Tom Dinning
pro member
The Northern Territory is considered as Frontier Territory to the rest of Australia. Darwin, the capital city, is included in that perception. Over the 23 years I have lived here I have developed a love/hate relationship with the place: I love to hate the place.
In the process of always looking for another place to live, I have made considerable effort to photograph the place I detest so much. In doing so, I have almost talked myself into liking the place.
Photographing Darwin isn't an easy task if you want classical landscape beauty or rustic old buildings or drama in the street. This place is flat, boring and the people are far too complacent to get excited about anything other than drinking and fishing.
Yet my files are filled with images of this place. So much so, I feel a lot of them need an outing so the rest of the world can see what it is like to live in a sauna surrounded by a mote full of crocs.
If you have the patience, I'll share with you some of my favourite images from my least favourite city.
I'll give some explanation from time to time. This isn't going to be a tourist brochure. Nevertheless, if you ever visit, feel free to drop by for a cuppa and a chat. I'll even show you around.
We should start with the sea. Darwin is surrounded by it. There is only one road in and out of the city because of the presence of the ocean. Having 7m tides and mangrove doesn't make for wondrous coastline but it does have its moments.
Between coasts is a typical modern city of about 100 000 people loving as most do, in the burbs with their well manicured lawns, wheelie bins and barking dogs.
Darwin Harbour is an industrial port and a shelter from the ravages of the cyclones that pass through between December and April. It's big enough not to notice the traffic but not big enough to hide from the crocs of which about 200 are removed each year and used for hand bags.
The great thing about the cyclones is it gives a bit of excitement to the place and some surf for us old dogs to dust off our boards.
To be continued
In the process of always looking for another place to live, I have made considerable effort to photograph the place I detest so much. In doing so, I have almost talked myself into liking the place.
Photographing Darwin isn't an easy task if you want classical landscape beauty or rustic old buildings or drama in the street. This place is flat, boring and the people are far too complacent to get excited about anything other than drinking and fishing.
Yet my files are filled with images of this place. So much so, I feel a lot of them need an outing so the rest of the world can see what it is like to live in a sauna surrounded by a mote full of crocs.
If you have the patience, I'll share with you some of my favourite images from my least favourite city.
I'll give some explanation from time to time. This isn't going to be a tourist brochure. Nevertheless, if you ever visit, feel free to drop by for a cuppa and a chat. I'll even show you around.
We should start with the sea. Darwin is surrounded by it. There is only one road in and out of the city because of the presence of the ocean. Having 7m tides and mangrove doesn't make for wondrous coastline but it does have its moments.
Between coasts is a typical modern city of about 100 000 people loving as most do, in the burbs with their well manicured lawns, wheelie bins and barking dogs.
Darwin Harbour is an industrial port and a shelter from the ravages of the cyclones that pass through between December and April. It's big enough not to notice the traffic but not big enough to hide from the crocs of which about 200 are removed each year and used for hand bags.
The great thing about the cyclones is it gives a bit of excitement to the place and some surf for us old dogs to dust off our boards.
To be continued
