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Last Updated on May 3, 2023

Images: 0800-001 to 0800-050 Darwin Gallery of historical B&W photos converted to colour.

Many old photographs and stories of the history of Darwin

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Darwin Gallery Index. Images 0800-001 to 0800-050

Expand to display an index to all Darwin images.

Every image below has a link to 50 photographs. Simply click on the image to choose that group of 50.

Images: 0800-001 to 0800-050 Darwin Gallery of historical B&W photos converted to colour.
Images: 0800-051 to 0800-100 Darwin Gallery of historical B&W photos converted to colour.
Images: 0800-101 to 0800-150 Darwin Gallery of historical B&W photos converted to colour.
Images: 0800-151 to 0800-200 Darwin Gallery of historical B&W photos converted to colour.
Images: 0800-201 to 0800-250 Darwin Gallery of historical B&W photos converted to colour.
Images: 0800-251 to 0800-300 Darwin Gallery of historical B&W photos converted to colour.
Images: 0800-301 to 0800-350 Darwin Gallery of historical B&W photos converted to colour.
Images: 0800-351 to 0800-400 Darwin Gallery of historical B&W photos converted to colour.
Images: 0800-401 to 0800-450 Darwin Gallery of historical B&W photos converted to colour.
Images: 0800-451 to 0800-500 Darwin Gallery of historical B&W photos converted to colour.
Images: 0800-501 to 0800-550 Darwin Gallery of historical B&W photos converted to colour.
Images: 0800-551 to 0800-600 Darwin Gallery of historical B&W photos converted to colour.
Images: 0800-601 to 0800-650 Darwin Gallery of historical B&W photos converted to colour.
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The Stories:

0800-001 Police Barracks 1876. The Esplanade and Mitchell Street. Port Darwin.

Original Photo Source: Unknown.

View of the Police Station on the corner of The Esplanade and Mitchell Street.

Posted to Facebook 28-September 2021

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0800-001-third-police-station-bw-800

Before.

0800-001-third-police-station-bw-800

0800-001

0800-002 A.E. Jolly and Co. Smith Street Darwin 1930s.

Original Photo Source: Unknown.

AE Jolly and Co on the corner of Smith and Bennett Street in the 1930s, Where the Reserve Bank was and the Tourism Information Centre is now.

Posted to Facebook 29-September 2021

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Before.

0800-002

0800-003 Stokes Hill Wharf Port Darwin 1888.

Original Photo Source - State Library of South Australia

This photo of Stokes Hill Wharf was taken on (or around) the 15 Sept 1888. From left to right are S.S. Tsinan, Falkland Hill (left of the Wharf), S.S. Menmuir Catterthun (on the right outside). The S.S. Chingtu was also there, but out of the picture to the right. Catterthun (on the right outside). The S.S. Chingtu was also there, but out of the picture to the right.

Posted to Facebook 3-October 2021

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Before.

0800-003

0800-004 Commercial Bank of Australia Darwin 1887.

Photo and description - Terry O'Brien - Darwin & NT High Resolution Photos Facebook Group.
Original Photo Source - State Library of South Australia - Darwin [B 10138]  Photograph

Commercial Bank of Australia, left is Bennett Street, right is Smith Street. This bank building is now one of three banks on the corner of Bennett Street and Smith Street in Darwin. The facade of the CBA Bank was retained when the Paspaley Building was later built on this site. Photo Approximately 1887

Posted to Facebook 2-October 2021

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Before.

0800-004

0800-005 Victoria Hotel Smith St Darwin NT 1919

Original Photo Source: Yet to be determined.

This hotel still stands. Like my grand father's hammer. Only 6 new heads and 3 new handles.

Posted to Facebook 5-October 2021

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Before.

0800-005

0800-006 Palmerston - Port Darwin Police Station and Barracks 1870-1874.

Original Photo Source: Info from Mike Owen:
The image is in the collection of SLSA B9734

'Palmerston, Medical Officer's Quarters and Senior Surveyor's Quarters ca 1870'. It bears similarities with the Warden's Office and may have been relocated from Escape Cliffs hence the sapling wall repair at one end, bodged up windows & a tin roof.

Posted to Facebook 29-September 2021

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Darwin's First Police Station

Darwin's First Police Station

Darwin's First Police Station

0800-006

0800-007 Port Darwin - Palmerston Police Station The Esplanade and Mitchell Street 1875.

Original Photo Source: Yet to be determined.

This is the new stone Police Station, built at the corner of the Esplanade and Mitchell Street in 1875 and occupied late in that year by the Police. In high definition versions of this photo the words "Police Office" can be read on the sign hanging from the verandah.  

The building was later extended to accommodate a Gaol Keeper, on the Mitchell Street frontage, as the then Palmerston Gaol (operated by the Police) can be seen at the rear of the building on the right.  Inspector Foelsche realising the quality of the new residence agitated to be made Gaol Keeper and as a result, was its first resident.

Posted to Facebook 30-September 2021

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Before.

0800-007

0800-008 Tenth - Berrimah Police Station Darwin 1985.

Photo: Unknown - Peter McAulay Centre

Commissioner Peter McAulay had reached the conclusion that a city the size of Darwin (population then approximately 75,000) could not support multiple police stations and given the layout of the city and the growth that was planned to occur in what was to be Palmerston and Litchfield Shire that a police station situated in Berrimah would be best placed to meet the needs of Darwin into the foreseeable future.  

As a consequence of the new centre, both the Darwin City and Casuarina Police Stations were closed, and the central base of operations was set up at the Berrimah Police Centre.

The Centre in Berrimah therefore became the tenth Darwin Police Station in 1985. This was not a popular change, either within the Police Force or with the public at large.

Posted to Facebook 10-March-2022

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Berrimah Police Station

Before.

Berrimah Police Station

0800-008

0800-009 The Seventh Police Station Darwin 1945.

Original Photo Source: Yet to be determined.

The house at Lot 320 or 321 Cavenagh Street Darwin.

The NT Police remained effectively absent from Darwin until the middle of 1945 when a small detachment was sent to Darwin to re-establish civilian policing in a Darwin that was returning to normal.  They initially opened a Police Station (the seventh) in a house on either lot 320 or 321 Cavenagh Street, Darwin.

Posted to Facebook 8-March 2022

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The 7th Darwin Police Station

Before.

The 7th Darwin Police Station

0800-009

0800-010 Darwin Government Offices and Police Inspector's Quarters, 1879.

Original Photo Source: This Paul Foelsche image is in the NLA collection MAWLQF6F

Government Offices and Police Inspector's Quarters, June 1879. This image is a stitch of two of his images to show how Mitchell St. used to run down to the Esplanade - some of the original curbstones are in the car park at Parliament House & in the Mall.

Posted to Facebook 1-October 2021

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Before.

0800-010

0800-011 Darwin The second Police Station 1870

Original Photo Source: Library & Archives NT

Police Station, Palmerston, built 1870

For much of 1870, the Police were not in Darwin because they were initially required to spend their time with the Overland Telegraph work parties as that was what they had been sent from Adelaide to do.

Posted to Facebook 4-October 2021

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Darwin (Palmerston) Second Police Station

Before.

Darwin (Palmerston) Second Police Station

0800-011

0800-012 Darwin The Fourth Police Station 1875

Original Photo Source: SLSA 1870
Citation address: https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+10126

The Fourth Police Station 1875

The 1875 (and fourth) Police station was directly opposite the front door of what we now know as Government House.  

Posted to Facebook 2-October 2021

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Darwin Police Station 1875

Before.

Darwin Police Station 1875

0800-012

0800-013 Darwin. A panorama of two images stitched together.

Original Photo Source - Title: Darwin
Photo No: PH0107/0010, PH0107-0008
Date taken: 1976 Place: Stokes Hill Collection: Northern Territory Government Photographer Collection.

View from Stokes Hill powerhouse chimney westerly toward Myilly Point and Mindil Beach. Looks across oil storage tank to railway yards, housing between McMinn and Woods Street on right, Cavenagh Street and central business districts. Tall buildings from right Travelodge, T & G, M L C, City Mutual, Territorian Hotel at left rear (later Telford Territorian, then Four Seasons Hotel).

This is the colourisation of a third image from a panorama of two others stitched together. Date 26 Feb 1976 by Andrew King.

Posted to Facebook 3-October 2021

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Before.

0800-013

0800-014 Darwin The Ninth Police Station 1970

Original Photo Source: Northern Territory Library.

The Ninth Police Station 1970

By the early 1970's both Police Headquarters (in what is now Browns Mart) and the Police Station in Bennett Street had become inadequate as accommodation for an expanding Police Force.

The first was a new Police Headquarters which was quickly followed by a new Police Station. These were connected via an enclosed 'sally port' which allowed for the safe transfer of prisoners from vehicles to Police Watch-house (cells).

Both buildings were pivotal to the Police response to Cyclone Tracy.

Posted 11-March-2022

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1970 - Darwin Police Station

Before.

1970 - Darwin Police Station

0800-014

0800-015 1874 - 1875 - Darwin's Third Police Station.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-14183715 Photo: Northern Territory Library. Taken 1879.

The Police Station is the building on the right of the photo, closest to the camera.

The Esplanade and Smith Street.

Posted 13-March-2022

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Darwin's 3rd Police Station

Before.

Darwin's 3rd Police Station Colourised

800-015

0800-016 Royal Yacht Britannia Stokes Hill Wharf, Darwin 1963.

Original Photo Source: Library & Archives NT Photographer: D. W. Moyses Collection

Title: Royal Yacht Britannia Stokes Hill Wharf, Darwin 1963.

Description: Royal Yacht Britannia docked at Stokes Hill Wharf.

Posted to Facebook  6-October 2021

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Before.

0800-016

0800-017 Darwin Public School 1939.

Original Photo Source: Library & Archives NT Photographer: Buscall Collection

Darwin Public School 1939. (erected 1912-13)

Darwin Public School. Main building erected by J. C. Buscall, 1912-13. Front additions were created by the Snell Contracting Company. The school was located on the corner of Cavenagh and Peel Streets

Google street view is a guess, as the intersection doesn't exist today.

Posted to Facebook 9-October 2021

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Before.

0800-017

0800-018 First Holden in Darwin 1948.

Original Photo Source: Library & Archives NT
Photographer: Izod Collection.

Description: Eric and Ellen (Hellen) Izod with the 'NT8' - first Holden in Darwin. The photo was taken in Melbourne where the car was picked up and driven to Darwin.

Ably assisted by Mick Gulovsen with this colourisation.

Posted to Facebook 6-October 2021

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Before.

0800-018

0800-019 First Darwin Holden Owners 1948.

Original Photo Source: Library & Archives NT
Photographer: Izod Collection.

Description: Eric and Hellen (Ellen) Izod with their first Holden. Close up of the new owners of "NT8".

Posted to Facebook 7-October 2021

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Before.

0800-019

0800-020 Signpost outside Commercial Bank Darwin.

Photo Source: L&A NT Gordon Maxwell Reid Collection.

Signpost outside Commercial Bank in Smith Street, Darwin looking towards Mitchell Street. 1935

Posted to Facebook 7-October 2021

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Before.

0800-020

0800-021 Stokes Hill Wharf Darwin - 1948.

Original Photo Source: National Library of NZ - WA-15163-F - Aug 1948.
Photographer: Whites Aviation Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library.

Freighter at the dock, Darwin waterfront.

Description changed from Fort Hill to Stokes Hill 19-Apr-2022

Posted to Facebook 8-October 2021

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Before.

0800-021

0800-022 Smith Street Darwin. 1937.

Photo Source: L&A NT Coral Crombie-Brown Collection.

Smith Street 1937. Commercial Bank on left, Bank of New South Wales, under construction and Cashman newsagent on right.

Ably assisted by Mick Gulovsen with this colourisation.

Posted to Facebook 10-October 2021

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Before.

0800-022

0800-023 Darwin. A young lady by the name of "Amy Johnson".

I always like to give a photo source credit, but this one seems to stem from various source claims. However, I would be pretty sure it isn't a Darwin photo. I must admit, I was blown away by the result. I hope you enjoy it.

You can't research the history of Darwin without touching on the subject of aviation.

I was scratching around looking for an interesting B&W photo when this beautiful image of a young lady by the name of "Amy Johnson" fell out of the cobwebs.

Johnson achieved worldwide recognition when, in 1930, she became the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia. Flying G-AAAH Jason, she left Croydon Airport, Surrey, on 5 May and landed at Darwin, Northern Territory on 24 May.

Posted to Facebook 8-October 2021

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Before.

0800-023

0800-024 Home-made 1920 Rolls Royce 1948 Darwin.

Original Photo Source: National Library of NZ - WA-15438-F

Mr E J Connellan's home-made 1920 Rolls Royce utility Rolls Royce safari vehicle parked in Smith st Darwin Opposite the Star Theatre Aug 1948

Rick Cove
1920 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Chassis No. 32EE engine No. L185 was purchased by Eddie Connellan from Mrs. J Biddlecombe in April 1939 for 100 pounds. Now owned by his son Chris, it is still in the NT. It once carried NT Registration Number NT 12.

Posted 20-November-2021

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Before.

0800-024

0800-025 Mitchell and Bennett Street Darwin in the 1920s.

Original Photo Source: To be determined.

Title: Corner of Mitchell Street and Bennett Street in the 1920s.

Description: Bell Tearooms on the left and the Post Office complex on the right. Motorcycle and sidecar with what appears to be two naval officers going around the corner. From the configuration of the sidecar U.S. or French maybe?

Posted to Facebook 13-October 2021

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Before.

0800-025

0800-026 Darwin Stokes Wharf Roundabout Aug 1948.

Original Photo Source: National Library of NZ
Photographer: WA-15152-F - Cellulosic film negative, 1/2 plate

Freighter at the dock in Darwin NT waterfront.

Ably assisted by Mick Gulovsen with this colourisation.

Posted to Facebook 9-October 2021

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Before.

0800-026

0800-027 Eight-Hours Day Procession at the Town Hall Union 1914 Darwin.

Original Photo Source: State Library of South Australia - B 23023

Eight-Hours Day Procession at the Town Hall Union 1914.

Andrew King: The stone building on the left is Brown's Mart.

The banner reads 1914, however, the description was given as 1915. You can really zoom in on this one.

Ably assisted by Mick Gulovsen with this colourisation.

Posted to Facebook 14-October 2021

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Before.

0800-027

0800-028 Smith Street Darwin approx 1930-40s.

Original Photo Source: referenced from Trove
Photographer: Creator Flynn John 1880-1951

Smith Street Darwin, Northern Territory approx 1930-40s.


Description: Initially given as the Victoria hotel, but it is a long way back from there. Perhaps near the Galleria.

Ably assisted by Mick Gulovsen with this colourisation.

Posted to Facebook 11-October 2021

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Before.

0800-028

0800-029 Goyder's old campsite in the saddle in 1887. Darwin.

Andrew King:
Flicking through the files for the Flowerdale photo - two of Foelsche's images seemed to pair - this is a rough stitch of Goyder's old campsite in the saddle in 1887 from Fort Hill. NTRS3420 P1-5 & 16

Title: Goyder's old campsite in the saddle in 1887 from Fort Hill.

Google street view:
Hard to pinpoint this because of the trees etc. and Google camera location, as original was taken from Fort Hill, which no longer exists.

Posted to Facebook 12-October 2021

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Before.

0800-029

0800-030 1870 overland Telegraph camp at Fort Hill in Darwin.

Original Photo Source: NT Government.

1870 overland Telegraph camp at Fort Hill in Darwin

Ably assisted by Mick Gulovsen with this colourisation.

Google street view:
Hard to pinpoint this because of the trees etc. and Google camera location.

Posted 5-Nov-2021

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Before.

0800-030

0800-031 Victoria Hotel Smith St 1940s. Darwin.

Original Photo Source: Library & Archives NT
Photographer: Peter Spillett Collection
Citation address: https://hdl.handle.net/10070/734182

Description: Victoria Hotel 1940s
Posted 28-October-2021

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Before.

0800-031

0800-032 1870s Depot camp Darwin.

Original Photo Source: NT Government.

Description: 1870s Depot camp Darwin.

Google street view:
Hard to pinpoint this because of the trees etc. and Google camera location.

Posted to Facebook 15-October 2021

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Before.

0800-032

0800-033 Darwin. The Fifth Police Station 1875.

Original Photo Source: NT Government.

Although the building shown in "The Fifth Police Station 1875. The Esplanade" and the one in this photo look identical they are really not the same building. The current building is a faithful replica of the original which was all but destroyed by Tracy. This original building is shown in this 1938 photograph.

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