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Postcards and Morsels Darwin

30/7/2012

 

Postcards and Morsels - Darwin

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Mindil Beach, Darwin, offers the most spectacular sunsets
According to Lonely Planet, Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory (NT) is 'a mellow, modern metropolis [and] sociable hub where non-Aboriginal meets Aboriginal (Larrakia), urban meets remote, and industry meets idleness.'

More importantly for those planning to visit, the guide points out: '
Darwin’s location on a tropical tip of the country’s north coast means six subtle shifts of season, with a not-so-subtle disparity between the Dry and Wet, which can bring colossal storms'. Indeed! Mention Darwin to anyone with even the slightest knowledge of the city, and the devastation of Cyclone Tracy in 1974 is certain to come up.

All that said, there are plenty more positives. The average temperature year-round is a delicious 30 degrees C (about 86 degrees F) and 
Darwin has the highest daily average of sunshine (about 8.4 hours) of any Australian capital city. Read that, 8.4 hours each day. That's a megadose of Vitamin D, folks! The Dry season runs from April or May through until October. June and July are the coolest months and, as such, the ideal time to visit; especially for Aussies wishing to kick back, throw on some thongs and escape winter's chill. If that isn't enough, there is a feast of fabulous markets, and perhaps the most spectacular sunsets you will ever see.
Peter's work often takes him the Top End, but is wasn't until the middle of last year that I managed my first visit, partly due to the availability of direct flights from Canberra to Darwin and partly because my brother, Alex, had lived there until the cyclone razed the city. He had always dearly loved it, so I was curious to see for myself. I have to tell you, in terms of a mid winter, tropical getaway and what's on offer, I like the place! We returned for a four day weekend recently and I've compiled our trip into a series of postcards and morsels; finished off with a recipe for NT barramundi. Click through our collection of images for a slideshow.

We'll start at the trendy Cullen Bay area, where we sample oysters from South Australia's Coffin Bay and meet Nick Lekias, a spritely (almost) 80 year old Greek gentleman who has been shucking oysters for 65 years! 
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Cullen Bay, Darwin, at sunset
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Nick Lekias has been shucking oysters for 65 years!
Nick Lekias, a chef by trade, was born in Perth to Greek parents. His father was one of the first Greeks to arrive in Perth in 1906. 'Dad was the first bring oysters to Perth, back then. We had oyster beds on the river,' Nick explained. 'I was twelve years old when I started work and used to stand on a Coca Cola box to shuck oysters!' Nick is now semi-retired and says he loves Darwin 'because it's a nice, easy lifestyle'.
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Frangipani in flower... these trees line the streets!
Wildlife and the natural environment are a must see in the NT. If time is limited, drive a short 65 kilometres on the Arnhem Highway to the Adelaide River region to see crocodiles in the wild (from the safety of a river vessel)! 
Due to crocodiles and Box Jellyfish, you must exercise extreme caution swimming at any beaches, and never swim in any waterways in the Top End unless you are absolutely certain it is safe to do so. There is a purpose built wave pool and lagoon at the waterfront area in Darwin, as well as a variety of swimming pools and springs.
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Whistling Kites on the Adelaide River
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Jumping crocodile on the Adelaide River
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Speed limit on parts of the Arnhem Highway
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Darwin waterside panorama... due to crocs and Box Jellyfish, you must exercise extreme care when swimming in any beaches
There's a Butterfly Farm at Bachelor, not far from Litchfield National Park, where owner, 'Chris', has established his 'dreem'. Go with a sense of fun and adventure, don't expect too much, and just enjoy trying to photograph the elusive Ulysses or Blue Mountain butterflies.
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Ulysses Butterfly
The award winning Deckchair Cinema is located on the waterfront precinct and screens movies seven nights a week from late April through to late November. The program offers a diverse range of Australian, foreign and classic films, as well as popular and family movies. You can BYO picnic, or buy food from the vendor on site. We caught the documentary, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, and enjoyed food from Hanuman on the evening of our visit. Pillows, insect repellant and water is provided as part of the ticket price. Watch out for possums, who scamper around in the dark. They are likely to steal your food, and they bite!
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The award winning Deckchair Cinema
At Doctors Gully, you can feed the fish at a place called Aquascene. This natural phenomena occurs on the high tide and has been a popular attraction in Darwin since the 1950s. Hundreds of wild fish swim to the shoreline for a free feed of bread. It is an amazing sensation to have large fish en masse swimming at your feet! Check for feeding times before you venture down.
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Feed the wild fish at Aquascene
Darwin's markets are among the best in the country; lively, colourful and exotic. Two absolute must-dos are Parap Village Markets on a Saturday morning and Mindil Beach Sunset Markets on a Thursday or Sunday evening. In terms of food stalls, there is a strong Asian influence, particularly at Parap where the aromas of satay and chillies fill the air and tantalises the senses.
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There is strong Asian influence at Parap Village Markets. Here, a lady at Thai 101 makes green papaya salad.
Mindil Beach markets commenced in 1987, when a group of forward thinking people decided to bring a taste of Asia's night markets to Australia. The markets operate on Thursday and Sunday evenings during the dry season and are renowned for the truly magnificent sunsets that can be viewed from Mindil Beach. Take a picnic rug or BYO chairs, wander through the various stalls and choose from a diverse selection of foods. There's everything from freshly shucked oysters to fresh fruit salad, fish and chips, wood fired pizza, Asian foods, sweet things like churros and fairy floss, right through to crocodile and buffalo burgers, as well as 'beaut' Aussie roasts and lamb shanks!
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Market goers spill onto Mindil Beach at sunset
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Mindil Beach is renowned for its truly magnificent sunsets
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At Fisherman's Wharf there is an assortment of fresh wild caught seafood, as well as some farmed products available from the stores as well as from boats docked on the harbour at the wharf. We make a point of bringing home frozen Barramundi, as it travels well in a freezer bag and makes for a very fine meal indeed! 
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Pack a freezer bag and take home some wild caught frozen Barramundi
I picked up a recipe card from the fish market in Darwin and tried this Northern Territory Seafood Council (NTSC) dish as soon as we got home last week. It was delicious! Here is my take on the recipe:

BARRAMUNDI WITH LEMON AND TARRAGON BUTTER
500g piece Barramundi fillet, cut into two portions
fresh or dried tarragon
a lemon, sliced
a little butter or oil
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Brush two pieces of aluminium foil with oil or butter and place a portion of fish on each. Place lemon slices over the fish and sprinkle with tarragon and a dot more butter or oil. Season to taste. Wrap tightly in the foil and bake in a preheated oven (180 degrees C) for about 12-15 minutes. The NTSC suggests that you 'test the fish with the tip of a butter knife. If there is no resistance, the fish is cooked'. This quantity will serve two. *Stock photo.
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Barramundi makes for a very fine meal indeed*
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For more information about the Top End, visit the Tourism NT web site. Here are links to some recommended attractions in Darwin:

Mindil Beach Markets
Parap Village Markets
Butterfly Farm
Jumping Crocodile River Cruise
Deckchair Cinema
Aquascene Fish Feeding
Cullen Bay Marina
Wave Pool and Lagoon
Safe Swimming in Darwin
Christine (FoodWineTravel) link
28/7/2012 09:08:37 pm

Wow, love that last golden photo of the sunset!

Lizzy
28/7/2012 09:56:08 pm

Thanks Christine! Those sunsets are truly amazing.

Mrs Mulberry link
28/7/2012 09:10:41 pm

Wow Lizzy, what a fantastic post - I feel like I have just been to Darwin with you!!! I love your beautiful photographs and words, especially the one of Nick - Mr K thinks he looks just delightful!!!

Lizzy
28/7/2012 09:56:46 pm

Thanks Mrs M. Nick was such a gem of a gentleman. We were really pleased to have met him ; )

Carmen
28/7/2012 10:28:27 pm

You made me wish for winter in Darwin. A beautiful place & you told her story with such style and sophistication .... *big sigh* :)

Lizzy
28/7/2012 11:25:20 pm

Thank you Carmen, lovely comment!

Jane @ Shady Baker link
29/7/2012 12:22:57 am

Good evening Lizzy, great to see you back and thank you for your kind words over at my place! Darwin looks and sounds amazing. What a character Nick is...I can see that just from your photo! The markets look so vibrant, your photos capture the colour beautifully. Really, it looks almost like a different world up there! I must visit myself one day :)

Lizzy
29/7/2012 04:04:21 pm

Hello there Jane! My pleasure... your posts are always so interesting and tasty! Nick was indeed a character. Imagine the experience his old hands have at opening oysters! It is a different world. Actually, I forgot to mention it, but the first thing I noticed (other than the delicious warmth, which is totally different at 30 degrees to what I am used to, somehow more mellow), is the bird song. You can hear it all around, even in the midst of the city!

Celia link
29/7/2012 08:01:39 am

What a lovely post, Lizzy! I've never been to Darwin, but I'll definitely be referring back here if I ever go!

Lizzy
29/7/2012 04:05:17 pm

Thanks so much, Celia! I am sure that there are things we missed, but also I didn't mention a harbour cruise that we did last time, but we were not that impressed with it either. And some meals we had! Next time I would like to venture to Kakadu!

The dog
29/7/2012 10:57:23 am

Love the report from Darwin. You make we want to pack up and go to escape the Canberra cold.

Lizzy
29/7/2012 04:06:02 pm

Thanks so much, I know how much you hate the cold! I can tell you, it was delicious to take my poor old bones up there to soak up the warmth.

Maureen link
29/7/2012 11:11:45 am

I loved Darwin. I walked every step you did. I'd go again tomorrow. I think it's too hot to want to live there permanently but I'd visit every year if I could. LOVED that market - I ate my way from one end to the other.

Lizzy
29/7/2012 04:07:20 pm

LOL Maureen... I wanted to do that, but Peter chose his curry and roti so quickly, that I barely had time to choose my meal. And then he was so full... I did manage to twist his arm for the ice cream! I LOVE those markets too. They are just such a delicious overload for the senses.

InTolerant Chef link
29/7/2012 11:15:46 am

What a lovely break from our winter blues Lizzy! The markets really look gorgeous with such an array of food styles and produce, and that photo of the Lilly pilly fruit is so pretty in pink! Did you try any?

Lizzy
29/7/2012 04:07:42 pm

Hello Bec! Thank you... yes indeed we did ; )

A Canadian Foodie link
29/7/2012 01:29:42 pm

What a paradise. I have never been anywhere tropical. I am not a lover of heat, but I know I must get somewhere like this in my life. The beauty is surreal. Was their air conditioning? The hibiscus tree didn't look like hibiscus flowers I am accustomed to. You have a pic of the ones I know in the last or bottom row in the middle of one of your groupings. I completely understand why you went together for a vacation. And your photography is jaw dropping.
:)
V

Lizzy
29/7/2012 04:09:54 pm

Absolute paradise, Valerie! I am not a huge fan of heat either, but it was minus five here on the morning we left home, so the warmth was really delicious. And it's a different kind of heat. Ah, the flower, now that would be because I was going to have the hibiscus photo in that spot, but then changed my mind and forgot to change the caption. LOL. Sorry. Thank you for your kind words about the photos. I must say, Peter and I were both really pleased with how it all came up.

Emilie@TheCleverCarrot link
29/7/2012 02:31:32 pm

What a beautiful post. I really enjoyed all of your photos (the hibiscus flower and the butterfly one in particular). I have never been to Darwin but I after reading this, I feel like I just got back from a lovely holiday!

Lizzy
29/7/2012 04:10:57 pm

Well hello there and welcome! Thank you so much for your kind words. Those butterflies were hard to capture... we found ourselves darting throughout the enclosure, especially the Ulysses, we just couldn't get an in focus shot of one with its wings spread!

AnnieMcG
29/7/2012 03:00:35 pm

... and next time you need someone to carry for your bags for you ... just sayin'

Lizzy
29/7/2012 04:11:19 pm

Anytime, my dear... just bring your thongs!

Eha
29/7/2012 04:57:43 pm

Thank you for taking us along on your journey. Know my Australia reasonably well, but have only spent airport time in the place!! The photos are fabulous: my very favourites are that of my beloved frangipani [had the same colours whilst living in the N Rivers of NSW], the glorious sunset ones and that of the 'Deckchair Cinema'. There was one just like it, albeit on a smaller scale, in Brunswick Heads, NSW, except the chairs were of the lounging variety: you were practically lying for a 4 hr double-feature!!!!!!

Lizzy
18/8/2012 10:45:26 pm

LOL.. I had trouble getting out of the deck chairs. Thank you for your kinds words.

Laura (Tutti Dolci) link
30/7/2012 10:03:28 am

Beautiful photos, Lizzy! You make me want to plan a trip to Darwin :).

Lizzy
18/8/2012 10:45:44 pm

There are some good things to see and do, Laura!

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella link
30/7/2012 10:47:08 am

Gorgeous photos Lizzy! I've only had a stopover in Darwin but it looks great. Especially that last photo! :D

Lizzy
18/8/2012 10:45:59 pm

Why thank you, Miss Lorraine. xox

Red Nomad OZ link
17/5/2015 08:58:27 pm

Awesome! We didn't do a number of things on your list - time ran out even though we spent 10 days there. But that's what 'next time' is all about, right?!?!?!


Comments are closed.

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    Photo of Liz Posmyk, Food Writer, Cook and Traveller

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