Darwin is COLD this morning......a minimum of 14.4C with a low humidity, means an effective temperature of around 9C.
Inland, effective temperatures were closer to 5-7C, with one reading of 4C meaning an effective temperature of -1C..........thats cold!.
And you thought Darwin was never cold! In Alice Springs, quite a few nights in a row below freezing.
Many users of fleece jackets today.......at least for a while, as day temperatues of 30C are expected later.
And there are at least a few more days of similar weather still to come according to the Met Bureau.
Toooooooooo cold for frogs to go swimming.
Showing posts with label Northern Territory. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Northern Territory. Show all posts
Thursday, 2 June 2011
Friday, 27 May 2011
COOL Weather
Yes, it can get cool in Darwin. Most people never believe that to be true, but this week has seen quite a few cool nights - with last night a minimum of 17C. Likely to be even cooler over the weekend!
And...........there is a wind chill factor too. Cool weather usually means low humidity, often with east or south east winds from across the continent. So the apparent temperature is often 3-5 degrees C less than the measured temperature. A temperature effectively of around 13C this morning.
Most homes are designed to be open to breezes, so interior areas can cool quickly, and many have tiled floors. They get COLD on the usual bare feet when moving around the house, and there is a breeze blowing.
It is all relative...........but definitely cool for Darwin. Even daily maximum temperatures are below 30C. Cool nights are considered excellent for mango flowering........maybe a good crop this year.
Should even have another week of similar weather, driven by a slow moving, large high pressure system in southern Australia.
Cool but enjoyable........even a bit cool for swimming!
And...........there is a wind chill factor too. Cool weather usually means low humidity, often with east or south east winds from across the continent. So the apparent temperature is often 3-5 degrees C less than the measured temperature. A temperature effectively of around 13C this morning.
Most homes are designed to be open to breezes, so interior areas can cool quickly, and many have tiled floors. They get COLD on the usual bare feet when moving around the house, and there is a breeze blowing.
It is all relative...........but definitely cool for Darwin. Even daily maximum temperatures are below 30C. Cool nights are considered excellent for mango flowering........maybe a good crop this year.
Should even have another week of similar weather, driven by a slow moving, large high pressure system in southern Australia.
Cool but enjoyable........even a bit cool for swimming!
Monday, 20 September 2010
FOUND - A New Tropical Frog
Frogs are supposed to be the barometer of the environment. If that is true, then the NT is doing ok............a new frog has been found!!
Rumour also hath it that there may be more.......
After all, the region is relatively unexplored for both flora and fauna, so one could expect these sorts of events, I guess.
But.......it is a new frog, and is as yet unnamed.
More about it here http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/20/3016622.htm including a photo. There are more on the ABC web site too.
And not to be outdone, a new plant was also found recently, near Emerald Springs [ see more here - http://oldfartz-on-tour.blogspot.com/2010/09/emerald-springs-revisited.html ] south of Darwin. This plant however, does have a name - Alysicarpus suffruticosa - a close relative of buffalo clover.
Rumour also hath it that there may be more.......
After all, the region is relatively unexplored for both flora and fauna, so one could expect these sorts of events, I guess.
But.......it is a new frog, and is as yet unnamed.
More about it here http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/20/3016622.htm including a photo. There are more on the ABC web site too.
And not to be outdone, a new plant was also found recently, near Emerald Springs [ see more here - http://oldfartz-on-tour.blogspot.com/2010/09/emerald-springs-revisited.html ] south of Darwin. This plant however, does have a name - Alysicarpus suffruticosa - a close relative of buffalo clover.
Sunday, 22 August 2010
Election 2010
It was election day in Australia yesterday. I guess we do get to vote, so that is something.
BUT.............the cartoon from the AFR on Saturday, says it best, I think.
We in the NT seat of Solomon, appear to have a newly elected member of the Parliament lower house............a woman, Natasha Griggs, from the CLP. Bye bye Damian Hale - he was voted out!
But at national level, who knows???
Tuesday, 22 June 2010
Identity Theft IS Real
No, it has not happened to me........well, not yet, as far as I know.
Recent data from Australia, and this is probably similar elsewhere in westernised countries, is that while people are concerned, they do little..........really.........NOTHING to prevent it occurring.
There are simple steps you can take that can reduce the chance of it happening. And it includes not getting boozed and losing your wallet or mobile phone too!! A bit of an issue with the 20 somethings, from reports.
Australian credit agencies reckon there are a few simple practices that do help this not happening and recommends you take a few steps to make it a bit harder for the crims, to effectively deflect them from you to easier targets:
1. Check your credit file regularly and sign up to an alert service to be notified if someone applies for credit in your name;
2. Change passwords and PINs regularly, and have more complex PIN numbers;
3. Lock your mail box and shred personal information, such a bank account statements / utilities / [a personal electric shredder costs about $30 here in Australia];
4. Store personal information in a secure database so it can be easily cancelled regardless of your location;
5. Sign up to a loss assistance and retrieval service for financial cards, mobile phones, documents and personal valuables and
6. Keep track of the personal information stored in your wallet / handbag / mobile phone / PC or PDA.
Remember, just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you.
Oh, and remember............you might have a lot of data hanging out on Facebook too. [Bugger!!.....too late if it is]
Recent data from Australia, and this is probably similar elsewhere in westernised countries, is that while people are concerned, they do little..........really.........NOTHING to prevent it occurring.
There are simple steps you can take that can reduce the chance of it happening. And it includes not getting boozed and losing your wallet or mobile phone too!! A bit of an issue with the 20 somethings, from reports.
Australian credit agencies reckon there are a few simple practices that do help this not happening and recommends you take a few steps to make it a bit harder for the crims, to effectively deflect them from you to easier targets:
1. Check your credit file regularly and sign up to an alert service to be notified if someone applies for credit in your name;
2. Change passwords and PINs regularly, and have more complex PIN numbers;
3. Lock your mail box and shred personal information, such a bank account statements / utilities / [a personal electric shredder costs about $30 here in Australia];
4. Store personal information in a secure database so it can be easily cancelled regardless of your location;
5. Sign up to a loss assistance and retrieval service for financial cards, mobile phones, documents and personal valuables and
6. Keep track of the personal information stored in your wallet / handbag / mobile phone / PC or PDA.
Remember, just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you.
Oh, and remember............you might have a lot of data hanging out on Facebook too. [Bugger!!.....too late if it is]
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Update - on a Cyclone for Christmas
It by passed us, but as I write this on Wednesday evening Darwin time, it has developed significantly, moving west and south west in the Timor Sea close to the NW of WA, but generally staying offshore.
This morning it quickly ramped up from a category 2 [ late last night] to a category 3 and then by mid morning had moved to a Category 5 - the highest, and was skirting the coast. It crossed the NW Western Australia coast near Cockatoo island, an isolated area, an hour or two ago as a category 5 cyclone - with winds to 285km/hr, although now weakening slightly to a Category 4 system, and winds have fallen by 30 - 50km/hr, and continuing to fall as the cyclone moves across land. However, now the small township of Derby is in it's path. Tropical Cyclone Laurence is not done YET!
All we had was a rather damp weekend - with a mere 385mm of rain over the weekend. There were some local areas around Darwin with over 450mm over the weekend, and it was wet wet wet, with some wild winds to around 100km/hr. Today here was overcast with very high UV levels and ocassional sunshine [ I know about the UV - got a bit sunburnt while outside working - building a new oval], with monsoonal showers and a late storm.
The rain is vital to our area, even if it all falls over a short period. At least our local water dams are close to full from this wet event, so that is great.
This morning it quickly ramped up from a category 2 [ late last night] to a category 3 and then by mid morning had moved to a Category 5 - the highest, and was skirting the coast. It crossed the NW Western Australia coast near Cockatoo island, an isolated area, an hour or two ago as a category 5 cyclone - with winds to 285km/hr, although now weakening slightly to a Category 4 system, and winds have fallen by 30 - 50km/hr, and continuing to fall as the cyclone moves across land. However, now the small township of Derby is in it's path. Tropical Cyclone Laurence is not done YET!
All we had was a rather damp weekend - with a mere 385mm of rain over the weekend. There were some local areas around Darwin with over 450mm over the weekend, and it was wet wet wet, with some wild winds to around 100km/hr. Today here was overcast with very high UV levels and ocassional sunshine [ I know about the UV - got a bit sunburnt while outside working - building a new oval], with monsoonal showers and a late storm.
The rain is vital to our area, even if it all falls over a short period. At least our local water dams are close to full from this wet event, so that is great.
Friday, 11 December 2009
A Cyclone as a Christmas Present?
Been there done that, as they say!
We have a cyclone brewing up NE of Darwin, and moving slowly west into the Timor Sea. The metereological models show the system continuing to move west, out into the Timor Sea, maybe even going a bit SW. It is still a tropical low, but development to a cyclone is expected over the next 24 hours
But the models are not perfect, and as all the major cyclones to effect Darwin including the devestating 1974 Christmas present of Cyclone Tracy have brewed in the Timor Sea, one is always a little cautious when one is developing in that area. Cyclones are notoriously fickle in their direction, although the tools for survelliance are much better in 2009 than in 1974.
It is predicted to be a damp weekend. Dampness = cloud cover = a bit lower temperatures, so that will be a possible relief.
A quite vigorous strom hit the Darwin area last evening, around 2100hrs, with some brilliant lightning shows. Winds to over 80km/hr, plenty of broken tree branches today, but that is modest compared to cyclonic winds.
It will be a weekend of careful watching.
We have a cyclone brewing up NE of Darwin, and moving slowly west into the Timor Sea. The metereological models show the system continuing to move west, out into the Timor Sea, maybe even going a bit SW. It is still a tropical low, but development to a cyclone is expected over the next 24 hours
But the models are not perfect, and as all the major cyclones to effect Darwin including the devestating 1974 Christmas present of Cyclone Tracy have brewed in the Timor Sea, one is always a little cautious when one is developing in that area. Cyclones are notoriously fickle in their direction, although the tools for survelliance are much better in 2009 than in 1974.
It is predicted to be a damp weekend. Dampness = cloud cover = a bit lower temperatures, so that will be a possible relief.
A quite vigorous strom hit the Darwin area last evening, around 2100hrs, with some brilliant lightning shows. Winds to over 80km/hr, plenty of broken tree branches today, but that is modest compared to cyclonic winds.
It will be a weekend of careful watching.
Thursday, 10 December 2009
England to Darwin - by AIR
Today is the 90th anniversary of the arrival in Darwin of the first plane to travel from England to Australia BY AIR.
The Vickers Vimy plane piloted by the Smith brothers [Ross and Keith] arrived here about 1530hrs on December 1o 1919, effectively creating the air route between Europe and Australia.
The outcome of this feat was the creation of the Queensland and Northern Territory Air Services, or more commonly known as QANTAS.
There will be a modest remembrance this afternoon, near the cairn at Fannie Bay, where they crossed the coast to then land on the airstrip, which is now Ross Smith Avenue, in Fannie Bay.
A previous post also discusses the road travels by the pioneers who had to build airstrips further south in the NT and Queensland for the participants in the air race. Yes, it was a race, with a prize equal in value to about A$2.5 million today, offered by the Australian government.
It was a very major achievement, and rarely thought about today, especially outside Darwin. Darwin has been, and still is a major entry point for the welcome and unwelcome visitors to Australia - right to the present with many refugee boats arriving here, or heading to here [ often intercepted before getting this far], vigorous and frequent Japanese bombings in WW2, Vietnamese refugee boats, the original England - Australia telegraph cable and others.
More detail - click on the link:http://www.airwaysmuseum.com/Vickers%20Vimy%20G-EAOU%20crew.htm
Some photos to come later.
The Vickers Vimy plane piloted by the Smith brothers [Ross and Keith] arrived here about 1530hrs on December 1o 1919, effectively creating the air route between Europe and Australia.
The outcome of this feat was the creation of the Queensland and Northern Territory Air Services, or more commonly known as QANTAS.
There will be a modest remembrance this afternoon, near the cairn at Fannie Bay, where they crossed the coast to then land on the airstrip, which is now Ross Smith Avenue, in Fannie Bay.
A previous post also discusses the road travels by the pioneers who had to build airstrips further south in the NT and Queensland for the participants in the air race. Yes, it was a race, with a prize equal in value to about A$2.5 million today, offered by the Australian government.
It was a very major achievement, and rarely thought about today, especially outside Darwin. Darwin has been, and still is a major entry point for the welcome and unwelcome visitors to Australia - right to the present with many refugee boats arriving here, or heading to here [ often intercepted before getting this far], vigorous and frequent Japanese bombings in WW2, Vietnamese refugee boats, the original England - Australia telegraph cable and others.
More detail - click on the link:http://www.airwaysmuseum.com/Vickers%20Vimy%20G-EAOU%20crew.htm
Some photos to come later.
Friday, 20 November 2009
Even More Crocodiles for the Newspaper Front Page
The local newspaper in Darwin is renowned for having crocodile stories on the front page. Afterall, the local region is a very significant crocodile region with large areas of crocodile habitat and many large crocodiles.
Below is a superb new crocodile story.........will it make the NT News front page? Will Wicking produce a cartoon to match?
These are momentous decisions for the highly acclaimed editors at the newspaper.
However, it is an interesting thought......a world full of crocodiles. How would Swamp the cartoon character in the newspaper handle so many competitors?
New fossils reveal world full of crocodiles
New fossils unearthed in the Sahara desert reveal a once-swampy world divided up among a half-dozen species of unusual and perhaps intelligent crocodiles, researchers have found.
Researchers have given some of the new species snappy names - BoarCroc, RatCroc, DogCroc, DuckCroc and PancakeCroc - but say their findings help build an understanding of how crocodilians were and remain such a successful life form.
They lived during the Cretaceous period 145 million to 65 million years ago, when the continents were closer together and the world was warmer and wetter than it is now. Some walked upright with their legs under the body like a land mammal instead of sprawled out to the sides, bellies touching the ground. "We were surprised to find so many species from the same time in the same place," said paleontologist Hans Larsson of McGill University in Montreal. "Each of the crocs apparently had different diets, different behaviours. It appears they had divided up the ecosystem, each species taking advantage of it in its own way."
Mr Larsson and Paul Sereno from the University of Chicago, funded by National Geographic, studied the jaws, teeth and what few bones they had of the crocodiles. They also did CT scans to see inside the skulls.
Two of the species, DogCroc and DuckCroc, had brains that looked different from those of modern crocodiles.
"They may have had slightly more sophisticated brain function than living crocs because active hunting on land usually requires more brain power than merely waiting for prey to show up," Mr Larsson said.
RatCroc, a new species formally named Araripesuchus rattoides, was found in Morocco and would have used its buck-toothed lower jaw to grub for food.
PancakeCroc, known as Laganosuchus thaumastos, was six metres long with a big, flat head.
DuckCroc represents new fossils found in Niger from a previously known species called Anatosuchus minor. It would have eaten grubs and frogs with its broad snout.
The more ferocious BoarCroc was also six metres long but ran upright and had a jaw built for ramming, with three pairs of knife-like teeth.
"Their amphibious talents in the past may be the key to understanding how they flourished in, and ultimately survived, the dinosaur era," Mr Sereno said.
[sourced from ABC web site ex Reuters]
Below is a superb new crocodile story.........will it make the NT News front page? Will Wicking produce a cartoon to match?
These are momentous decisions for the highly acclaimed editors at the newspaper.
However, it is an interesting thought......a world full of crocodiles. How would Swamp the cartoon character in the newspaper handle so many competitors?
New fossils reveal world full of crocodiles
New fossils unearthed in the Sahara desert reveal a once-swampy world divided up among a half-dozen species of unusual and perhaps intelligent crocodiles, researchers have found.
Researchers have given some of the new species snappy names - BoarCroc, RatCroc, DogCroc, DuckCroc and PancakeCroc - but say their findings help build an understanding of how crocodilians were and remain such a successful life form.
They lived during the Cretaceous period 145 million to 65 million years ago, when the continents were closer together and the world was warmer and wetter than it is now. Some walked upright with their legs under the body like a land mammal instead of sprawled out to the sides, bellies touching the ground. "We were surprised to find so many species from the same time in the same place," said paleontologist Hans Larsson of McGill University in Montreal. "Each of the crocs apparently had different diets, different behaviours. It appears they had divided up the ecosystem, each species taking advantage of it in its own way."
Mr Larsson and Paul Sereno from the University of Chicago, funded by National Geographic, studied the jaws, teeth and what few bones they had of the crocodiles. They also did CT scans to see inside the skulls.
Two of the species, DogCroc and DuckCroc, had brains that looked different from those of modern crocodiles.
"They may have had slightly more sophisticated brain function than living crocs because active hunting on land usually requires more brain power than merely waiting for prey to show up," Mr Larsson said.
RatCroc, a new species formally named Araripesuchus rattoides, was found in Morocco and would have used its buck-toothed lower jaw to grub for food.
PancakeCroc, known as Laganosuchus thaumastos, was six metres long with a big, flat head.
DuckCroc represents new fossils found in Niger from a previously known species called Anatosuchus minor. It would have eaten grubs and frogs with its broad snout.
The more ferocious BoarCroc was also six metres long but ran upright and had a jaw built for ramming, with three pairs of knife-like teeth.
"Their amphibious talents in the past may be the key to understanding how they flourished in, and ultimately survived, the dinosaur era," Mr Sereno said.
[sourced from ABC web site ex Reuters]
Sunday, 1 November 2009
DOGS!!!
Darwin is an interesting town..........not the least for the local dogs.
Current thinking over this post is being driven by the fact that now, at nearly midnight, after walking the dog over the past hour has introduced me to a new crazy lot of dogs, cosily esconsed behind their 2 metre fences.
Tonight we went out a different route, along the new cycle path that covers the new underground power cables. A beautiful smooth 3m wide concrete path, mostly well lit. But then it stopped and we crossed to the other side near houses.
Normally, the walking route, although going past a few houses with dogs, is relatively quiet. My dog, a large Rhodesian Ridgeback is like most Ridgebacks, very quiet........no bark much at all, and the usual dogs tend to bark once or twice and then stay quiet.
No, not tonight..........this lot are a crazy, noisy, fang showing, fence hitting mob of lunatic dogs. And included among the worst were two tiny dogs - about 15cm tall........but oh did they bark! And they were relatively innocous, compared to the rest, those fence smacking types.
I do wonder how this situation would be if a child was walking past at any time.
Sure, we have problems with itinerants, and house breaking, but this was a bit much. Why should these dogs be so aggressive, in comparison to the others?
Miss Kool herself [the Ridgeback] showed considerable self restraint, haughtiness and a deal of derision......those crazy, crazy barking dogs, stuck behind a fence and I am out walking. Up yours! I am sure she was thinking those thoughts or similar.
And not once did a voice sound from within the yard of the barking dog, lights still on in the house or not.
Ah ha.........the obvious cause.............full moon! Yes, RIGHT!
Current thinking over this post is being driven by the fact that now, at nearly midnight, after walking the dog over the past hour has introduced me to a new crazy lot of dogs, cosily esconsed behind their 2 metre fences.
Tonight we went out a different route, along the new cycle path that covers the new underground power cables. A beautiful smooth 3m wide concrete path, mostly well lit. But then it stopped and we crossed to the other side near houses.
Normally, the walking route, although going past a few houses with dogs, is relatively quiet. My dog, a large Rhodesian Ridgeback is like most Ridgebacks, very quiet........no bark much at all, and the usual dogs tend to bark once or twice and then stay quiet.
No, not tonight..........this lot are a crazy, noisy, fang showing, fence hitting mob of lunatic dogs. And included among the worst were two tiny dogs - about 15cm tall........but oh did they bark! And they were relatively innocous, compared to the rest, those fence smacking types.
I do wonder how this situation would be if a child was walking past at any time.
Sure, we have problems with itinerants, and house breaking, but this was a bit much. Why should these dogs be so aggressive, in comparison to the others?
Miss Kool herself [the Ridgeback] showed considerable self restraint, haughtiness and a deal of derision......those crazy, crazy barking dogs, stuck behind a fence and I am out walking. Up yours! I am sure she was thinking those thoughts or similar.
And not once did a voice sound from within the yard of the barking dog, lights still on in the house or not.
Ah ha.........the obvious cause.............full moon! Yes, RIGHT!
Sunday, 25 October 2009
Solar Car Race - Global Green Challenge Part 2
The solar car race is different to the "conventional" car event. In this race, the vehicles run all day - 0830 - 1800hrs, and essentially stop by the side of the road, to go on the next day.
Previous winners of the event have AVERAGED 100km/hr plus.........yes, that is correct, over 60mph.
The vehicles are built for speed, not comfort and most certainly do not have much in terms of driver comforts - most are closed for aerodynamic efficiency, and a lot of water is consumed by the drivers in the approx 40C temperatures out on the road.
Winners are expected to take about 3-4 days to reach Adelaide, about 3300 kms from Darwin.
See http://www.globalgreenchallenge.com.au/ for more details.
More current photos here - http://photos.globalgreenchallenge.com.au/
The photos are of two overseas entries - from MIT in the US and Cambridge University
Previous winners of the event have AVERAGED 100km/hr plus.........yes, that is correct, over 60mph.
The vehicles are built for speed, not comfort and most certainly do not have much in terms of driver comforts - most are closed for aerodynamic efficiency, and a lot of water is consumed by the drivers in the approx 40C temperatures out on the road.
Winners are expected to take about 3-4 days to reach Adelaide, about 3300 kms from Darwin.
See http://www.globalgreenchallenge.com.au/ for more details.
More current photos here - http://photos.globalgreenchallenge.com.au/
The photos are of two overseas entries - from MIT in the US and Cambridge University
Thursday, 24 September 2009
The Mighty Rain Tree
Musing while walking the dog can lead to putting fingers to the keyboard.
The rain trees around the city are moulting, indeed raining! Yes, huge quantities of faded yellow fluff, the remnant materials around the flower.
Rain trees creep up on you, very slowly. You do not notice the small ones, and there are quite a few around the city in open space areas and parks. But the older ones are memorable...........huge trees, with no doubt a few memories. Many would be well over a hundred years old, with huge towering and widespread crowns that reach out across the roads and paths around the city.
Those along Gardens Road near the city centre are absolutely monstrous trees, surviving I would guess major cyclones in 1897, 1937 and 1974, at least, plus many smaller cyclonic events. They probably date from when the area along what is now Gardens Road was a Chinese vegetable garden back in the mid to late 1800s.
The one that I noticed is a bit more curious, being along the edge of Rapid Creek but obviously a very large tree. Part of the area near Rapid Creek was a Jesuit mission in the late 1800s, and the two trees are both very large and close to a small ephemeral freshwater creek, now not flowing this late in the dry season.
The trees must be old........the area was not used much, not even during WW2, between the Jesuits mission and the establishment of the modern suburb of Rapid Creek in the early 1960s. These trees predate the modern suburb - they are just too big.
But who planted them and when?
I do not mind - we need these large trees for shade, and the mighty rain tree sure provides that, along with a place for the odd bird's nest - in this case a pair of pee wees [see middle photo].
They are also very sturdy, and have survived cyclones - large and small . That is a big plus. Big is what they become, so they need a large space..........but a great tree, and the city is better for their presence.
The rain trees around the city are moulting, indeed raining! Yes, huge quantities of faded yellow fluff, the remnant materials around the flower.
Rain trees creep up on you, very slowly. You do not notice the small ones, and there are quite a few around the city in open space areas and parks. But the older ones are memorable...........huge trees, with no doubt a few memories. Many would be well over a hundred years old, with huge towering and widespread crowns that reach out across the roads and paths around the city.
Those along Gardens Road near the city centre are absolutely monstrous trees, surviving I would guess major cyclones in 1897, 1937 and 1974, at least, plus many smaller cyclonic events. They probably date from when the area along what is now Gardens Road was a Chinese vegetable garden back in the mid to late 1800s.
The one that I noticed is a bit more curious, being along the edge of Rapid Creek but obviously a very large tree. Part of the area near Rapid Creek was a Jesuit mission in the late 1800s, and the two trees are both very large and close to a small ephemeral freshwater creek, now not flowing this late in the dry season.
The trees must be old........the area was not used much, not even during WW2, between the Jesuits mission and the establishment of the modern suburb of Rapid Creek in the early 1960s. These trees predate the modern suburb - they are just too big.
But who planted them and when?
I do not mind - we need these large trees for shade, and the mighty rain tree sure provides that, along with a place for the odd bird's nest - in this case a pair of pee wees [see middle photo].
They are also very sturdy, and have survived cyclones - large and small . That is a big plus. Big is what they become, so they need a large space..........but a great tree, and the city is better for their presence.
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
QANTAS - The Beginnings
It is 2009. That is 90 years since the England to Australia air race that was to prove whether it was possible to fly between the two regions.
Darwin has a significant memorial to Ross and Keith Smith who crossed the Australian coast as the first plane to make that journey, and Ross Smith Avenue in Darwin is actually the original airstrip used then and for many years afterwards.
As part of the planning around that race, two intrepid Queenslanders left western Queensland in 1919 in a new 1919 model T Ford to drive to Darwin to attempt to plan and locate and develop suitable airstrip sites for the planes to use after they left Darwin. They came up a reasonably direct route via the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria, and eventually to Darwin.
REMEMBER - no roads then across that track line. It would be a very tough trip!
Yesterday the very same vehicle returned to Darwin along the same route as part of the 90th Anniversary Celebrations around the flight events. More about that later in the year.
After reaching Darwin back in 1919, by a very awful route [ requested by the organisers it seems] without establishing any airstrips, they returned south down the same approximate line of the Cross - Continent Telegraph Line, establishing airstrips at places like Katherine, Daly Waters, Newcastle Waters close to the telegraph line [ it does sound more sensible doesn't it?] then turning east across the Barkly Tablelands into western Queensland. Daly Waters and Newcastle Waters airstrips are still used today, although Daly Waters was upgraded to a significant paved strip for commercial use some years after the initial development, and it remained a major alternate commercial airstrip for many years, as well as serving QANTAS on the early England - Australia air route.
The real outcome of the trip was the establishment in 1920 of Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services...........yes, QANTAS. These commissioned land adventurers, both who saw service as pilots in WW1, saw an opportunity to capitalise on the air race and the now small, established airstrips to develop an airline to serve the region. It has gone on to bigger things.
There was a small commemoration event on 8 September at the Qantas Hangar in Parap, on the site of the original Qantas location in the NT, adjacent to the original airstrip.
The old car apparently went well on the same journey 90 years later. No doubt there will be signifiant media coverage of this part of the whole exercise, and the air race itself.
Darwin has had a very major part in the development of aviation in Australia, even you could say communications, as it was also the prime repeater location on the England - Australia telegraph route.
Darwin has a significant memorial to Ross and Keith Smith who crossed the Australian coast as the first plane to make that journey, and Ross Smith Avenue in Darwin is actually the original airstrip used then and for many years afterwards.
As part of the planning around that race, two intrepid Queenslanders left western Queensland in 1919 in a new 1919 model T Ford to drive to Darwin to attempt to plan and locate and develop suitable airstrip sites for the planes to use after they left Darwin. They came up a reasonably direct route via the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria, and eventually to Darwin.
REMEMBER - no roads then across that track line. It would be a very tough trip!
Yesterday the very same vehicle returned to Darwin along the same route as part of the 90th Anniversary Celebrations around the flight events. More about that later in the year.
After reaching Darwin back in 1919, by a very awful route [ requested by the organisers it seems] without establishing any airstrips, they returned south down the same approximate line of the Cross - Continent Telegraph Line, establishing airstrips at places like Katherine, Daly Waters, Newcastle Waters close to the telegraph line [ it does sound more sensible doesn't it?] then turning east across the Barkly Tablelands into western Queensland. Daly Waters and Newcastle Waters airstrips are still used today, although Daly Waters was upgraded to a significant paved strip for commercial use some years after the initial development, and it remained a major alternate commercial airstrip for many years, as well as serving QANTAS on the early England - Australia air route.
The real outcome of the trip was the establishment in 1920 of Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services...........yes, QANTAS. These commissioned land adventurers, both who saw service as pilots in WW1, saw an opportunity to capitalise on the air race and the now small, established airstrips to develop an airline to serve the region. It has gone on to bigger things.
There was a small commemoration event on 8 September at the Qantas Hangar in Parap, on the site of the original Qantas location in the NT, adjacent to the original airstrip.
The old car apparently went well on the same journey 90 years later. No doubt there will be signifiant media coverage of this part of the whole exercise, and the air race itself.
Darwin has had a very major part in the development of aviation in Australia, even you could say communications, as it was also the prime repeater location on the England - Australia telegraph route.
Thursday, 12 March 2009
Container Deposit Legislation for the NT
It is like a bolt of lightning..........The Northern Territory Government announced today a container deposit scheme, to be similar to that in South Australia.
The press release in part says:
The Chief Minister Paul Henderson today announced the Northern Territory will introduce a cash for containers scheme to reduce litter and boost recycling efforts. “Cash for containers will make the Territory cleaner and greener – it will reduce litter by rewarding people who do the right thing,” Mr Henderson said. “This Government has always supported a national approach to legislation providing cash for containers but I’ve been disappointed with the slow progress. I’m not prepared to wait further.
“I’m taking the lead and hope other states will follow.
“My Government has made the commitment in principle to adopt cash for containers legislation by 2011 provided it is financially viable, legally sound and can deliver in both urban and remote centres. “That’s why I have set up a reference group to further explore those three criteria, and report back to Government in July.”
The Environment Minister Alison Anderson will chair the reference group, which will include Fannie Bay MLA Michael Gunner and the Independent Member for Nelson Gerry Wood. Ms Anderson said the NT’s scheme will be modelled on South Australia’s container deposit legislation where cans, bottles and cartons attract a 10c refund.
“The results in South Australia clearly show cash for containers is a success. In other states beverage containers typically contribute up to 40% - 50% of litter by volume – in South Australia they contribute less than 20% by volume,” she said. “I don’t pretend the scheme is going to fix all our litter problems but it’s very effective for what it targets.
“It gets litter off the streets and money into the pockets of people who do the right thing. It gives kids and community groups a chance to raise funds and we can show a clean green image to visitors who come to share our unique environment and lifestyle.”
The Independent Member for Nelson Gerry Wood said he is simply rapt that after nearly 20 years of trying, a Northern Territory Government has finally bitten the bullet and announced a program that will do great things for the Territory environment and the community.
This is quite amazing............and seems to go against the efforts of a number of strident industry lobby groups who have resisted such a move for many many years.
Sure it is still a year or more away - in 2011 - but that is time to develop the legislation and show others we can do the right thing! [ as the old Keep Australia Beautiful slogan goes]
The press release in part says:
The Chief Minister Paul Henderson today announced the Northern Territory will introduce a cash for containers scheme to reduce litter and boost recycling efforts. “Cash for containers will make the Territory cleaner and greener – it will reduce litter by rewarding people who do the right thing,” Mr Henderson said. “This Government has always supported a national approach to legislation providing cash for containers but I’ve been disappointed with the slow progress. I’m not prepared to wait further.
“I’m taking the lead and hope other states will follow.
“My Government has made the commitment in principle to adopt cash for containers legislation by 2011 provided it is financially viable, legally sound and can deliver in both urban and remote centres. “That’s why I have set up a reference group to further explore those three criteria, and report back to Government in July.”
The Environment Minister Alison Anderson will chair the reference group, which will include Fannie Bay MLA Michael Gunner and the Independent Member for Nelson Gerry Wood. Ms Anderson said the NT’s scheme will be modelled on South Australia’s container deposit legislation where cans, bottles and cartons attract a 10c refund.
“The results in South Australia clearly show cash for containers is a success. In other states beverage containers typically contribute up to 40% - 50% of litter by volume – in South Australia they contribute less than 20% by volume,” she said. “I don’t pretend the scheme is going to fix all our litter problems but it’s very effective for what it targets.
“It gets litter off the streets and money into the pockets of people who do the right thing. It gives kids and community groups a chance to raise funds and we can show a clean green image to visitors who come to share our unique environment and lifestyle.”
The Independent Member for Nelson Gerry Wood said he is simply rapt that after nearly 20 years of trying, a Northern Territory Government has finally bitten the bullet and announced a program that will do great things for the Territory environment and the community.
This is quite amazing............and seems to go against the efforts of a number of strident industry lobby groups who have resisted such a move for many many years.
Sure it is still a year or more away - in 2011 - but that is time to develop the legislation and show others we can do the right thing! [ as the old Keep Australia Beautiful slogan goes]
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