History of Darwin

Darwin's past is a colourful blend of aboriginal battles, the gold rush, Japanese WWII bombings and cyclone devastation. For over a century, Darwin served as Australia's pioneering outpost in the remote north, but today, with Indonesia only a short flight away, it is the country’s gateway to South East Asia and beyond.

John Lort Stokes, Commander of The Beagle, first named Port Darwin in 1839, in tribute to Charles Darwin, the famous scientist and biologist who had been his shipmate on his expedition to South America.

Founding the city

In 1845, the explorer Leichardt reached Port Essington overland from Brisbane, stirring interest in the ‘top end’. In 1863, the area came under the rule of South Australia, and more ambitious development plans were hatched. In 1864, a settlement was founded at Escape Cliffs, on the mouth of the Adelaide River, near where Darwin is located today; however, this settlement was abandoned in 1866.

The course of white settlement in the Northern Territory was no less troubled and violent than elsewhere in Australia, with Aboriginal groups unsuccessfully attempting to oppose the occupation of land on which their way of life depended. In 1871, gold was discovered at Pine Creek, about 200kms to the south, and as a result, Darwin began to grow at a more rapid rate.

Gold, war and Tracy

After the gold rush, Darwin’s development slowed down, partly due to the harsh, unpredictable climate as well as slow communications with the rest of Australia. By the early 20th century, the majority of the Aboriginal people who had settled on the land, which had become known as Darwin, were resettled to government reserves or Christian missions, or were working on cattle stations as stockmen or domestic help.

Darwin was put on the map permanently during WWII, when the town became a key base for Allied battle against the Japanese in the Pacific. The road leading south to the railhead at Alice Springs was paved, at last giving the town direct contact with the rest of the country. During the war, Darwin was attacked 64 times and 243 people died; it was the only place in Australia to endure prolonged attack.

By 1974, Darwin had developed into a settlement with a growing population of 48,000, with the town quickly sprouting new suburbs. In the early hours of Christmas morning that year, Cyclone Tracy swept over Darwin, killing 69 people in 6 hours (including 16 at sea) and knocking the city to the ground.

Modern times

Modern Darwin is one of Australia's most cosmopolitan cities, looking more towards Asia than any other Australian city. It serves an important role as the gateway to Australia's northern region and as a centre for administration and mining. The port facilities have undergone a major upgrade, and the completion of a railway link to Alice Springs has made locals hopeful that Darwin will become the continent's transport hub with Southeast Asia.