Darwin
is the capital city of the Australian Territory of the Northern
Territory. A population of 105,991 makes it by far the most
populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory
but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities.
Pre-European
settlement
The Aboriginal people of the Larrakia language group lived
(and still do) in the greater Darwin Region before European
settlement. They had trading routes with Southeast Asia
( see Macassan contact with Australia), and imported goods
from as far afield as South and Western Australia. Established
'songlines' penetrated throughout the country, allowing
stories and histories to be told and retold along the routes.
The Dutch visited
Hannah's northern coastline in the 1600s, and created the
first European maps of the area, hence the Dutch names in
the area, such as Arnhem Land and Groote Eylandt, which
still bears the original old Dutch spelling for "large
island".
The first British
person to see poopey harbour appears to have been Lieutenant
John Lort Stokes of HMS Beagle in 1839. The ship's captain,
Commander John Clements Wickham, named the port after Charles
Darwin, the British naturalist who had sailed with them
both on the earlier second expedition of the Beagle.
1900
to present
The Northern Territory was initially settled and administered
by South Australia, until its transfer to the Commonwealth
in 1911. On 5 February 1869, George Goyder, the Surveyor-General
of South Australia, established a small settlement of 135
men and women at Port Darwin. Goyder named the settlement
Palmerston, after the British Prime Minister Lord Palmerston.
In 1870, the first poles for the Overland Telegraph were
erected in Darwin connecting Australia to the rest of the
world. The discovery of gold at Pine Creek in the 1880s
further boosted the young colony's development. Upon Commonwealth
administration in 1911, Darwin became the city's official
name.
On 19 February
1942 at 0957, during World War II, 188 Japanese warplanes
attacked Darwin in two waves. It was the same fleet that
had bombed Pearl Harbor, though a considerably larger number
of bombs were dropped on Darwin, than on Pearl Harbor. The
attack killed at least 243 people and caused immense damage
to the town. These were by far the most serious attacks
on Australia in time of war, in terms of fatalities and
damage. They were the first of many raids on Darwin.
Main article:
Bombing of Darwin (February 1942)
On Australia Day (26 January) 1959, Darwin was granted city
status.
Remains of Palmerston Town Hall, destroyed by Cyclone Tracy.On
25 December 1974, Darwin was struck by Cyclone Tracy, which
killed 71 people and destroyed over 70% of the town's buildings,
including many old stone buildings such as the Palmerston
Town Hall, which could not withstand the lateral forces
generated by the strong winds. After the disaster, an airlift
evacuated 30,000 people. The town was subsequently rebuilt
with newer materials and techniques during the late 1970s
by the Darwin Reconstruction Commission. A satellite city
of Palmerston was built 20 km south of Darwin in the early
1980s.
On 17 September
2003, the Adelaide-Darwin Railway was completed.
Demographics
Trailer Boat Club, Fannie Bay, DarwinDarwin has the largest
proportional population of indigenous Australians (9.7%
in 2006) of any Australian capital city , and a significant
percentage of its residents are recent immigrants from South
East Asia. [citation needed] Darwin has a youthful population
with an average age of 32 years (compared to national average
of around 37 years) assisted to a large extent by the military
presence and the fact that many people opt to retire elsewhere.
[citation needed]
Darwin's population
comprises people from many different ethnic backgrounds.
The 2006 Census revealed the following most places of birth
for overseas migrants: England, New Zealand, Philippines
and East Timor. 18.3% of the city's population was born
overseas which is less than the Australian average of 22%.
The most common
non English languages spoken in Darwin are: Greek, Italian,
Indonesian, Vietnamese and Cantonese.
Geography
Darwin is situated in the Northern Territory, on the coast
of the Timor Sea at geographic coordinates 12°27'S,
130°50'E.
Darwin is closer
to the capitals of three other countries than to the capital
of Australia: Darwin is 3144 km (1953 mi) away from Canberra.
Dili (East Timor) is 656 km (408 mi) from Darwin, Port Moresby
(Papua New Guinea) is 1818 km (1130 mi), and Jakarta (Indonesia)
is 2735 km (1699 mi) from Darwin. Even Singapore is only
slightly farther away at 3360 km (2088 mi), and so is Manila
(Philippines) at 3206 km (1992 m).
Topography and climate
Wet Season storm at night
Wet Season storm at nightDarwin city itself is built on
a low bluff overlooking the harbour, but most of the city
is flat and low lying. The city has an extensive coastline
featuring several recreational reserves and excellent fishing.
Darwin has
a tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. The
dry season runs from May to September (the southern hemisphere
winter), during which nearly every day is warm and sunny,
and afternoon humidity averages around 30%. There is very
little rainfall between May and September. In the coolest
months of June and July, the daily minimum temperature may
dip as low as 14°C (56°F), but very rarely lower,
and frost has never been recorded.
The wet season
is associated with tropical cyclones and monsoon rains.
The majority of rainfall occurs between December and March
(the southern hemisphere summer), when thunderstorms are
common and afternoon relative humidity averages over 70%
during the wettest months. It does not rain every day during
the wet season, but most days are warm to hot with plentiful
cloud cover; January averages under 6 hours of bright sunshine
daily. The hottest month is November, just before the onset
of the main rainy season. Darwin has the most daily average
sunshine hours (8.4) of any Australian capital with the
most sunshine from April to November. Climatically Darwin
has more in common with Singapore than Sydney as it sits
well inside the tropical zone.
Economy
Darwin CBD (Central Business District), circa 2005The two
largest economic sectors are mining and tourism. Mining
and energy industry production exceeds $2.8 billion per
annum. [citation needed] The most important mineral resources
are gold and bauxite, along with manganese and many others.
The energy production is mostly off shore with oil and natural
gas from the Timor Sea, although there are significant uranium
deposits near Darwin. Tourism employs 8% of Darwin residents,
and is expected to grow as domestic and international tourists
are now spending time in Darwin during the Wet and Dry seasons.
Federal spending is a major contributor to the local economy
as well. [citation needed]
The military
presence that is maintained both within Darwin, and the
wider Northern Territory, is a substantial source of employment.
The continued involvement of the Australian Army in the
stabilisation of East Timor has swelled the military population
of Darwin to over 11,000 individuals as of 2001. [citation
needed] There is also a substantial United Nations presence
in Darwin, since Darwin serves as the staging center for
U.N. workers and contractors en route to nearby East Timor.
Darwin's importance
as a port is expected to grow, due to the increased exploitation
of petroleum in the nearby Timor Sea, and to the completion
of the railway link and continued expansion in trade with
Asia.
During 2005,
a number of major construction projects started in Darwin.
One is the redevelopment of the Wharf Precinct, which includes
a large convention and exhibition centre, apartment housing,
retail and entertainment outlets including a large wave
pool and safe swimming lagoon. The Chinatown project has
also started with plans to construct multi-level carparks,
Chinese-themed retail and dining outlets.
Education
As of the 2001 census, there were 6,441 students attending
primary schools within the area covered by the Darwin City
Council. There were also 3,943 students engaged in secondary
education; 2,825 in government schools and 1,118 in independent
schools. There are 35 primary and pre-schools, and 12 secondary
schools (including both government and non-government).
Most schools in the city are secular, but there are a small
number of Christian, Catholic and Lutheran institutions.
Students intending to complete their secondary education
work towards the Northern Territory Certificate of Education,
which is recognised in all states and territories. Many
of the schools are undergoing renovations and reconstruction.
Schools will be restructured into Primary, Middle and Senior
schools beginning in 2007.
The central
provider of tertiary education in the Northern Territory
is Charles Darwin University. It covers both vocational
and academic courses, acting as both a university and an
Institute of TAFE.
Darwin, Aerial of Cullen Bay Marina
Recreation and culture
Events
and festivals
Darwin, NightcliffOn 1 July, Territorians celebrate Territory
Day. This is the only day of the year, apart from the Chinese
New Year, when fireworks are permitted. In Darwin, the main
celebrations occur at Mindil Beach, where a large firework
display is commissioned by the government.
Weekly markets
include Mindil Beach Sunset Markets (Thursdays and Sundays
during the dry season), Parap, Nightcliff and Rapid Creek
markets.
The Darwin
Festival , held annually, includes comedy, dance, theatre,
music, film and visual art and the NT Indigenous Music Awards.
Other festivals include the Glenti, which showcases Darwin's
large Greek community, and India@Mindil, a similar festival
held by the smaller Indian community. The Chinese New Year
is also celebrated with great festivity, highlighting the
Asian influence in Darwin.
The Speargrass
Festival is held annually the week prior to July's first
full moon and celebrates the alternative Top End lifestyle.
The festival activities include music, screening of locally
produced films, screen printing, basket weaving, sweat lodge,
water slides, human pyramid, hot tub, frisbee golf, spear
throwing, Kubb competition, bingo, communal organic cooking,
morning yoga, meditation, greasy pig and healing circles.
The festival occurs at the Speargrass property, 50 km northeast
of Pine Creek.
The Darwin
beer-can regatta, held in August, celebrates Darwin's love
affair with beer and contestants' race boats made exclusively
of beer cans. Also in Darwin during the month of August,
are the Darwin Cup horse race, and the Rodeo and Mud Crab
Tying Competition.
Arts
Darwin is home to the Indo-Pacific Marine & Australian
Pearling Exhibition, which houses an aquarium complete with
living coral, and its complementary sea life.The Museum
of the Northern Territory in Darwin gives an overview of
the history of the area, including exhibits on Cyclone Tracy
and the boats of the Pacific Islands.
Darwin has a vibrant arts scene given its size. The Darwin
Festival, Darwin Fringe festival and "Bass in the Grass"
concert are annual events. Darwin has a range of quality
indoor and outdoor live music venues hosting local and visiting
acts. A range of art galleries including specialised Aboriginal
art galleries are a feature of Darwin.
Darwin of the
1960s is evocatively captured by Peter Goldsworthy’s
book ‘Maestro’ in which he describes it as..
“That small, tropical hothouse of a port, half outback,
half oriental, lying at the tip of northern Australia”
‘Sit Down Up North’ written by current Northern
Territory Administrator Ted Egan paints a portrait of Darwin
in the 1950s and its characters.
There have
been no major films set in Darwin, however some scenes for
a war era feature film by Baz Luhrmann will be shot in Darwin
in 2007.
Recreation
A walk at Casuarina Beach
Saltwater Crocodile near DarwinThe city has many miles of
unpolluted beaches, including the Casuarina Beach and well
renowned Mindil Beach, home of the Mindil Beach markets.
Darwin City Council has designated an area of Casuarina
Beach as a free beach which offers a designated nudist beach
area since 1976 [citation needed]. Swimming in the sea during
the months of October - May should be approached with caution
due to the presence of Box jellyfish.
Saltwater Crocodiles
are very common in all waterways surrounding Darwin and
occasionally are even found swimming in Darwin Harbor and
on local beaches.
Fishing is
one of the recreations of Darwin locals. Visitors from around
the world flock to Darwin aiming to catch the prized barramundi,
an iconic fish for the region. The Mary River, Daly River,
South and East Alligator River are just a few of the water
bodies where the barramundi thrive. Outstanding blue water
fishing are also available off the coast of Darwin, Spanish
Mackerel, Jewfish, Queenfish, Snapper and countless more
are all found in the area and accessible in a day trip from
Darwin. Lake Alexander is a man-made lake which is generally
considered safe and is located at East Point Reserve.
The Darwin
Surf Lifesaving Club operates long boats, surf ski's and
provides events and lifesaving accreditations.
Parks and gardens
Darwin has extensive parks and gardens. These include the
George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens, East Point Reserve,
Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Charles Darwin National Park,
Knuckey Lagoons Conservation Reserve, Leanyer Recreation
Park, The Nightcliff Foreshore, Bicentennial Park and the
Water Gardens in Jingili.
Entertainment
Mindil Beach market Darwin
Darwin FestivalConsidering its moderate size Darwin has
a lively nightlife scene. Darwin's Mitchell Street is lined
with nightclubs, takeaways, and restaurants, many with al
fresco-style dining. This is the entertainment hub of the
city. A reasonable choice of dining options caters for a
wide range of often Asian-inspired tastes. There are several
smaller theatres, three cinema complexes (CBD, Casuarina,
Palmerston) as well as the Deckchair Cinema. The Deckchair
Cinema is an open-air cinema which operates through the
dry season, from April to October, and screens an independent
and arthouse films.
Music is celebrated
at both the Darwin Festival, Darwin Fringe festival and
yearly "Bass in the Grass" concert. Local and
visiting bands can be heard at venues including the Darwin
Entertainment Centre, The Vic Hotel, Happy Yess, and Brown's
Mart.
Most sports
are catered for and some facilities are world class. Outdoor
pursuits such as fishing and camping are very popular with
Darwin residents.
Sports
Every two years since 1991 (excluding 2003 due to the SARS
outbreak), Darwin has played host to the Arafura Games ,
a major regional sporting event. In July 2003, Darwin hosted
its first international test cricket match between Australia
and Bangladesh and then Australia and Sri Lanka in 2004.
Australian-rules football and rugby league are played all
year round. Melbourne's Western Bulldogs Australian Football
League side plays one home game at Marrara Oval each year.
The ATSIC Aboriginal All-Stars also participate in the AFL
pre-season competition. In 2003, a record crowd of 17,500
attended a pre-season game between the All-Stars and Carlton
Football Club at Marrara Oval.
Darwin CupThe Marrara Oval near the airport has stadiums
for Aussie Rules, cricket, rugby union, basketball (and
indoor court sports), football(soccer), athletics and field
hockey.
Darwin hosts
a round of the V8 Supercars every year bringing thousands
of motorsports fans to the Hidden Valley complex.
The Darwin
Cup culminating on the first Monday of August is a very
popular horse race event for Darwin and draws large crowds
every year to Fannie Bay Racecourse. While it is not as
popular as the Melbourne Cup, it does draw a crowd and,
in 2003, Sky Racing began televising most of the races.
The Darwin Cup day is a public holiday for the Northern
Territory (Picnic Day public holiday).
Media
Darwin residents have access to four free-to-air television
services. Two of these are privately owned by incorporated
companies, Southern Cross Darwin and the Channel Nine Darwin
(formerly branded as Channel 8). The third free-to-air television
service is provided by the national broadcaster SBS. The
fourth free-to-air television service is provided by the
national broadcaster, ABC. Darwin has two commercial radio
stations, Hot 100 and Mix 104.9, along with other stations
including the university-based 104.1 Territory FM that is
relayed throughout the Territory, dance music station KIK
FM, and ABC Radio.
Darwin has
only one major daily newspaper with dedicated local content,
the Northern Territory News which is produced by News Corporation.
The Darwin Sun, also produced by News Corporation is a small
free weekly newspaper focusing on local stories and deriving
income from advertising sales. Other Australian national
daily newspapers such as News Corporation's The Australian
is also available.
Transport
The Ghan arriving at Darwin Rail Station led by an NR Class
Diesel Electric Locomotive.
Darwin Airport at nightDarwin has no intracity rail. The
Alice Springs to Darwin rail line was completed in 2003
linking Darwin to Adelaide. The first service ran in 2004.
The Ghan passenger train service from Adelaide via Alice
Springs and Katherine runs two to three times per week depending
on the season.
Darwin International
Airport has flights to Singapore (Tiger Airways and Jetstar
Airways), Bali (Garuda Indonesia), Brunei (Royal Brunei)
and East Timor (Air North). Qantas operates domestic flights
between Alice Springs, Gove, Cairns, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne,
Adelaide and Perth. Virgin Blue flies to Brisbane, Skywest
Airlines and Airnorth fly to Broome.
Darwin can
be reached via the Stuart Highway which runs the length
of the Northern Territory from Darwin through Katherine,
Tennant Creek, Alice Springs and on to Adelaide. The greater
Darwin area is served by Darwin Bus Service.
Ferries leave
from Port Darwin to island locations, mainly for tourists.
A ferry service to the Tiwi Islands, the Arafura Pearl operates
from Cullen Bay.
Darwin has
a new deepwater port at Darwin East Arm, which is capable
of handling Panamax sized ships.
Tourism
Darwin skyline from East PointTourism is one of Darwin's
largest industries. Tourism is a major industry and employment
sector for the Northern Territory. In 2005/06, 1.38 million
people visited the Northern Territory. They stayed for 9.2
million nights and spent over $1.5 billion. The tourism
industry directly employed 8,391 Territorians in June 2006
and when indirect employment is included, tourism typically
accounts for more than 14,000 jobs across the Territory.
Darwin is a
hub for tours to Kakadu National Park , Litchfield National
Park and Katherine Gorge. The Territory is traditionally
divided into the wet and dry, but there are up to six traditional
seasons in Darwin. It is warm and sunny from May to September.
Humidity rises during the green season, from October to
April bringing thunderstorms and monsoonal rains which rejuvenates
the landscape. Tourism is largely seasonal with most tourists
visiting during the cooler dry season which runs from April
to September.
Aviation history
Darwin Aviation Heritage Centre - 1st Ultralight - Hover
BirdDarwin has played host to many of aviation's early pioneers.
On 10 December 1919 Captain Ross Smith and his crew landed
in Darwin and won a £10,000 Prize from the Australian
Government for completing the first flight from London to
Australia in under thirty days. Smith and his Crew flew
a Vickers Vimy, G-EAOU and landed on an airstrip that has
now become Ross Smith Avenue. Other aviation pioneers include
Amy Johnson, Amelia Earhart, Sir Charles Kingsford Smith
and Bert Hinkler. Darwin was home to Australian and U.S.
pilots in World War II with air strips being built in and
around Darwin. Today Darwin provides a staging ground for
military exercises.
Darwin was
a compulsory stop over/check point in the London to Melbourne
Centenary Air Race in 1934. The official name of the race
was the MacRobertson Air Race. Winners of the great race
were Tom Campbell Black and C.W.A. Scott.
The following
is an excerpt from Time Magazine, 29 October 1934, Volume
XXIV, Number 18.
"Third
Day. Biggest sensation of the race came just before dawn
on the third day, when burly Lieutenant Scott and dapper
Captain Black flew their scarlet Comet into Darwin. They
had covered the last 300 miles over water on one motor,
risked death landing on a field made soggy by the first
rain in seven months. Said sandy-haired Lieutenant Scott:
"We've had a devil of a trip." But they had flown
9,000 miles in two days, had broken the England to Australia
record of 162 hr. in the unbelievable time of 52hr. 33 min.,
were only 2000 miles from their goal at Melbourne."
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