Many old photographs and stories of the history of Darwin
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Please share this story with your family and friends so that they can read about the Darwin stories, its history, and what it has to offer tourists.
Thank you very much, Don...
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The Stories:
Photographer Andrew, Marjorie
https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/PRG+1708/3/40
Larrakeyah (Darwin, N.T.)
Motion picture theaters -- Northern Territory -- Darwin.
Don:
Larrakeyah Barracks is a military base located in Darwin, Australia. In 1945, during World War II, it served as a base for the Australian Army. The base was established in 1938 and was heavily damaged during the bombing of Darwin in 1942. After the war, it was rebuilt and continues to be an active military base to this day. The Army Theatre Darwin was also located in the base during that time, which was used for entertainment and cultural activities for the soldiers stationed there.
Posted -2022
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Image Source: Original B&W
Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/737767
Photographer: Steenholdt, Wilf
Image Source: Original Colour
https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-142508215/view
Creator? Flynn, John, 1880-1951
Description:
Padre Chris Goy and Rev Clyde Toft outside the Methodist Church Darwin where they preached on alternative Sundays.
Don...
Nestled amidst the hustle and bustle of Darwin's bustling city streets stood a beacon of history and resilience - the territory's oldest church. Once a dilapidated and forgotten structure, the former Wesleyan Methodist church has undergone a remarkable transformation.
Built in 1897, the church was designed to withstand the harsh tropical climate of Darwin, including cyclones and termites. It has stood the test of time, surviving World War II bombing, more than 19 cyclones, and years of neglect and abuse.
But in 2000, the NT Government recognized that the building's survival was uncertain and made the decision to reconstruct and move it to the Darwin Botanic gardens. And in 2014, it was renamed Eva's Cafe after Evlampia Holtze, paying homage to its rich history while also providing a new chapter in its story.
Posted -2022
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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/883388
Foelsche Collection Date: 03/06/1875
Description:
Otto Peters' Store, Mitchell Street, Palmerston.
Don:
On February 25th 1875, the steamship Gothenburg, owned by McMeckan, Blackwood, & Co., struck a reef off the coast of Queensland and became a total wreck. Only 22 of the 137 passengers were saved.
One of the deceased passengers, Mr. Otto Peters, was a well-known businessman in the mercantile community. He had previously worked at a wholesale establishment before starting his own retail business, Peters & Martin, which was successful.
After a few years, he retired with a few thousands to his credit and traveled before starting a new business in the Northern Territory. He was also a passenger on a previous perilous voyage on a ship called the Springbok. Mr. Peters was unmarried.
Posted -2022
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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/879617
Peter Spillett Collection ;
Description:
Port Darwin harbour & Fort Hill from Stokes Hill.
Don:
Fort Hill was a majestic hill that once stood tall on Darwin Harbour in the Northern Territory of Australia. It was a site of great historical significance, being the location of George Goyder's survey camp established in 1869. The hill was not only a beacon of colonial history but also holds a special place in the hearts of the local community.
It was the earliest European burial site in Darwin, after the tragic death of John William Ogilvie Bennett, a draughtsman on Goyder's 1869 survey expedition. Bennett was fatally speared by Aboriginal people on the Adelaide River and was buried at a site on the top of Fort Hill. Another early settler, Richard Hazard, was also laid to rest on the hill after he passed away on 2 August 1869.
During World War II, Fort Hill played a vital role as it had two oil tunnels bored into the side of the hill, which were used to fuel the war efforts. But, in 1965, the hill was removed to make way for the iron-ore loading wharf, and the remains of Bennett and Hazard were relocated to Darwin Cemetery on McMillians Road. Although the hill no longer stands, the memories and history of Fort Hill will forever be etched in the annals of Darwin's history.
Posted -2023
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Image Source: Kerry Mark.
Peter Grice:
The building is now heritage listed and belongs to the NT Museum. The Motor Vehicle Enthusiasts Club live there on a licence and repair, maintain and exhibit their vehicles there. The Hangar also houses some Museum owned pieces like the Sand Fly steam engine and the Margaret Rose steam traction engine from the failed Fogg Dam rice farm. In addition there is also a collection of Stationary Engines that belong to Leo Izod who is the same age as the hangar and his dad owned the first Holden Dealership in Darwin.
Don:
In 1934, the Sidney-Williams Company erected an impressive pre-fabricated hangar in Darwin for Qantas Empire Airways Ltd, in time for the Centenary Air race. This state-of-the-art facility was used by the first Australia-England air service operated by Qantas and Empire Airways, as well as the inaugural Adelaide–Darwin air service operated by Qantas and Guinea Airways. After the Ross Smith airstrip was deemed inactive in 1946, the hangar was repurposed as a mechanical workshop and a store.
Posted -2023
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Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/750829
Lois & Geoff Helyar Collection. Date: 01/04/1967
Description:
Stokes Hill power station, oil tanks and wharf. Aerial view.
Don:
Stokes Hill Power Station was an oil-fired thermal power station in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. It was the largest power station in the Northern Territory at the time, yet was considered unreliable and inefficient due to its high operating costs. As a result, the government had to heavily subsidize power bills for Darwin residents. The station was opened in 1962, with a capacity of 15 MW, and was upgraded to a maximum of 141 MW by 1977. After Cyclone Tracy hit in 1974, the station closed and was not fully operational again until 25 January. It was decommissioned in 2002, with a new gas-fired power station, Channel Island Power Station, replacing it.
Posted -2023
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Photographer: Samuel White Sweet
Description:
Telegraph Fleet responsible for laying cable in Darwin Harbour. On the left are two ships (Gulnare and Bengal) tied up alongside each other. Astern is Hibernia, Investigator & Edinburgh on the far right in deeper water.
Sweet’s trademark anchor is lower right among the bushes.
On 26 October 1871, the three ships, carrying the submarine cable arrived at Port Darwin. After laying the cable on the beach below the BAT offices, the ships steamed away to Banjoewangie on the east coast of Java where the cable was connected to the line which stretched across land and sea to England.
Posted -2023
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Photographer: Frey, John
Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/436627
Description:
The war memorial and Government House, Darwin, 1956
Don:
The Darwin Cenotaph is a memorial to the Northern Territory's fallen heroes who served in various wars. It features three plaques with the names of those who lost their lives during World War One, and was erected outside Government House in 1921 to commemorate this conflict. In 1970, the cenotaph was relocated to the Civic Centre, and in 1992 it was moved to its current home in Bicentennial Park. It serves as a reminder of those who sacrificed their lives in service to their
country.
Posted -2023
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Photographer: Frey, John
Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/436627
Description:
The war memorial and Government House, Darwin, 1956
Don:
The Darwin Cenotaph is a memorial to the Northern Territory's fallen heroes who served in various wars. It features three plaques with the names of those who lost their lives during World War One, and was erected outside Government House in 1921 to commemorate this conflict. In 1970, the cenotaph was relocated to the Civic Centre, and in 1992 it was moved to its current home in Bicentennial Park. It serves as a reminder of those who sacrificed their lives in service to their
country.
Posted -2023
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Please share this story with your family and friends so that they can read about the Darwin stories, its history, and what it has to offer tourists.
Thank you very much, Don...