Many old photographs and stories of the history of Darwin
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Darwin's First Police Station

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The Stories:
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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