Darwin on ANZAC day

Hi

Our cruise will be in Darwin for ANZAC day next year. We aren't planning to do a ship excursion, just hoping to hang out at the man made beach and then head into town for a wonder around and to use the laundromat. We've got 3 kids so wanting to keep it low key. Will Darwin be packed with drinkers from midday on like say the Rocks in Sydney is? Will anything be open?

Crocosaurus Cove may be a good place to visit, it is not too far a walk (about 8 blocks).

Given Darwin's unique war history, being there on the day we have set aside to remember & commemorate our service men & women would perhaps be a good opportunity to attend an ANZAC event & take a moment to remember.

Hi Mr Walker. I totally agree. My husband, brother and father have all been actively deployed at various times while in the Army Reserve so I'm not in any way disrespecting ANZAC day or our service personnel. However I'm not a fan of combining drunken crowds with young kids even if it is supposedly in memory of the fallen. I'm hoping they'll have a dawn service on board the boat for us to attend? It is RCL so not sure if they will do it.

Will check out Crocosauras Cove, Mic. Thanks.

Will check out Crocosauras Cove, Mic. Thanks.

The kids will enjoy the hands on interaction and also the shows. I certainly did.

http://www.crocosauruscove.com/

We were there a couple of years ago on Anzac Day. We did the aqua croc bus trip which drives around the town and the. Turns into a boat. The services are early and yes there are a few whom have enjoyed a couple of drinks but during the day it was not an issue. There is a great swimming enclosed pool near the port which your kids might enjoy. I really liked Darwin.

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The ducks are a great way to get around, they leave from smith street just up the top from the waterfront area. Crocosaurus is another 300 metres away on Mitchell st.

Given Darwin's unique war history, being there on the day we have set aside to remember & commemorate our service men & women would perhaps be a good opportunity to attend an ANZAC event & take a moment to remember.

Many people these days are unaware of Darwins part in WW2 . I for one knew it had been bombed during the war , but it wasn't until I had visited the Museum on a cruise that I realised the extent of the ordeal they went through .Its hard to imagine such a serene setting like Darwin having more bombs dropped on it than Pearl Harbour.

Many people these days are unaware of Darwins part in WW2 . I for one knew it had been bombed during the war , but it wasn't until I had visited the Museum on a cruise that I realised the extent of the ordeal they went through .Its hard to imagine such a serene setting like Darwin having more bombs dropped on it than Pearl Harbour.

More bombs dropped in the first raid on Darwin than on Pearl Harbor, although the tonnage was a bit less - more smaller bombs. There were also another 63 bombing raids over the next year or two.

We had quite an experience when we were there at the museum.

In the late 70s I was working for Public Health in the east Kimberlies and I had been to a number of places which had been attacked, but it seemed so remote time wise.

One time we drove from Wyndham to Darwin. On the way we stopped at Adelaide River (~100km south of Darwin). It was the memorial and cemetery there, particularly the references to those killed in the Darwin Post Office, that really had a big impact.

When we cruised there earlier this year we did a WWII history harbour cruise. I learnt a lot from that and took away a greater appreciation of the events of that time. I guess that's one of the reasons we travel - to learn.

On the same cruise we visited Milne Bay in PNG, and similarly learned a lot of the experiences there in WWII.

When we cruised there earlier this year we did a WWII history harbour cruise. I learnt a lot from that and took away a greater appreciation of the events of that time. I guess that's one of the reasons we travel - to learn.

On the same cruise we visited Milne Bay in PNG, and similarly learned a lot of the experiences there in WWII.

So true, learning is more of a by-product of travelling for me. As my sig block quote says -

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. Saint Augustine