Visitors off the former Love Boat and Queen Mary 2 wandered at large about the Mall , some even looking in the Red Cross Op Shop for something of interest , oblivious of the fact that nearby were the faded names and messages of GIANTS IN THE WORLD’S AVIATION HISTORY scratched into the wall of the old Vic Hotel . In the case of Australian Bert Hinkler , Little Darwin pointed out he had been so highly regarded internationally that an American astronaut had taken a piece of a Hinkler built model plane on an ill-fated flight. That small fragment had been retrieved from the wreckage and returned to Australia.
Two weeks ago the showcase was inspected and nothing had changed except for the fact that an unfortunate , babbling person , his belongings in a shopping trolley, was seated in front of the display case , litter of various kinds in the nearby planters.
Another inspection a few days ago, and the same situation pertained as a wall-eyed drunk , wearing shorts , no top, a feather in his hat , tottered out of the arcade . What looked like fresh urine was splashed across some of the plants , and there was liquid and some white powder at the right corner of the wooden base of the showcase. Empty cans and a cardboard box were in the planters . This totally unsatisfactory situation was pointed out to the NT Government months ago and then personally shown to an ABC reporter , without anybody doing anything . The aeronautical winds of change are long overdue in government and media circles in this town
