History Darwin, Northern Territory

1 history

1.1 pre 20th century
1.2 20th century begins
1.3 1970–present day

history



pre 20th century

the aboriginal people of larrakia language group traditional custodians , first inhabitants of greater darwin area. had trading routes southeast asia (see macassan contact australia), , imported goods far afield south , western australia. established songlines penetrated throughout country, allowing stories , histories told , retold along routes. extent of shared songlines , history of multiple clan groups within area still contestable.

the dutch visited australia s northern coastline in 1600s , landed on tiwi islands repelled tiwi peoples. dutch created first european maps of area. accounts dutch names in area, such arnhem land , groote eylandt. first british person see darwin harbour appears have been lieutenant john lort stokes of hms beagle on 9 september 1839. ship s captain, commander john clements wickham, named port after charles darwin, british naturalist had sailed them both on earlier second expedition of beagle.

in 1863, northern territory transferred new south wales south australia. in 1864 south australia sent b. t. finniss north government resident survey , found capital new territory. finniss chose site @ escape cliffs, near entrance adelaide river, 60 km northeast of modern city. attempt short-lived, however, , settlement abandoned 1865. on 5 february 1869, george goyder, surveyor-general of south australia, established small settlement of 135 people @ port darwin between fort hill , escarpment. goyder named settlement palmerston, after british prime minister lord palmerston. in 1870, first poles overland telegraph erected in darwin, connecting australia rest of world. discovery of gold employees of australian overland telegraph line digging holes telegraph poles @ pine creek in 1880s spawned gold rush further boosted young colony s development.

in february 1872 brigatine alexandra first private vessel set sail english port directly darwin many of whom people coming gold finds.

in 1875 darwin s white population had grown approximately 300 because of gold rush. on 17 february 1875 ss gothenburg left darwin en route adelaide. approximately 88 passengers , 34 crew (surviving records vary) included government officials, circuit-court judges, darwin residents taking first furlough, , miners. while travelling south along north queensland coast, gothenburg encountered cyclone-strength storm , wrecked on section of great barrier reef. 22 men survived, while between 98 , 112 people perished. many passengers perished darwin residents , news of tragedy severely affected small community, reportedly took several years recover.

20th century begins

remains of darwin post office after first japanese raid in 1942



remains of palmerston town hall, destroyed cyclone tracy



lyons cottage, c. 1925, office of british australian telegraph company

darwin became city s official name in 1911.

the period between 1911 , 1919 filled political turmoil, particularly trade union unrest, culminated on 17 december 1918. led harold nelson, 1000 demonstrators marched government house @ liberty square in darwin burnt effigy of administrator of northern territory john gilruth , demanded resignation. incident became known darwin rebellion . grievances against 2 main northern territory employers: vestey s meatworks , federal government. both gilruth , vestey company left darwin afterwards.

around 10,000 australian , other allied troops arrived in darwin @ outset of world war ii, in order defend australia s northern coastline. on 19 february 1942 @ 0957, 188 japanese warplanes attacked darwin in 2 waves. same fleet had bombed pearl harbor, though considerably larger number of bombs dropped on darwin on pearl harbor. attack killed @ least 243 people , caused immense damage town, airfields , aircraft. these far serious attacks on australia in time of war, in terms of fatalities , damage. first of many raids on darwin.

darwin further developed after war, sealed roads constructed connecting region alice springs in south , mount isa in south-east, , manton dam built in south provide city water. on australia day (26 january) 1959, darwin granted city status.

1970–present day

on 25 december 1974, darwin struck cyclone tracy, killed 71 people , destroyed on 70% of town s buildings, including many old stone buildings such palmerston town hall, not withstand lateral forces generated strong winds. after disaster, 30,000 people of population of 46,000 evacuated, in turned out biggest airlift in australia s history. town subsequently rebuilt newer materials , techniques during late 1970s darwin reconstruction commission, led former brisbane lord mayor clem jones. satellite city of palmerston built 20 km (12 mi) south of darwin in 1980s.

on 17 september 2003 adelaide–darwin railway completed, opening of alice springs-darwin standard gauge line.

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