Darwin was (almost) coolest city in the country

from NT News January 30th, 2009

Darwin may be coolest city
DARWIN could be about to set one of the most unusual records in the city's history.

There is a possibility Darwin could be Australia's coldest - yes, coldest - capital city today.

As the southern states are hit by a once-in-a-generation heatwave, the monsoon has seen mild temperatures in the Top End. The mercury is tipped to reach just 29C in Darwin today, the same temperature predicted in Sydney and Hobart. All other capital cities are expecting temperatures above 30C with 43C predicted in Melbourne and 42C in Adelaide.

Not a headline we would normally expect to see in Darwin, ever. It’s usually, hot, hot, hot.

We just got pushed out by Brisbane, experiencing some overcast weather which kept the temperature down.

Well, we were almost cool … my mother used to say “almost isn’t even half”, so she would not have been impressed!

The weather has been pleasant though … quite a relief from that earlier in the season.

Bicentennial Conservatory in the Adelaide Botanical Gardens

Adelaide is a well set out city.

South Australia was proclaimed in December 1836, and in 1837 Col Light in his plan of Adelaide showed an area set aside for a botanic garden. In April 1855, George Francis was appointed Superintendent, and the garden was opened to the public in 1857. In planning the layout, Francis is said to have been influenced by those at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in England and Versailles in France, together with certain German and Dutch stylistic influences. Even today, the Adelaide Botanic Garden has a northern European style, also reflected in its nineteenth century buildings.

Even in the present time of drought it is a 30-hectare garden oasis in the cosmopolitan heart of Adelaide city.

I have included some photos of the Bicentennial Conservatory.

Built to celebrate Australia’s Bicentenary, in 1988, it is the largest single span conservatory in the southern hemisphere. Designed by South Australian architect Guy Maron, the building is curvilinear in shape, 100 metres long, 47 metres wide and 27 metres high. An elegant steel superstructure supports the 2434 square metres of toughened glass which forms the roof, walls and doors. Its glistening and distinctive shape is a landmark particularly for visitors flying into Adelaide.

It houses a display of lowland tropical rainforest plants from northern Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and the nearby Pacific Islands. Many of these plants are at risk or endangered in their natural habitats.

A lower walkway winds across the undulating forest floor and an upper walkway takes visitors among the canopy of tropical trees and palms. Both walkways have full wheelchair access.

If you visit Adelaide, try to make a visit.

My Street?

It doesn't look all that spectacular. Just a narrow little lane which backs on to some very nicely restored old homes in the city of Adelaide. Just around the corner at the bottom, there is a really pleasant restaurant which serves good coffee to weary and caffiene deficient travellers!