Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
17 Rapid Creek Market B3
Tiwi Art Network (see 16)
History
The Larrakia Aboriginal people lived for thousands of years in Darwin, hunting, fishing
and foraging. In 1869 a permanent white settlement was established and the grid for a
new town was laid out. Originally called Palmerston, and renamed Darwin in 1911, the
new town developed rapidly, transforming the physical and social landscape.
The discovery of gold at nearby Pine Creek brought an influx of Chinese, who soon
settled into other industries. Asians and Islanders came to work in the pearling industry
and on the railway line and wharf. More recently, neighbouring East Timorese and
Papuans have sought asylum in Darwin.
During WWII, Darwin was the frontline for the Allied action against the Japanese in
the Pacific. It was the only Australian city ever bombed, and official reports of the time
downplayed the damage − to buoy Australians' morale. Though the city wasn't des-
troyed by the 64 attacks, the impact of full-scale military occupation on Darwin was
enormous.
More physically damaging was Cyclone Tracy, which hit Darwin at around midnight
on Christmas Eve 1974. By Christmas morning, Darwin effectively ceased to exist as a
city, with only 400 of its 11,200 homes left standing and 71 people killed. The town was
rebuilt to a new, stringent building code and in the past decade has steadily expanded
outwards and upwards, with the latest project the multimillion-dollar waterfront develop-
ment at Darwin Harbour.
1 Sights
TOP OF CHAPTER
1 Central Darwin
Crocosaurus Cove ZOO
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