned by Aborigines. It is famous for it's wetlands, it's incredible bio diversity - it's wild life and amazing rock formations.

We went on a truly memorable boat tour on linked billabongs and the Alligator Rivers (misnamed as there are no alligators). I post some photos below.

A quick explanation of billabongs. Billabongs are typically oxbow lakes - normally not fed by a river anymore. However in NT and definitely in Kakadu in the wet season the water level increases and the billabongs flood and link with the river and therefore the sea. Consequently the huge salt water crocs move in. Freshwater crocs are smaller and less ferocious.

Perhaps the most special time of all was when we climbed up to the Nawurlandja lookout. The view was one of the most special I have ever seen. We were blown away. It was emotional. We were in the middle of one of the most extreme places on earth. Maybe only a handful of people if any in the huge spread of land before us. A land with an ancient history. Totally unspoilt. Totally natural undeveloped and environmentally stable. A total privilege. Such a special thing to do with Rich and Andy. We shook hands. Rich and I shared a huge unspoken hug - and I said thank you and really meant it.

Here are some mob photos:-

Beer in arrival Darwin. With Rich.

Fishing Darwin Harbour for Barramundi.

In and around Darwin

Sweetheart - an enormous Saltwater crocodile caught in Darwin Harbour after attacking boats. 

View from Nightcliff - Rich and Andy's base for 6 months

Lichfield National Park reward for a very hot trek - an isolated crocs free cool waterhole.

This watering hole is full of crocs in the wet season. They apparently test for crocs by baiting them for 3 days. If they do not catch one they declare the water safe to swim !

Shots of Kakadu

A huge crocodile 

A fantastic place to be. Emotional.