The first map shows how big Australia is compared to other countries. The second map shows the distance from home in Dongara, Western Australia to Nhulunbuy in the Northern Territory where we are now – 4,208kms (2,615 miles) but 6,300kms on our car dashboard. The red circle is home and the yellow one is Nhulunbuy. It took us around five weeks to get here but our plan had been to see a lot more on the way. Our Nissan breaking down and covid upset our plans a bit but we will backtrack when we leave here and do what we missed. We wanted to be here in time for Tommy’s 5th birthday on 15th July and to catch up with John’s son and grandsons (Paul, Ben and Zac) who booked a trip here months ago. Sadly, they have had to cancel due to the latest lockdown; they would have to quarantine for two weeks when they returned home. Hopefully, they can come another time.

So why Nhulunbuy? Kyran, Vanessa and Tommy moved here from Melbourne about 18 months ago. Vanessa accepted a job at the hospital and Kyran picked up work on the mine and as a skipper here which he fits in around Vanessa’s shifts and looking after Tommy, who attends kindergarten. I flew here in April for three weeks to help look after Tommy but John hasn’t been before.

Nhulunbuy sits on the Gove Peninsula and has been home to the Yolnga Aboriginal people for 40,000 years. There is a beautiful art gallery in the Yirrkala community that John, Tommy and I really enjoyed going through.

I was surprised to see there are streets named after Matthew Flinders and Captain Cook. I found out Flinders was circumnavigating this area in 1803. When the Bauxite mine opened here in the 1960s (now owned by Rio Tinto) the township was developed. The current population is about 3,000.

At the time of writing, we have been here four days. We are still cleaning the caravan after driving the Gove track! John has already hit the golf course which is very flat compared to Dongara but very green. In fact Nhulunbuy is very green and tropical. It is surrounded by beautiful beaches but it seems a waste not to be able to swim because of crocodiles (and stingers some months of the year).

So far we have checked out three local beaches just a few minutes from Kyran and Vanessa’s house- East Woody, Middle Beach and Wirrawuy.