Blue Ridge (LCC 19) - Naval Cruise Book

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dV t l sit £ xwm, SkKSTxaiva AGl(AW) Debra Finney is all smiles as she grabs hold of a baby crocodile. Early attempts to establish a British settlement in the remote Top End were slow and troubled, and very much motivated by fears that the Dutch or French would gain a foothold in Australia. Darwin (then known as Palmerston) was founded in 1869 and its early growth was accelerated by the discov- ery of gold nearby in 1 87 1 . After the gold fever subsided, development of the town slowed due to its inhospitable climate and poor lines of communication with other Australian cities. Modern Darwin has a population of 68,000 but still functions as a bit of a colonial outpost, serving mainly as a center for government administration and mining. It does, however, have a thriving coun- terculture, enlivened by its largely transient and multicultural population. , t J v» iw»« Just your typical, everyday Australian animal sighting.

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C wkxs, Sinsrxaioa In Brisbane, Blue Ridge picked up a harbor pilot who helped navigate the ship through the Great Barrier Reef to Cairns. 25 S DHtkcTK

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PttOULsmy 13-18, 1998 Sailors and Marines join forces to represent the Color Guard during Big Top Festivities. 27 C Oh OKtktTK mi