Flyabout around Australia's Coast - Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory or "There are No Accidents"

Nhulunbuy (or Gove) in Arnhemland, Northern Territory, is one of the places I had to spend some time on the ground during my flight around Australia's coast.

The weather was extremely windy and not good for flying and successfully photographing. Sometimes it's better to stay on the ground and rest or do other things.

I caught up on writing my diary, did my laundry and a bit more planning and rescheduling.

I was also put in contact with a local military historian.

Apart from the tremendous hospitality (especially the meals at the canteen) from Nabalco (now Alcan Gove) this was a highlight of my stay.

According to a character in "Kung Fu Panda", "There are no accidents" and I believe this to be the case here. My father was stationed at Gove during the Second World War. He was in the Royal Australian Air Force in signals, not as pilot crew, and he never liked to talk much about his war time experiences.

Phil, the military historian, told me a little bit about Gove during the war and even showed me an old map. Everything has changed and the building where my father would have been stationed is now under the bauxite mine (the bright orange/yellow colour).

So, I had to do my flight around the coast of Australia to discover something about my own father. No accident indeed!

Check out Nhulunbuy http://www.theterritory.com.au/index.php?menuID=140

Australia's Coast from the Air DVD

Australia (incl. P&H) $27.50 Overseas (incl. P&H) $31.00