Darwin & Suburbs

Darwin has grown from a pioneer outpost and small port into one of Australia's most modern and multicultural cities. Its proximity to Asia makes it an important Australian gateway to countries such as Indonesia and East Timor. The Stuart Highway begins in Darwin, ending at Port Augusta in South Australia.

The city itself is built on a low bluff overlooking the harbour. Its suburbs spread out over some area, beginning at Lee Point in the north and stretching to Berrimah in the east—past Berrimah, the Stuart Highway goes on to Darwin's satellite city, Palmerston, and its suburbs.

The region, like the rest of the Top End, has a tropical climate, with a wet season and a dry season. It receives heavy rainfall during the Wet, and is well-known for its spectacular lightning.

The original inhabitants of the greater Darwin area are the Larrakia people. On 9 September 1839, HMS Beagle sailed into Darwin harbour during its surveying of the area. John Clements Wickham named the region "Port Darwin" in honour of their former shipmate Charles Darwin, who had sailed with them on the ship's previous voyage which had ended in October 1836. The settlement there became the town of Palmerston in 1869, and was renamed Darwin in 1911.

Having been almost entirely rebuilt twice, once due to Japanese air raids during World War II and again after being devastated by Cyclone Tracy in 1974, the city is one of Australia's most modern capitals.

The Aboriginal people of the Larrakia language group are the first inhabitants of the greater Darwin area.[8] 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 Australia's northern coastline in the 1600s, and created the first European maps of the area. This accounts for the Dutch names in the area, such as Arnhem Land and Groote Eylandt.

The first British person to see Darwin harbour appears to have been Lieutenant John Lort Stokes of HMS Beagle on 9 September 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.

In the early 1870s, Darwin felt the effects of a gold rush at Pine Creek after employees of the Australian Overland Telegraph Line found gold while digging holes for telegraph poles.

In early 1875, Darwin's European population had grown to approximately 300 because of the gold rush. On 17 February 1875, the SS Gothenburg left Darwin en route for Adelaide. Amongst the approximately 88 passengers and 34 crew (surviving records vary) were government officials, circuit court judges, Darwin residents taking their first furlough and miners. While travelling south along the north Queensland coast, the Gothenburg encountered a cyclone-strength storm and was wrecked on a section of the Great Barrier Reef. Only 22 men survived, while between 98 and 112 people perished. Many passengers who perished were Darwin residents and news of the tragedy severely affected the small community, reportedly taking several years to recover.

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 people 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.

The period between 1911 and 1919 was filled with political turmoil, particularly with trade union unrest, which culminated on 17 December 1918. Led by Harold Nelson, some 1000 demonstrators marched to Government House at Liberty Square in Darwin where they burnt an effigy of the Administrator of the Northern Territory John Gilruth and demanded his resignation. The incident became known as the 'Darwin Rebellion'. Their grievances were against the two main Northern Territory employers; Vestey’s Meatworks and the Commonwealth of Australia. Both Gilruth and the Vestey company left Darwin soon afterwards.

 Around 10,000 Allied troops arrived in Darwin in the early 1940s at the outset of World War II, in order to defend Australia's northern coastline. On 19 February 1942 at 09:57, 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.

Despite this major attack, Darwin's development was furthered considerably during the war, with sealed roads constructed connecting the region to Alice Springs in the south and Mount Isa in the south-east, and Manton Dam built in the south to provide the city with water. On Australia Day (26 January) 1959, Darwin was granted city status.

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, 30,000 people of a then population of 43,000 were evacuated, in what turned out to be the biggest airlift in Australia's history. The town was subsequently rebuilt with newer materials and techniques during the late 1970s by the Darwin Reconstruction Commission, led by former Brisbane Lord Mayor Clem Jones. A satellite city of Palmerston was built 20 km (12 mi) south of Darwin in the early 1980s.

On 17 September 2003, the Adelaide-Darwin railway was completed.

Acacia Hills

Acacia Roadkill Cafe and Caravan Park

Stuart Highway

08 8988 2111

Alawa 0810

Anula 0812

Archer 0830

Bakewell 0832

Bayview 0820

Bees Creek

Bellamack 0832

Berrimah 0820

THINGS TO SEE & DO

Crocodylus Park

815 McMillans Road

08 8922 4500

Flight Path Golf and Archery Range

Vanderlin Drive

08 8947 1257

ACCOMMODATION

Darwin FreeSpirit Resort

901 Stuart Highway

08 8935 0888

CARAVAN PARKS

Hidden Valley Tourist Park

25 Hidden Valley Road

08 8984 2888

Sundowner Caravan Park

Vanderlin Drive

08 8947 0045

Black Jungle

Blackmore

Brinkin part 0810

Buffalo Creek

Casuarina 0810

Casuarina Coastal Reserve

Trower Road

Coastal strip between Rapid Creek mouth and Buffalo Creek

08 8999 4555   

Casuarina Square

247 Trower Road

08 8920 2345

Channel Island

Charles Darwin

Coconut Grove 0810

Dragonfly House

164 Dick Ward Drive

08 8985 6322

Coolalinga  0835

Coolalinga Rural Market

Coolalinga Shopping Centre

8 AM to 2 PM every Saturday

0410 836880

Coolalinga Tourist Park

Stuart Highway

08 8983 1026

Coonawarra 0820

Darwin 0800

Darwin City Visitor Information Centre

6 Bennett Street

1300 138886

Tourism Top End

corner of Bennett Street and Smith Street

08 8980 6000

ATTRACTIONS

Aquascene

Fish Feeding

28 Doctors Gully Road

08 8981 7837

Australian Pearling Exhibition

Stokes Hill Wharf Precinct

Stokes Hill Road

08 8999 6573

Cullen Bay Marina

Darwin City Heritage Walk

Bicentennial Park

The Esplanade

08 8930 0300   

Browns Mart

Corner Smith Street and Harry Chan Avenue

08 8981 6876   

Crocosaurus Cove

58 Mitchell Street

08 8981 7522

Darwin Entertainment Centre

93 Mitchell Street

08 8980 3333

Darwin Harbour

Darwin Wharf Precinct

Stokes Hill Wharf

08 8981 4268

Deckchair Cinema

Jervois Road off Kitchener Drive

08 8981 0700

Government House

29 The Esplanade

08 8999 7103

Indo Pacific Marine

29 Stokes Hill Road

oposite the Darwin Convention Centre

08 8981 1294   

Lyons Cottage (British Australian Telegraph Company)

Corner of Knuckey and the Esplanade

08 8999 8201

Manton Dam Recreation Area

76 kilometres south of Darwin

Stuart Highway

08 8999 4555

Northern Territory Library

Parliament House

1800 019 155   

Northern Territory Parliament House

Mitchell Street

State Square

08 8946 1525     

Stuart Memorial

Raintree Park

Smith Street Mall (Northern End)

08 8930 0300

WWII Oil Storage Tunnels

Kitchener Drive

Darwin Wharf Precinct

08 8985 6333

Darwin Holiday Shop-bicycle hire

Transit Centre

08 8981 0227

Oz Jet Boating

1300 135595

TOUR OPERATORS

Bombing of Darwin World War II Heritage Tours

0432 041132

Night Sky Adventures

East Point

Monday Wednesday and Friday

08 8981 4326

Sky Tour Kakadu

1800 089113

Explorer Tours

1300 556609

Lords Safaris

Arnhem Land Day Tour

08 8948 2200

Darwin Helicopter Tours

08 8947 5185

Darwin Day Tours

shop 6, 52 Mitchell Street

08 8923 6523

Turtle Tracks

1300 065022

Eco Sailing

three-hour Sunset Sail  

0401 118777

Spirit of Darwin

Harbour Cruises

0417 381977

Cape Adieu Harbour Cruises

departs from Stokes Hill wharf

bookings essential

0439 893939

SeaDarwin

departs from Stokes Hill wharf

bookings essential

1300 065022

Duck About Tours

1300 382522

Top End Escapes

half and full day tours

1300 657045

Tour Tub

08 8985 6322

Indo Pacific Marine

Australian Harbour Cruises

Darwin Harbour Cruises

City of Darwin Cruises

Northern Territory Indigenous Tours

APT

Pinnacle Tours

AAT Kings

Goanna Ecotours

Odyssey Tours and Safaris

Aussie Adventure Holidays

Travel North

BigNT Tourism Services

1800 222557

Wilderness 4 WD Adventures

Connections

Brookes Australia Tours

Eco Training  Australia

Venture North

World Expeditions

Kimberley Dreams

FISHING TOURS & CHARTERS

Cannon Charters

Cullen Bay Marina

1300 661216

Barra Base Fishing Safaris

08 8945 0376

Red Devil Fishing Charters

0437 166334

Equinox Fishing Charters

Cullen Bay Marina

08 8942 2199

Fish Darwin

Cullen Bay Ferry Terminal

08 8985 5898

Boab Boat Hire

0458 674637

Hooked-up Boat Hire

0417 811402

Darwin Reef ‘n’ Wrecks

08 8941 6122

Anglers Choice Fishing Safaris

Darwin's Barra Base

CRUISES

Orion Expedition Cruises

Coral Princess Cruises

North Star cruises

GALLERIES

Aboriginal Fine Arts Gallery

First Floor

Corner Mitchell and Knuckey Streets

08 8981 1315

Mason Gallery

Shop 7

21 Cavenagh Street

08 8981 9622   

 Mbantua Gallery Darwin

Shop 2

30 The Mall

08 8941 6611   

Maningrida Arts and Culture Darwin

32 Mitchell Street

08 8981 4122

ACCOMMODATION

City Gardens Apartments

93 Woods Street

08 8941 2888

Crowne Plaza Darwin

32 Mitchell Street

08 8982 0000

Darwin Central Hotel

21 Knuckey Street

08 8944 9000

Holiday Inn Esplanade

The Esplanade

08 8980 0800

Holiday Inn Darwin

122 The Esplanade

08 8943 3600

Mantra on the Esplanade

88 The Esplanade

08 8943 4333

Mantra Pandanas

43 Knuckey Street

08 8901 2900

Marrakai Luxury All Suites

93 Smith Street

08 8982 3711

Value Inn

50 Mitchell Street

08 8981 4733

Melaleuca on Mitchell-backpacker accommodation

52 Mitchell Street

08 8941 7800

Crab Claw Island Fishermans Village

Crab Claw Island

08 8978 2313

YHAs & BACKPACKERS

Banyan View Lodge

Mitchell Street

08 8981 8644

Darwin YHA

97 Mitchell Street

08 8981 5385

Frogshollow Backpackers

27 Lindsay Street

1800 068686

Gecko Lodge

146 Mitchell St

1800 811250

CARAVAN PARKS

 Hidden Valley Tourist Park

1300 727937

Darwin River

Driver 0830

Durack 0830

East Point 0820

Darwin Military Museum

5434 Alec Fong Lim Drive

08 8981 9702

Eaton with Bagot

Fannie Bay 0820

Fannie Bay Gaol

East Point Road

08 8999 8201

Darwin Turf Club

Fannie Bay Racecourse

Dick Ward Drive

08 8923 4222   

East Point Reserve

Alex Fong Lim Drive

08 8930 0583

Lake Alexander

East Point Reserve

Alex Fong Lim Drive

08 8930 0574

Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory

19 Conacher Street

Bullocky Point

Fannie Bay

08 8999 8201

The Darwin Sailing Club Inc

Atkins Drive

08 8981 1700

Farrar 0830

Fly Creek

Freds Pass

Girraween

Gray 0830

Gunn 0832

Gunn Point

Herbert

Hidden Valley part 0828

Holmes

Holtze

Hughes

Jingili 0810

Best Western Darwin Airport Gateway Motel

225 McMillan's Road

08 8948 9400

Johnston 0830

Karama 0812

Holmes Jungle Nature Park

Holmes Jungle Road

08 8999 4555

Knuckey Lagoon

Lambells Lagoon

Larrakeyah 0820

Myilly Point Heritage Precinct

4 Burnett Place

Myilly Point

08 8981 0165   

Leanyer 0810

Lee Point 0810

Lee Point Village Resort

Lee Point

08 8945 0535

Livingstone

Lloyd Creek

Ludmilla 0820

Lyons 0810

Malak 0812

Beale's Bedfish And Breakfast

2 Todd Crescent

08 8945 0376

K.O.A. Caravan Park

McMillans Road

08 8927 2651

Malak Caravan Park

McMillans Road

08 8927 3500

Mandorah 0822

Mandorah Beach Hotel

Manton

Marlow Lagoon 0830

Marrara 0812

ACCOMMODATION

Darwin Airport Inn

Corner of Henry Wrigley Drive and Sir Norman Brearley Drive

08 8920 7800

Darwin Airport Resort

1 Henry Wrigley drive

08 8920 3333

Darwin Golf Club

Links Road

08 8927 1322

McMinns Lagoon

Middle Point

Millner 0810

Mitchell 0832

Moil 0810

Moulden 0830

Muirhead

Murrumujuk

Nakara 0810

Nightcliff 0810

Beachfront Hotel

342 Casuarina Drive

Rapid Creek

08 8985 3000

Nightcliff Markets

Nightcliff Village

Progress Drive

0414 368 773

Noonamah

Palmerston City 0830

Parap 0820

Parap Village Saturday Markets

Parap  Shopping Village

8 AM to 2 PM every Saturday

08 8942 0805

GALLERIES

Outstation Gallery - Aboriginal Art from Art Centres

2 Parap Place

08 8981 4822   

Parap Markets

Parap Shopping Village

Parap Place

08 8942 0805

Tiwi Art Network

3 / 3 Vickers Street

08 8941 3593

24HR Art

Vimy Lane

Parap Shopping Village

Parap

08 8981 5368

ACCOMMODATION

Alkira Darwin

Corner of Gregory and Toy Streets

08 8919 3100

Pinelands 0829

Rapid Creek 0810

Rapid Creek Big Fleamarket

Trower Road

every Sunday from 7 AM to 1 PM

08 8948 4866

Beachfront Hotel

342 Casuarina Drive

Rapid Creek

08 8985 3000

Robertson Barracks

Rosebery 0832

Sanderson 0812/0813

Southport

Stuart Park 0820

Framed Art Gallery

55 Stuart Highway

Stuart Park

08 8981 2994

The Gardens 0820

George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens

Gardens Road

The Gardens

08 8981 1958

Mindil Beach Sunset Markets

Maria Liveris Drive

The Gardens

08 8981 3454

ACCOMMODATION    

SKYCITY

Gilruth Avenue

The Gardens

08 8943 8888

Barramundi Lodge

4 Gardens Road

08 8941 6466   

The Narrows 0820

Tiwi 0810

Tumbling Waters

Virginia

Darwin Boomerang Motel and Caravan Park

2 Virginia Road

1300 657228

Wagait Beach 0822

Wagaman 0810

Wanguri 0810

Weddell

Winnellie 0820/0822

Australian Aviation Heritage Centre

557 Stuart Highway

Winnellie

08 8947 2145

Charles Darwin National Park

Tiger Brennan Drive

08 8999 4555

Leprechaun Motel and caravan park

378 Stuart Highway

08 8984 3400

Shady Glen Tourist Park

corner of Stuart Highway and Farrell Crescent

1800 662253

Top End Naturist Recreation Retreat

08 8988 6185

Woodroffe 0830

Woodleigh Gardens

Woolner 0820

Wulagi 0812

Yarrawonga 0830

Zuccoli 0830