Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/730917
Robert Bradford Collection Date: 1940s Location: Winnellie Darwin

Description:
Four engined Boeing B29 Superfortress, Circle E, 20th US Airforce.

Posted 27-Aug-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/934530
Peter Spillett Collection 

Description:
Catholic Debutantes Ball.

L-R Back row: Marjorie Shaw, Rose McDonald, Kathleen Fitzgerald, Monica Roney. 

L-R Front row: Flower girl Margaret Lyons, Matrons of Honour - Mrs P Carrington, Mrs D Smythe, flower girl June Lord.

Posted 28-Aug-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/934525
Peter Spillett Collection 

Description:
Marjorie Shaw at Catholic Debutantes Ball.

Posted 29-Aug-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/859070

Description:
Smith Street showing Victoria Hotel on right, Youngs Garage on the left, cars and trucks from the 1930s era parked on the sides of the street.

Posted 30-Aug-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/629262
Photographer: Monteith, Robert Date: 1920 Location: Darwin City

Description:
Three women and two children one child on a trike-bike. Darwin Circa 1920

Posted 31-Aug-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+72667/7
Photographer Spencer, Baldwin

Darwin. Corner of Mitchell Street and Esplanade with that portion of the Government Offices used by the Administrator for his public office. On the left foreground is Sergeant Burts quarters - for many years occupied by Inspector Foelsche. The fence in the background continues along a walk beneath the trees down the cliff to the sea. The large tree on the right is in the corner of the Residence garden'.

Posted 1-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/749217
Collection: Darwin 1914-1916 Collection

Description:
Fort Hill area in Darwin. Man fishing with a cast net, small boats at anchor. Circa 1915.

Posted 3-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+6156

Government Residency, Port Darwin. This two storey timber residence has wide verandahs to shade from the hot northern heat. Palm trees are growing in the grounds. Approximately 1873

Posted 4-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/733531 Peter Spillett Collection

Description:
Part of the Survey Party's main camp at Fort Hill, looking west. Doctor Peel speaks with 2 Aboriginal people in middle distance.

Posted 6-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source and description: Graham Poeling-Oer. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Stuart Park Primary School YEAR 7 1982. Mrs Luke our teacher

Posted 7-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source and Description: Andrew King

This was 29 March 1939 at about 10 am in the morning.

MOBILE FORCE ARRIVES SETTLED IN NEW QUARTERS

Practically all Darwin, including children from the schools, turned, out on Wednesday morning to welcome the remaining members of the Mobile Force, who arrived by the Montoro. They saw the biggest military parade ever held in the Northern Territory.

It is estimated that more than a thousand people lined Bennett Street and watched the troop movement with intense interest.

Marching to the beat of drums and the skirl of the bagpipes, the 200 newcomers, impressed with their soldierly bearing and display of a high degree of efficiency.

They disembarked from the Montoro at about 9 a.m. and assembled near the Triangle, at the approach to the jetty. The pipers and drummers practiced while they waited.

At about 9.45 a.m. the unit began its march. Perspiration streamed from the faces of the troopers as they marched up the Bond Hill to the saluting base in Bennett Street, near the Don Hotel.

Here the Coast Defence Forces formed while the mobile unit was given a ceremonial welcome.

"On behalf of the Army, generally, and the Darwin Coast Defence Forces, I welcome you to Darwin," declared the Commandant of the Seventh Military District (Col . H. C. H. Robertson).

The permanent forces, he said, had pioneered the Northern Territory as a defence post. The new force also would be pioneers and would help in its further development.

"You should regard yourselves as lucky,'' Col. Robertson continued, "to have been selected for this job. I now count on you to maintain that standard of honesty and sincerity of purpose which has already been set up here by the permanent forces, and help so as to keep Australia's forces something to be proud of here.

1939 'MOBILE FORCE ARRIVES', Northern Standard (Darwin, NT : 1921 - 1955), 31 March, p. 5. , viewed 20 Jan 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article49454548

Posted 5-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source and description: Steve Andrews. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Posted 29-Nov-2024

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source and Description: Graham Poeling-Oer. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Smith street Darwin after the cyclone 1974

Posted 4-Dec-2024

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source and Description: Graham Poeling-Oer. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Damage and debris along Smith Street. Victoria Hotel on right of group of people walking down the street. 1974

Justy Goodnews 6-Dec-2024
I said this before in another post I drove an old loader and got just past Northmeat shop pushing up the street when fuel light came on so had to leave if you look in this very image there is a larger lot of debris bulked up I did some of this with a few others - Sad but fun times when people wanted to pass through Smith Street

Posted 6-Dec-2024

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Photo Source and Image: Photo by Jordy Maas of BOM Christmas Eve Darwin 1974 from BOM Forecasting Office top of MLC Building. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Don 13-Dec-2024
The calm before the storm. Sunrise on the 24th.
As I looked at the poor quality and damaged image, I began to contemplate its significance. I realised that I needed to attempt restoring it to the best of my ability.

Marianne McAdie 14-Dec-2024
Christmas Eve 1974 I was at an office Christmas party on the first floor of the building on right - T&G. I went home very worse for wear but sobered up pretty quickly that night.

Posted 13-Dec-2024

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Photo taken by Rod Blume. Aftermath Cyclone Tracy 1974. Darwin Airport. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Posted 15-Dec-2024

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+9736
Approx. 1870 Part of Darwin Collection

Palmerston. Port Darwin. New road and causeway, Fort Hill on right, Government Schooner "Flying Cloud" in harbour. The new road has been constructed at sea level among the mangroves at the bottom of a cliff. Circa 1870

Posted 8-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image credit: Keith Barlow/Are Media/The Australian Women’s Weekly (cover); Fairfax (background image). Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Tansy Jones, seven years old at the time and the owner of the Raggedy Andy doll, was a sister of Gavin, the boy in the photo. Her family lived in a classic Darwin elevated home at 8 Elsey Street in the suburb of Parap. Her family (Dad, Spike; Mum, Margaret; Aunt Mollie; older sister, Hesta; and younger brother, Gavin) sheltered from the cyclone in Aunt Mollie’s ground-level flat and survived.

Hesta De Roma 18-Dec-2024
This is my brother in front of our house. The only reason he was crying was because he was put down as the photographer wanted a shot of him in front of the house

Christina Boothby 18-Dec-2024
I met the little boys sister at the museum this month. Her name is Tansie. She gave him the raggedy Ann doll in the hope he would stop crying. The story was told on Katie Woolf Media this week. Go to the museum and see the exhibition. I went in and it blew my mind. They did a great job. But I still won’t go into the sound booth.

Vicki Forscutt 18-Dec-2024 (Thank you Vicki)
https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/history-culture/2024/08/capturing-despair/

Posted 20-Dec-2024

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source and Description: Matthew Stidworthy. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Holden fans look away now. The Skateboard bowl was about 189 meters away from this 1972 HQ (dead) MONARO

WEEELLLLLL ; 50 Years since Cyclone Tracy. In 1974 in Perth, Dad was offered a Job to be an Electrical site supervisor at the new Royal Darwin Hospital - Right kids, we are off to Darwin. And we got smashed by Tracy about 2 months later.

It was a scary night, you know something is wrong when your house is shaking in the wind. The back yard was filling up with water. The wind backed off a little bit for about 40 minutes, then it started roaring again even harder than before. All under torchlight. Then our house exploded and my Mum, my sister Leigh and I ended up about 20 meters away in the back yard. Mum got us and made it to the shed below the house - in hindsight, we should have gone there at the start, it was flooded and it wasn't guaranteed either. All the women and children were evacuated (not all of them). We might have taken part in a world record in fitting the most amount of people on a commercial flight, all the grown ups had kids sitting on their laps. All the men had to stay, and were not allowed to leave for 6 months to clean up and restore essential services. The photos can be up to 6 months after christmas day. The streets were a mess. The roof nails and screws caused a lot of flat tyres.

Tom McCall 25-Dec-2024
My brother Pat McCall told us his car was flattened by a wall from his block of flats falling on it. Wonder if this was it? He worked for telecom at the time and worked 18-hour days - on communications and the like - in the weeks that followed. Later he moved to Brisbane and still didn't want to talk about the cyclone, or even see photos, some 40 year later.

Matthew Stidworthy 25-Dec-2024
Tom McCall well, today is 50 years later ?? This would have been absolutely heartbreaking. Probably still would have been paying it off.

Posted 27-Dec-2024

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source and Description: Andrew King - NAA

The shop on the corner of Mitchell Street and Lambell Terrace Darwin in 1950s

Three photos of the shop on the corner of Mitchell Street and Lambell Terrace in 1950s, 1975 and 2021.

Posted 12-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source and Description: Brenden Wood. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

This photo was taken inside Hot 100’s Peary Street studio in 1996. Two Channel 8 stars joined some listeners for a special broadcast of our breakfast show. In the photo is Channel 8 newsreader David Fidler (bottom right) and Channel 8 reporter Allan Raskall (third from the left). ABC TV reporter Lisa Pile is located second from the left in the photo. The Hot100 breakfast show was co-hosted by Tanya Aylett (far left) and myself (middle, wearing black).

Can anyone identify the other seven people in the photo?

Posted 10-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source: NAA A6135. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Description: Andrew King

The Commonwealth Bank on the corner of Smith and Bennett Streets Darwin, 1972.

Posted 11-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image and Description: Caryn Lynch. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Stella Maris in late 1984, outside and inside! Great times

Posted 13-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source: https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+12891 Approximately 1890

Panoramic view of Palmerston Port Darwin showing buildings under construction and what is possibly the material to extend the Palmerston Jetty which was requested from the Government in 1896. Railway yards and Stokes Hill. Circa 1890

Posted 14-Sep2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source: https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+72667/2
Photographer Spencer, Baldwin 1911

Posted 15-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source: https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+72667/6
Photographer Spencer, Baldwin The Residency, Darwin. 1911

The Residency, Darwin. Tennis court on east side of house. Figures are (from left to right) Mr Harley Thomas, Professor Gilruth, Mr Justice Mitchell, Chee Quee (Chinese Major Domo), Miss Mitchell, Mrs Mitchell.

Posted 16-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source and Description: Andrew King. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Posted 17-sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source: NTRS 3810 GOUGH Aubrey Keith - photo album 2 pages 01

Description: Andrew King.

Aerial view of Darwin 1935
Here is an aerial view of Darwin from the NTRS 3810 GOUGH Aubrey Keith - photo album 2 pages 01
This would be one of Darwin's earliest views from the air. There is little left of Darwin from this photo. The ruins of the Palmerston Town hall, Brown the Government House and the oil tanks to name just some. You can see the submarine cables leaving Darwin on the Beach. The internet of the 1930's

Posted 18-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source and Description: Andrew King. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Lambell House or Larrakeyah Lodge 1990s

Posted 19-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source and Description: Andrew King. 

1985 Larrakeyah Lodge

Posted 20-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image source and description: April Tomlin. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Hotel Darwin. Circa 1991

Posted 21-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source and Description: Andrew King. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Looking West along Knuckey Street towards the intersection of Smith Street circa 1950s.

Posted 22-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source: National Archives of Australia: NAA A1500 K20037. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

SS Iberia was an ocean liner completed in 1954 for the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O). Along with her fleet mates Himalaya, Arcadia and Chusan, Iberia mainly provided passenger service between the United Kingdom and Australasia.

Posted 23-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source: National Archives of Australia. NAA: M914, Northern Territory 5086

Description: Andrew King
The Government offices (gone now) on the Esplanade looking towards Government House (flag) Circa 1930s.

Posted 24-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source: From a collection of slides from Sandra Bargery. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Description: Andrew King
Woolworths Food-Fair on Smith Street taken from the intersection of Knuckey Street circa Sep 1964. From a collection of slides from Sandra Bargery.

Posted 25-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source and Description: Andrew King. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Looking South down Smith Street towards Knuckey Street corner Circa early 1970s. Woolworths on the left and before traffic lights have been installed at the intersection. Image taken from a postcard.

Posted 26-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/749521
Roy Edwards Collection.

Description:
Moss, Barnes and Jacobs, staff in a corner of the old BAT office.

Posted 27-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source and Description: Andrew King. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

View of Fort Hill taken from Stokes Hill with Kitchener Bay in the middle and Govt House on the hill to the right. Now the wave pool, convention centre and the Waterfront Precinct. 1958 (Fort Hill now longer exists, removed in the mid 1960s)

Posted 28-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source: Kym Grant. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

The site of the present Church building was the World War Two American Forces Headquarters in Darwin which was bombed by the Japanese in 1942.

The current building was opened as the Darwin Memorial United Church on the 23rd July 1960 as a memorial to all those who defended Australia in this area during World War II.

A prayer from the opening of the church in 1960 "In humble tribute we remember those who in days of war in this area gave their lives. Grant, O God, that we may walk worthily of their sacrifice, endeavouring to strengthen between all peoples the bond of peace."

The crosses on the ends of the pews are a reconciliation gift from the Japanese Government and the Japanese salvage company, Fujita Co, which salvaged wrecks from Darwin harbour after the war. Ambassador Narita and Mr Fujita were present at the opening, in his speech Mr Narita said, “now, half a generation later, I greet with pleasure the establishment of friendly relations between Australia and Japan.” He also added “that these gifts to the church are a symbol of the fact that there would never again be war between Australia and Japan.”

https://dmuc.unitingchurch.org.au/our-history/

Posted 29-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/591234
Photographer: Bradshaw, Walter Herbert Date: 1917

Description:
Group of Chinese children playing around a tree. One of the boys is reading a book sitting in the tree.

Donor's Grandfather, Walter Herbert Bradshaw, sent album back to his parents in Sydney in September 1917. He moved to NT mid 1910s and left after 1920. He was married in Darwin in 1919 and worked at Vesteys for some of the time. Letter accompanying donor form gives additional family history.

Posted 30-Sep-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source and Description: Graham Poeling-Oer

Posted 1-Oct-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source and Description: Bea Con

A photo from Selina Hassan to my grandparents, Charlie & Myrtle Houng On. Fancy Dress party, Darwin 1932.
Names are on the rear of the photo.

Posted 2-Oct-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/324797
Rob Wesley-Smith Collection. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Old Woolworths on the corner of Knuckey and Smith St Darwin after Cyclone Tracy 1974.

The Post Office corner of Smith & Knuckey street showing Woolworths store opposite.

Posted 3-Oct-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/749298
John Oxley Library Collection.

Lorraine Williams 4-Oct-2025:
1. Mary Daly
2. Maggie Smith
3. Polly Dixon
4. Daisy Cusack
5. Elizabeth Stiles
6. Bet Bet Williams
7. Larry Willeroo
8. George Kelly
9. Victor Williams (my Dad)
10. Ellen Lawson
11. Ruby Reid
12. Barbara Scully
13. Tommy Kelly
14. Rita Fraser
Teacher Mrs Ward 1925 (written by my mother Delsey Williams nee Rotumah)

Posted 4-Oct-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image source and description: Graham Poeling-Oer. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Posted 5-Oct-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source and description: Kerry Mark
BUSCALL P.O. BOX 76 DARWIN IN N.A.R.  POST CARD CORRESPONDENCE

Bookmakers now operate on all races in North Australia.
Just love going through Buscall's photos

Bookmakers now operate on all races in North Australia. A 5/- and 10/- tote also takes the public money.
This is the only bookmaker that operated at the at Darwin 23rd and 26th annual meeting August 1930.

Russ Russ
According to the records, Jasmine Maloney was a registered bookmaker in WA in 1909.

Posted 6-Oct-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Image Source N/A. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Posted 7-Oct-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Date 20 Aug 1948 Reference WA-15443-F
Part of Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs / Whites Aviation Ltd :Photographs

Posted 8-Oct-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/732154
Arch Grant Collection. Colour Corrected by Don McKenzie.

Description:
Ken Beckett and nurses at Darwin.

Posted 10-Oct-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.

Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/629264
Robert Monteith Collection

Description:
Eleven men in their swimsuits at the beach.

Posted 9-Oct-2025

Click on image to enlarge.
Then Click on back button (or close tab) to return.