Darwin, Northern Territory - Wikipedia Darwin, Northern Territory Darwin Northern Territory The Darwin skyline seen from Bayview Darwin Coordinates 12 ° 27 ′ 0 '' S 130 ° 50 ′ 0 '' E ﻿ / ﻿ 12.45000 ° S 130.83333 ° E ﻿ / - 12.45000 ; 130.83333 Coordinates : 12 ° 27 ′ 0 '' S 130 ° 50 ′ 0 '' E ﻿ / ﻿ 12.45000 ° S 130.83333 ° E ﻿ / - 12.45000 ; 130.83333 Population 142,300 ( 2015 ) ( 15th ) Density 44.976 / km ( 116.49 / sq mi ) Established 1869 Area 3,163.9 km ( 1,221.6 sq mi ) ( 2011 urban ) Time zone ACST ( UTC + 9 : 30 ) Location 2,616 km ( 1,626 mi ) from Adelaide 2,651 km ( 1,647 mi ) from Perth 2,846 km ( 1,768 mi ) from Brisbane 1,679 km ( 1,043 mi ) from Cairns LGA ( s ) Darwin, Palmerston, Litchfield County Palmerston County Territory electorate ( s ) Port Darwin ( and 14 others ) Federal Division ( s ) Solomon Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 32.0 ° C 23.2 ° C 1,729.1 mm Darwin ( / ˈdɑːrwɪn / ( listen ) DAR - win ) is the capital city of the Northern Territory of Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin is the largest city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, with a population of 142,300. It is the smallest and most northerly of the Australian capital cities, and acts as the Top End 's regional centre. Darwin 's proximity to South East Asia makes it a link between Australia and 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 Darwin region, like the rest of the Top End, has a tropical climate, with a wet and a dry season. Prone to cyclone activity during the wet season, Darwin experiences heavy monsoonal downpours and spectacular lightning shows. During the dry season, the city is met with blue skies and gentle sea breezes from the harbour. The greater Darwin area is the ancestral home of 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. The city has been almost entirely rebuilt four times, following devastation caused by the 1897 cyclone, the 1937 cyclone, Japanese air raids during World War II, and Cyclone Tracy in 1974. Contents 1 History 1.1 Pre 20th Century 1.2 20th century begins 1.3 1970 -- present day 2 Geography 2.1 City and suburbs 2.2 Climate 3 Demographics 3.1 Religion 3.2 Population growth 4 Law and government 5 Economy 6 Education 6.1 Preschool, primary and secondary 6.2 Tertiary and vocational 7 Recreation and culture 7.1 Events and festivals 7.2 Arts and entertainment 7.3 Recreation 7.4 Parks and gardens 7.5 Sports 8 Media 9 Infrastructure 9.1 Health 9.2 Transport 9.3 Port 9.4 Utilities 10 Tourism 11 Aviation history 12 US military presence 13 Sister cities 14 See also 15 Gallery 16 Notes 17 References 18 External links History Main article : History of Darwin See also : Timeline of Darwin History See also : History of the Northern Territory Pre 20th century The Aboriginal people of the Larrakia language group are the traditional custodians and the first inhabitants of the greater Darwin area. 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 extent of shared songlines and history of multiple clan groups within this area is still contestable. The Dutch visited Australia 's northern coastline in the 1600s and landed on the Tiwi Islands only to be repelled by the Tiwi peoples. The Dutch 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 1863, the Northern Territory was transferred from New South Wales to South Australia. In 1864 South Australia sent B.T. Finniss north as Government Resident to survey and found a capital for its new territory. Finniss chose a site at Escape Cliffs, near the entrance to Adelaide River, about 60 km northeast of the modern city. This attempt was short - lived, however, and the settlement abandoned by 1865. On 5 February 1869, George Goyder, the Surveyor - General of South Australia, established a small settlement of 135 people at Port Darwin between Fort Hill and the escarpment. 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 by employees of the Australian Overland Telegraph Line digging holes for telegraph poles at Pine Creek in the 1880s spawned a gold rush which further boosted the young colony 's development. In February 1872 the brigatine Alexandra was the first private vessel to set sail from an English port directly to Darwin many of whom were people coming to recently gold finds. In early 1875 Darwin 's white population had grown to approximately 300 because of the gold rush. On 17 February 1875 the SS Gothenburg left Darwin en route for Adelaide. The approximately 88 passengers and 34 crew ( surviving records vary ) included 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, which reportedly took several years to recover. 20th century begins Remains of the Darwin Post Office after the first Japanese raid in 1942 Remains of Palmerston Town Hall, destroyed by Cyclone Tracy Lyons Cottage, c. 1925, office of the British Australian Telegraph Company Darwin became the city 's official name in 1911. 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 federal government. Both Gilruth and the Vestey company left Darwin soon afterwards. Around 10,000 Australian and other Allied troops arrived in Darwin at the outset of World War II, in order to defend Australia 's northern coastline. On 19 February 1942 at 0957, 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, airfields and aircraft. 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. Darwin was further developed after 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. 1970 -- present day 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 46,000 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, with the opening of the Alice Springs - Darwin standard gauge line. Geography Darwin skyline from East Point in 2007 Darwin lies in the Northern Territory, on the Timor Sea. The city proper occupies a low bluff overlooking Darwin Harbour, flanked by Frances Bay to the east and Cullen Bay to the west. The remainder of the city is flat and low - lying, and coastal areas are home to recreational reserves, extensive beaches, and excellent fishing. Darwin is closer to the capitals of five other countries than to the capital of Australia : Darwin is 3,137 kilometres ( 1,949 mi ) away from Canberra. Dili ( East Timor ) is 656 km ( 408 mi ), Port Moresby ( Papua New Guinea ) is 1,818 km ( 1,130 mi ), Jakarta ( Indonesia ) is 2,700 km ( 1,678 mi ), Bandar Seri Begawan ( Brunei ) is 2,607 km ( 1,620 mi ), and Ngerulmud ( Palau ) is 2,247 km ( 1,396 mi ) from Darwin. Even Malaysia and Singapore are only slightly farther away at 3,350 km ( 2,082 mi ), as is Manila ( Philippines ) at 3,206 km ( 1,992 mi ), and Honiara ( Solomon Islands ) at 3,198 km ( 1,987 mi ). Ambon, Indonesia, is only 881 km ( 547 mi ) away from Darwin. Along with its importance as a gateway to Asia, Darwin also acts as an access point for the Kakadu National Park, Arnhem Land, and northerly islands such as Groote Eylandt and the Tiwi Islands. As the largest city in the area, it provides services for these remote settlements. City and suburbs Main article : List of Darwin suburbs Map of Darwin with suburbs Darwin and its suburbs spread in an approximately triangular shape, with the older south - western suburbs -- and the city itself -- forming one corner, the newer northern suburbs in another, and the eastern suburbs, progressing towards Palmerston, forming the third. The older part of Darwin is separated from the newer northern suburbs by Darwin International Airport and Royal Australian Air Force Base. Palmerston is a satellite city 20 km ( 12 mi ) south of Darwin that was established in the 1980s and is one of the fastest growing municipalities in Australia. The rural areas of Darwin including Howard Springs, Humpty Doo and Berry Springs are experiencing strong growth. Mitchell Street in Darwin CBD Darwin 's central business district is bounded by Daly Street in the north - west, McMinn Street in the north - east, Mitchell Street on the south - west and Bennett Street on the south - east. The CBD has been the focus of a number of major projects, including the billion dollar redevelopment of the Stokes Hill wharf waterfront area including a convention centre with seating for 1500 people and approximately 4,000 square metres ( 43,000 sq ft ) of exhibition space. The development will also include hotels, residential apartments and public space. The city 's main industrial areas are along the Stuart Highway going towards Palmerston, centred on Winnellie. The largest shopping precinct in the area is Casuarina Square. The most expensive residential areas stand along the coast in suburbs such as Larrakeyah and Brinkin, despite the slight risk these low - lying regions face during cyclones and higher tides. The inner northern suburbs of Millner and Coconut Grove and the eastern suburb of Karama are home to lower - income households, although low - income Territory Housing units are scattered throughout the metropolitan area. The suburb of Lyon was an addition to the Northern Suburbs. Development and construction took place in 2009 and 2010 and became home for a number of affluent Darwin residents and local / recently posted military families above the rank of Sergeant or Flying Officer. Climate A wet season storm at night in January Darwin has a tropical savanna climate ( Köppen Aw ) with distinct wet and dry seasons and the average maximum temperature is remarkably similar all year round. The dry season runs from about May to September, during which nearly every day is sunny, and afternoon humidity averages around 30 %. The driest period of the year, seeing only approximately 5 mm ( 0.20 in ) of monthly rainfall on average, is between May and September. In the coolest months of June and July, the daily minimum temperature may dip as low as 14 ° C ( 57 ° F ), but very rarely lower, and a temperature lower than 10 ° C ( 50 ° F ) has never been recorded in the city centre. Outer suburbs away from the coast, however, can occasionally record temperatures as low as 5 ° C ( 41 ° F ) in the dry season. For an exceedingly lengthy 147 ‐ day period during the 2012 dry season, from 5 May to 29 September, Darwin recorded no precipitation whatsoever. Prolonged periods of no precipitation are common in the dry season in Northern Australia ( particularly in the Northern Territory and northern regions of Western Australia ) although a no - rainfall event of this extent is rare. The 3pm dewpoint average in the wet season is at around 24.0 ° C ( 75.2 ° F ). Extreme temperatures at the Darwin Post Office Station have ranged from 40.4 ° C ( 104.7 ° F ) on 17 October 1892 to 13.4 ° C ( 56.1 ° F ) on 25 June 1891 ; while extreme temperatures at the Darwin Airport station ( which is further from the coast and routinely records cooler temperatures than the post office station which is located in Darwin 's CBD ) have ranged from 38.9 ° C ( 102.0 ° F ) on 18 October 1982 to 10.4 ° C ( 50.7 ° F ) on 29 July 1942. The highest minimum temperature on record is 30.7 ° C ( 87.3 ° F ) on 18 January 1928 for the post office station and 29.7 ° C ( 85.5 ° F ) on both 25 November 1987 and 17 December 2014 for the airport station ; while the lowest maximum temperature on record is 18.4 ° C ( 65.1 ° F ) on 3 June 1904 for the post office station and 21.1 ° C ( 70.0 ° F ) on 14 July 1968 for the airport station. 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 percent during the wettest months. It does not rain every day during the wet season, but most days have plentiful cloud cover ; January averages under 6 hours of bright sunshine daily. Darwin 's highest Bureau of Meteorology verified daily rainfall total is 367.6 millimetres ( 14.47 in ), which fell when Cyclone Carlos bore down on the Darwin area on 16 February 2011. February 2011 was also Darwin 's wettest month ever recorded, with 1,110.2 millimetres ( 43.71 in ) recorded for the month at the airport. The hottest month is November, just before the onset of the main rain season. The heat index sometimes rises above 45 ° C ( 113 ° F ), while the actual temperature is usually below 35 ° C ( 95 ° F ), because of humidity levels that most would find uncomfortable. Because of its long dry season, Darwin has the second most daily average sunshine hours ( 8.4 ) of any Australian capital with the most sunshine from April to November ; only Perth, Western Australia averages more ( 8.8 ). The sun passes directly overhead in mid October and mid February. The average temperature of the sea ranges from 25.8 ° C ( 78.4 ° F ) in July to 31.5 ° C ( 88.7 ° F ) in December. Darwin occupies one of the most lightning - prone areas in Australia. On 31 January 2002 an early - morning squall line produced over 5,000 cloud - to - ground lightning strikes within a 60 - kilometre ( 37 mi ) radius of Darwin alone -- about three times the amount of lightning that Perth, Western Australia, experiences on average in an entire year. Climate data for Darwin Airport ( 1941 -- present ) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high ° C ( ° F ) 36.1 ( 97 ) 36.0 ( 96.8 ) 36.0 ( 96.8 ) 36.7 ( 98.1 ) 36.0 ( 96.8 ) 34.6 ( 94.3 ) 34.8 ( 94.6 ) 37.0 ( 98.6 ) 37.7 ( 99.9 ) 38.9 ( 102 ) 37.3 ( 99.1 ) 37.0 ( 98.6 ) 38.9 ( 102 ) Average high ° C ( ° F ) 31.8 ( 89.2 ) 31.4 ( 88.5 ) 31.9 ( 89.4 ) 32.7 ( 90.9 ) 32.0 ( 89.6 ) 30.7 ( 87.3 ) 30.6 ( 87.1 ) 31.4 ( 88.5 ) 32.6 ( 90.7 ) 33.3 ( 91.9 ) 33.3 ( 91.9 ) 32.6 ( 90.7 ) 32.0 ( 89.6 ) Average low ° C ( ° F ) 24.8 ( 76.6 ) 24.7 ( 76.5 ) 24.6 ( 76.3 ) 24.0 ( 75.2 ) 22.1 ( 71.8 ) 19.9 ( 67.8 ) 19.3 ( 66.7 ) 20.3 ( 68.5 ) 23.0 ( 73.4 ) 24.9 ( 76.8 ) 25.3 ( 77.5 ) 25.3 ( 77.5 ) 23.2 ( 73.8 ) Record low ° C ( ° F ) 20.2 ( 68.4 ) 17.2 ( 63 ) 19.2 ( 66.6 ) 16.0 ( 60.8 ) 13.8 ( 56.8 ) 12.1 ( 53.8 ) 10.4 ( 50.7 ) 13.0 ( 55.4 ) 14.3 ( 57.7 ) 19.0 ( 66.2 ) 19.3 ( 66.7 ) 19.8 ( 67.6 ) 10.4 ( 50.7 ) Average rainfall mm ( inches ) 423.7 ( 16.681 ) 371.3 ( 14.618 ) 315.2 ( 12.409 ) 100.4 ( 3.953 ) 21.6 ( 0.85 ) 1.8 ( 0.071 ) 1.1 ( 0.043 ) 4.8 ( 0.189 ) 15.8 ( 0.622 ) 70.3 ( 2.768 ) 141.3 ( 5.563 ) 252.4 ( 9.937 ) 1,719.7 ( 67.704 ) Average rainy days 21.3 20.4 19.5 9.2 2.3 0.6 0.4 0.6 2.4 6.9 12.4 16.9 112.9 Average afternoon relative humidity ( % ) 70 72 67 52 43 38 37 40 47 52 58 65 53.4 Mean monthly sunshine hours 176.7 162.4 210.8 261 297.6 297 313.1 319.3 297 291.4 252 213.9 3,092.2 Source : Climate data for Darwin PO ( City Centre ) 1882 -- 1942 Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high ° C ( ° F ) 37.7 ( 99.9 ) 38.3 ( 100.9 ) 37.8 ( 100 ) 38.3 ( 100.9 ) 37.4 ( 99.3 ) 35.8 ( 96.4 ) 36.7 ( 98.1 ) 37.1 ( 98.8 ) 38.3 ( 100.9 ) 40.4 ( 104.7 ) 38.8 ( 101.8 ) 38.8 ( 101.8 ) 40.4 ( 104.7 ) Average high ° C ( ° F ) 32.4 ( 90.3 ) 32.2 ( 90 ) 32.7 ( 90.9 ) 33.5 ( 92.3 ) 32.6 ( 90.7 ) 31.2 ( 88.2 ) 30.6 ( 87.1 ) 31.7 ( 89.1 ) 33.0 ( 91.4 ) 34.1 ( 93.4 ) 34.2 ( 93.6 ) 33.6 ( 92.5 ) 32.6 ( 90.7 ) Average low ° C ( ° F ) 25.2 ( 77.4 ) 25.0 ( 77 ) 24.9 ( 76.8 ) 24.4 ( 75.9 ) 22.6 ( 72.7 ) 20.8 ( 69.4 ) 19.7 ( 67.5 ) 20.9 ( 69.6 ) 23.3 ( 73.9 ) 25.1 ( 77.2 ) 25.5 ( 77.9 ) 25.6 ( 78.1 ) 23.6 ( 74.5 ) Record low ° C ( ° F ) 20.2 ( 68.4 ) 20.5 ( 68.9 ) 20.0 ( 68 ) 18.9 ( 66 ) 15.7 ( 60.3 ) 13.4 ( 56.1 ) 13.7 ( 56.7 ) 14.7 ( 58.5 ) 17.2 ( 63 ) 20.4 ( 68.7 ) 16.7 ( 62.1 ) 20.8 ( 69.4 ) 13.4 ( 56.1 ) Average rainfall mm ( inches ) 393.2 ( 15.48 ) 329.7 ( 12.98 ) 257.0 ( 10.118 ) 102.6 ( 4.039 ) 14.3 ( 0.563 ) 3.0 ( 0.118 ) 1.3 ( 0.051 ) 1.6 ( 0.063 ) 12.8 ( 0.504 ) 51.6 ( 2.031 ) 124.0 ( 4.882 ) 241.8 ( 9.52 ) 1,532.9 ( 60.349 ) Average rainy days 18.4 17.8 16.0 7.3 1.4 0.6 0.2 0.3 1.7 5.0 10.0 14.3 93 Source : Demographics Major overseas born populations Country of birth Population ( 2011 ) United Kingdom 4,646 Philippines 2,894 New Zealand 2,505 India 1,346 Greece 972 Indonesia 915 China 789 Germany 705 Thailand 623 Vietnam 567 Malaysia 544 Papua New Guinea 487 Historical Populations of Darwin Year Pop. ± % 1911 1,082 -- 1921 1,399 + 29.3 % 1933 1,566 + 11.9 % 1947 2,538 + 62.1 % 1954 8,071 + 218.0 % 1961 15,477 + 91.8 % 1966 21,671 + 40.0 % 1971 37,100 + 71.2 % 1976 44,200 + 19.1 % 1981 61,412 + 38.9 % 1986 75,360 + 22.7 % 1991 86,415 + 14.7 % 95,829 + 10.9 % 106,842 + 11.5 % 2006 105,991 − 0.8 % 2009 124,800 + 17.7 % 127,829 + 2.4 % 2011 129,106 + 1.0 % 132,321 + 2.5 % 2013 137,353 + 3.8 % 2014 140,386 + 2.2 % In 2006, the largest ancestry groups in Darwin were Australian ( 42,221 or 36.9 % ), English ( 29,766 or 26 % ), Indigenous Australians ( 10,259 or 9.7 % ), Irish ( 9,561 or 8.3 % ), Scottish ( 7,815 or 6.8 % ), Chinese ( 3,502 or 3 % ), Greek ( 2,828 or 2.4 % ), and Italian ( 2,367 or 2 % ) Darwin 's population is notable for the highest proportional population of Indigenous Australians of any Australian capital city. In the 2006 census 10,259 ( 9.7 per cent ) of Darwin 's population was Aboriginal. Darwin 's population changed after the Second World War. Darwin, like many other Australian cities, experienced influxes from Europe, with significant numbers of Italians and Greeks during the 1960s and 1970s. Darwin also started to experience an influx from other European countries, which included the Dutch, Germans, and many others. A significant percentage of Darwin 's residents are recent immigrants from South East Asia ( Asian Australians were 9.3 % of Darwin 's population in 2001 ). Darwin 's population comprises people from many ethnic backgrounds. The 2006 Census revealed that the most common places of birth for overseas migrants were the United Kingdom ( 3.4 per cent ), New Zealand ( 2.1 per cent ), the Philippines ( 1.4 per cent ) and East Timor ( 0.9 per cent ). 18.3 percent of the city 's population was born overseas, which is less than the Australian average of 22 %. Darwin has a youthful population with an average age of 33 years ( compared to the 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. The most common languages spoken in Darwin after English are Greek, Australian Aboriginal languages, Italian, Indonesian, Vietnamese and Cantonese. Religion Christianity has the most adherents in Darwin, with 56,613 followers accounting for 49.5 per cent of the population of the city. The largest denominations of Christianity are Roman Catholicism ( 24,538 or 21.5 per cent ), Anglicanism ( 14,028 or 12.3 per cent ) and Greek Orthodoxy ( 2,964 or 2.6 per cent ). Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus and Jews account for 3.2 per cent of Darwin 's population. There were 26,695 or 23.3 per cent of people professing no religion. Population growth Darwin is one of the fastest growing capital cities in Australia, with an annual growth rate of 2.6 per cent since the 2006 census. In recent years, the Palmerston and Litchfield parts of the Darwin statistical division have recorded the highest growth in population of any Northern Territory local government area and by 2016 Litchfield could overtake Palmerston as the second largest municipality in metropolitan Darwin. It is predicted by 2021 that the combined population of both Palmerston and Litchfield would be 101,546 people. Law and Government Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory In the Legislative Assembly The Darwin City Council ( Incorporated under the Northern Territory Local Government Act 1993 ) governs the City of Darwin which takes in the CBD and the suburbs. The Darwin City Council has governed the City of Darwin since 1957. The Darwin City Council consists of 13 elected members, the Lord Mayor and 12 aldermen. The City of Darwin electorate is organised into four electoral units or wards. The names of the wards are Chan, Lyons, Richardson, and Waters. The constituents of each ward are directly responsible for electing three aldermen. Constituents of all wards are directly responsible for electing the Lord Mayor of Darwin. The mayor is Kon Vatskalis after council elections in August 2017. The rest of the Darwin area is divided into 2 local government areas -- the Palmerston City Council and the Shire of Coomalie. These areas have elected councils which are responsible for functions delegated to them by the Northern Territory Government, such as planning and garbage collection. The Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory convenes in Darwin in the Northern Territory Parliament House. Government House, the official residence of the Administrator of the Northern Territory, is located on The Esplanade. Also located on the Esplanade is the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory. Darwin has a Magistrate 's Court also which is located on the corner of Cavenagh and Bennett Streets quite close to the Darwin City Council Chambers. Darwin 's police force are members of the Northern Territory Police Force. Darwin 's Mitchell Street, with its numerous pubs, clubs and other entertainment venues, is policed by the CitySafe Unit. The CitySafe unit was recently credited with reducing violent crime in and around Darwin City. Darwin has a long record of alcohol abuse and violent crime with 6,000 assaults in 2009, of which 350 resulted in broken jaws and noses -- more than anywhere else in the world, according to the Royal Darwin Hospital. Darwin is split between nine electoral divisions in the Legislative Assembly -- Port Darwin, Fannie Bay, Fong Lim, Nightcliff, Sanderson, Johnston, Casuarina, Wanguri, and Karama. Historically, Darwin was a stronghold for the Country Liberal Party. However, since the turn of the century, Labor has been much more competitive, particularly in the more diverse northern section. Economy The Supreme Court in the city centre The two largest economic sectors are mining and tourism. Mining and energy industry production exceeds $2.5 billion per annum. The most important mineral resources are gold, zinc 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. The military presence that is maintained both within Darwin, and the wider Northern Territory, is a substantial source of employment. Darwin CBD ( Central Business District ), circa 2005 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 including Outrigger Pandanas and Evolution on Gardiner, 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 and Chinese - themed retail and dining outlets. Education Further information : List of schools in the Northern Territory Education is overseen territory - wide by the Department of Education and Training ( DET ), whose role is to continually improve education outcomes for all students, with a focus on Indigenous students. Preschool, primary and secondary Darwin is served by a number of public and private schools that cater to local and overseas students. Over 16,500 primary and secondary students are enrolled in schools in Darwin, with 10,524 students attending primary education, and 5,932 students attending secondary education. There are over 12,089 students enrolled in government schools and 2,124 students enrolled in independent schools. Charles Darwin University 's Library There were 9,764 students attending schools in the City of Darwin area. 6,045 students attended primary schools and 3,719 students attended secondary schools. There are over 7,161 students enrolled in government schools and 1,108 students enrolled in independent schools. There are over 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 can work towards either the Northern Territory Certificate of Education or the International Baccalaureate ( only offered at Kormilda College ). Schools have been restructured into Primary, Middle and High schools since the beginning of 2007. Tertiary and vocational Darwin 's largest University is the Charles Darwin University, which is the central provider of tertiary education in the Northern Territory. It covers both vocational and academic courses, acting as both a university and an Institute of TAFE. There are over 5,500 students enrolled in tertiary and further education courses. Recreation and culture Mindil Beach markets Events and festivals Didgeridoo and clapstick players performing at the Seabreeze Festival On 1 July, Territorians celebrate Territory Day. This is the only day of the year, apart from the Chinese New Year and New Year 's Eve, 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 Market, Nightcliff Market and Rapid Creek market. Mindil Beach Sunset Markets are very popular with locals and tourists alike and feature food, souvenirs, clothes and local performing artists. 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 Seabreeze festival, which first started in 2005, is held on the second week of May in the suburb of Nightcliff. It offers the opportunity for local talent to be showcased and a popular event is Saturday family festivities along the Nightcliff foreshore which is one of Darwin 's most popular fitness tracks. 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 ( 31 mi ) 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. The World Solar Challenge race attracts teams from around the world, most of which are fielded by universities or corporations although some are fielded by high schools. The race has a 20 - year history spanning nine races, with the inaugural event taking place in 1987. The Royal Darwin Show is held annually in July at the Winnellie Showgrounds. Exhibitions include agriculture and livestock. Horse events. Entertainment and side shows are also included over the 3 days of the event. Arts and Entertainment Darwin Festival The Darwin Symphony Orchestra was first assembled in 1989, and has performed throughout the Territory. The Darwin Theatre Company is a locally produced professional theatre production company, performing locally and nationally. The Darwin Entertainment Centre is the city 's main concert venue and hosts theatre and orchestral performances. Other theatres include the Darwin Convention Centre, opened in July 2008. The Darwin Convention Centre is part of the $1.1 billion Darwin Waterfront project. Darwin 's only casino opened in 1979 as the Don Casino operating out of the Don Hotel on Cavenagh Street. The present site of the hotel and casino on Darwin 's Mindil Beach opened in 1983 at which point gambling operations ceased at the Don Hotel and commenced at the newly built facilities. The new hotel and casino was named Mindil Beach Casino up until 1985 when the name changed to the Diamond Beach Hotel Casino. Upon the acquisition by MGM Grand the hotel was re-branded as the MGM Grand Darwin, before it changed to Skycity Darwin after Skycity Entertainment Group purchased the hotel in 2004. The Northern Territory Museum and Art Gallery ( MAGNT ) in Darwin gives an overview of the history of the area, including exhibits on Cyclone Tracy and the boats of the Pacific Islands. The MAGNT also organises the annual Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award, the longest running Indigenous art award in Australia. The MAGNT also manages the Defence of Darwin Experience, a multi-media installation that tells the story of the Japanese air raids on Darwin during World War II. The Darwin Festival and the Darwin Fringe Festival are annual events. A range of art galleries including specialised Aboriginal art galleries are a feature of Darwin. Local and visiting musical bands can be heard at venues including the Darwin Entertainment Centre, The Vic Hotel, Happy Yess, and Brown 's Mart. A yearly music festival, Bass in the Grass, is very popular with youth from the surrounding area. Artists such as Jessica Mauboy and The Groovesmiths call Darwin home. There have been no major films set in Darwin ; however, some scenes for Australia by Baz Luhrmann and Black Water were both shot in Darwin in 2007 Mitchell Street in the central business district is lined with nightclubs, takeaways, and restaurants. This is the city 's entertainment hub. There are several smaller theatres, three cinema complexes ( CBD, Casuarina, and Palmerston ), and the Deckchair Cinema. This is an open - air cinema which operates through the dry season, from April to October, and screens independent and arthouse films. Recreation Casuarina Beach is popular with tourists and locals alike Lake Alexander The city has many kilometres of wide, unpolluted beaches, including the Casuarina Beach and 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. Swimming in the sea during the months of October -- May should be avoided due to the presence of deadly box jellyfish, known locally as stingers. Saltwater crocodiles are very common in all waterways surrounding Darwin and are even occasionally found swimming in Darwin Harbour and on local beaches. An active trapping program is carried out by the NT Government to limit numbers of crocodiles within the Darwin urban waterway area. 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. Blue - water fishing is also available off the coast of Darwin ; Spanish mackerel, Black Jewfish, queenfish, snapper and other varieties are all found in the area and accessible in a day trip from Darwin. Lake Alexander is a man - made swimming lake which is located at East Point Reserve. It is generally considered crocodile and jellyfish safe, however a freak outbreak of non-deadly jellyfish in 2003 caused its closure for a brief period of time. The Darwin Surf Lifesaving Club operates long boats and surf skis 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 Jingili Water Gardens. Sports Main article : Sport in the Northern Territory The Marrara Sports Complex near the airport has stadiums for Aussie Rules ( TIO Stadium ), cricket, rugby union, basketball ( and indoor court sports ), soccer, athletics and field hockey. 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, the city hosted its first international test cricket match between Australia and Bangladesh, followed by Australia and Sri Lanka in 2004. Australian - rules football is 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. Rugby League and Rugby Union club competitions are played in Darwin each year, organised by the NTRL and NTRU respectively. The Heineken Hottest 7s in the World tournament is hosted in Darwin each January, with Rugby Sevens club teams from countries including Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, and Singapore competing. Darwin 's Hottest 7s is the richest Rugby 7s tournament in the Southern Hemisphere. Darwin hosts a round of the Supercars Championship every year bringing thousands of motorsports fans to the Hidden Valley Raceway. Also located Hidden Valley, adjacent to the road racing circuit, is Darwin 's Dirt track racing venue, Northline Speedway. The speedway has hosted a number of Australian Championships over the years for different categories including Sprintcars, Speedcars, and Super Sedans. 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 Channel Nine Darwin headquarters which is located in the inner city suburb of The Gardens Darwin 's major newspapers are the Northern Territory News ( Monday -- Saturday ), The Sunday Territorian ( Sunday ), and the national daily, The Australian ( Monday -- Friday ) and The Weekend Australian ( Saturday ), all published by News Limited. Free weekly community newspapers include the Darwin Sun, the Litchfield Sun, and Palmerston Sun ; all published by a News Limited subsidiary. Five free - to - air channels service Darwin. Commercial television channels are provided by Southern Cross Darwin ( Seven Network affiliate ), Channel Nine Darwin ( formerly branded as Channel 8 ) and Darwin Digital Television ( Network Ten relay ), which launched on 28 April 2008. The two Government owned national broadcast services in Darwin are the ABC and SBS. Subscription Television ( Pay TV ) service Austar is available via cable in the Darwin region. Darwin has radio stations on both AM and FM frequencies. ABC stations include ABC News Radio ( 102.5 FM ), ABC Local Radio ( 105.7 FM ), ABC Radio National ( 657AM ), ABC Classic FM ( 107.3 FM ) and Triple J ( 103.3 FM ). SBS ( 100.9 FM ) also broadcasts its national radio network to Darwin. Darwin has two commercial radio stations Hot 100 and Mix 104.9. Other stations in Darwin include university - based station 104.1 Territory FM, dance music station KIK FM 91.5, Italian - language channel Rete Italia 1611AM, community based stations includes Radio Larrakia 94.5 and Yolngu Radio 1530AM and Rhema FM 97.7. Infrastructure Royal Darwin Hospital Health The Government of the Northern Territory Department of Health and Families oversees one public hospital in the Darwin metropolitan region. The Royal Darwin Hospital, located in Tiwi, is the city 's major teaching and referral hospital, and the largest in the Northern Territory. There is one major private hospital Darwin Private Hospital located at Tiwi, adjacent to the Royal Darwin Hospital. Darwin Private Hospital is operated and owned by Healthscope Ltd, a private hospital corporation. Transport Main article : Public transport in Darwin The Territory 's public transport services are managed by the Department of Lands and Planning, Public Transport Division. Darwin has a bus network serviced by a range of contracted bus operators, which provides transport to the main suburbs of Darwin. Darwin has no commuter rail system ; however, long - distance passenger rail services do operate out of the city. 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. Preceding station Great Southern Railway Following station Terminus The Ghan Katherine towards Adelaide Official opening of Darwin International Airport in 1991 Darwin International Airport, located in the suburb of Marrara, is Darwin 's only airport, which shares its runways with the Royal Australian Air Force 's RAAF Base Darwin. 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. Other major roads in Darwin include, Tiger Brennan Drive, Amy Johnson Avenue, Dick Ward Drive, Bagot Road, Trower Road and McMillans Road. Bus service in the greater Darwin area is served by Darwinbus. Port See also : Port Darwin 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, East Arm Wharf, which opened in 2000. It has 754 - meters of wharfline and is capable of handling Panamax - sized ships of a maximum length of 274 meters and a DWT of up to 80,000 tonnes. Utilities Water storage, supply and Power for Darwin is managed by Power and Water Corporation, which is owned by the Government of the Northern Territory. The corporation is also responsible for management of sewage and the major water catchments in the region. Water is mainly stored in the largest dam, The Darwin River Dam which holds up to 90 % of Darwin 's water supply. For many years, Darwin 's principal water supply came from Manton Dam. Darwin, its suburbs, Palmerston and Katherine are powered by the Channel Island Power Station, the largest power plant in the Northern Territory. A new power plant, the Weddell Power Station, is near completion. The first two generators came on line in 2008 -- 09. The third generator is due to be completed in 2011 -- 12. When the power station is fully operational, it will add 30 % capacity to Darwin 's power supply. Tourism Picnic area located Charles Darwin National Park Tourism 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 Bird Darwin 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. The original QANTAS Empire Airways Ltd Hangar, a registered heritage site, was part of the original Darwin Civil Aerodrome in Parap and is now a museum and still bears scars from the bombing of Darwin during World War II. Darwin was home to Australian and US pilots during the war, 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 9000 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. The Australian Aviation Heritage Centre is located approximately 8 km ( 5 mi ) from the City centre on the Stuart Highway and is one of only two places outside the United States where a B52 bomber ( on permanent loan from the United States Air Force ) is on public display. US military presence See also : Quadrilateral Security Dialogue On 16 November 2011, Prime Minister Julia Gillard and President Barack Obama announced that the United States would station troops in Australia for the first time since World War II. The agreement between the United States and Australia would involve a contingent of 250 Marines arriving in Darwin in 2012, with the total number rising to a maximum of 2,500 troops by 2017 on six - month rotations as well as a supporting air element including F - 22 Raptors, F - 35 Joint Strike Fighters and KC - 135 refuelers. China and Indonesia have expressed concern about the decision. Some analysts have argued that an expanded U.S. presence could pose a threat to security. Gillard announced that the first 200 U.S. Marines had arrived in Darwin from Hawaii on late 3 April 2012. In 2013, further news of other expansion vectors was aired in USA media, with no comment or confirmation from Australian authorities. The agreement between the two governments remains hidden from public scrutiny. Marine numbers based in Darwin have increased to more than 1150 troops by 2014. Darwin hosts biennial multi-nation exercises named `` Pitch Black '' ; in 2014 this involved military personnel from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, and the United States. Sister cities Main article : City of Darwin See also Australia portal Northern Territory portal List of films shot in Darwin List of mayors and lord mayors of Darwin List of people from Darwin Local government areas of the Northern Territory The Dire Earth Cycle, which is partially set in Darwin Gallery Feeding fishes, Darwin In the market, Darwin 2014 Notes Jump up ^ The story around the pole holes is commonly perpetuated, though no first hand accounts have been uncovered to authenticate this Jump up ^ In 1872 it was reported that A great many statements have been made about gold being found in holes of the telegraph post, and other unimaginable places. Such statements are incorrect, and given out by interested parties. Jump up ^ nearest first hand account is of linesmen finding gold near the telegraph line References ^ Jump up to : `` 3218.0 -- Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2014 -- 15 : ESTIMATED RESIDENT POPULATION -- Greater Capital City Statistical Areas ( GCCSAs ) ''. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 28 September 2016. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2015. Jump up ^ `` 2011 Census Community Profiles : Greater Darwin ''. ABS Census. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 15 September 2016. Jump up ^ `` Great Circle Distance between DARWIN and ADELAIDE ''. Geoscience Australia. March 2004. Jump up ^ `` Great Circle Distance between DARWIN and PERTH ''. Geoscience Australia. March 2004. Jump up ^ `` Great Circle Distance between DARWIN and BRISBANE ''. Geoscience Australia. March 2004. Jump up ^ `` Great Circle Distance between Carins and Darwin ''. Geoscience Australia. Retrieved 27 January 2016. 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Commonwealth Government Records about the Northern Territory ( PDF ). National Archives of Australia. p. 6. ISBN 9781920807870. Retrieved 26 June 2016. Jump up ^ `` GOLD AT PORT DARWIN. ''. The Queenslander. VII, ( 358 ). Queensland, Australia. 14 December 1872. p. 6. Retrieved 23 June 2016 -- via National Library of Australia. Jump up ^ `` IV. -- THE NORTHERN TERRITORY AND THE OVERLAND TELEGRAPH. ''. The South Australian Advertiser. South Australia. 2 February 1872. p. 3. Retrieved 23 June 2016 -- via National Library of Australia. Jump up ^ `` Previous cyclones in Darwin ''. Cyclone Tracy. Northern Territory Library. 21 April 1998. Archived from the original on 6 February 2008. Retrieved 7 January 2008. Jump up ^ `` Australia Day ( Darwin ) ''. Archived from the original on 11 February 2006. Retrieved 2006 - 02 - 11. CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown ( link ). australiadaynt.com.au Jump up ^ `` Northern Territory Sporting Facilities '' ( PDF ). 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Jump up ^ `` Darwin City Council -- Elections ''. Archived from the original on 29 September 2009. Jump up ^ `` New Darwin Lord Mayor blasts predecessors for ' stupid decisions ' ''. ABC News. 4 September 2017. Jump up ^ Jane Bardon ( Thu 23 July 2009 ) `` Crime statistics show fall in sex assaults '' ABC News ^ Jump up to : Australian city of Darwin named ' broken jaw capital of the world ', Daily Telegraph, 7 January 2010 Jump up ^ `` About the Minerals and Energy Group ''. Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines. Jump up ^ `` Darwin City Waterfront '' ( PDF ). Northern Territory Government. Archived ( PDF ) from the original on 4 June 2007. Retrieved 13 May 2007. Jump up ^ `` Education in the Northern Territory ''. Archived from the original on 10 August 2009. Retrieved 2009 - 08 - 10... Department of Education and Training. det.nt.gov.au ^ Jump up to : ABS Education Census Table. 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Jump up ^ `` Movie ' Australia ' Sheds Light on First ever Attack on Aust Soil ''. The Epoch Times. 23 May 2007. Archived from the original on 28 March 2009. Jump up ^ Flora Liveris ( 1 July 2007 ). `` Stars show up for Darwin film shoot ''. Northern Territory News. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Jump up ^ Daniel Bourchier ( 11 April 2007 ). `` Croc horror movie based on true Territory story ''. Northern Territory News. Archived from the original on 21 February 2012. Jump up ^ Darwin Deckchair Cinema. Deckchaircinema.com. Jump up ^ `` Free Beaches Australia ''. Archived from the original on 23 February 2010. Retrieved 2010 - 02 - 23... freebeach.com.au Jump up ^ `` Jellyfish infestation closes Darwin 's Lake Alexander ''. ABC News. 26 August 2003. Jump up ^ Darwin Surf Lifesaving Club. Darwinsurfclub.com.au ( 11 November 2011 ). Jump up ^ Arafura Games. Arafuragames.nt.gov.au. Jump up ^ `` Marrara Stadium ''. Australian Stadiums. Jump up ^ `` Hottest 7s welcome ''. 27 January 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2013. Jump up ^ `` RDH -- Recruitment ''. Royal Darwin Hospital. Northern Territory Government. Archived from the original on 2009 - 04 - 27. Jump up ^ `` Australian Bus Fleet Lists - Northern Territory Operator Fleet Lists ''. fleetlists.busaustralia.com. Retrieved 2017 - 02 - 01. Jump up ^ Government, Northern Territory ( 2017 - 01 - 30 ). `` Public bus timetables and maps : Darwin ''. nt.gov.au. Retrieved 2017 - 02 - 01. Jump up ^ Darwin Port Corporation > East Arm Wharf. Darwinport.nt.gov.au. Jump up ^ `` Weddell Power Station ''. Power and Water Corporation. Archived from the original on 22 June 2010. Retrieved 16 February 2011. Jump up ^ Tourism NT. Tourism NT. Jump up ^ Kakadu National Park. Travelnt.com. Archived 8 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Litchfield National Park. Travelnt.com. Archived 8 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Heritage Register ''. Northern Territory government. Retrieved 23 June 2016. Jump up ^ QANTAS hangar. Enjoy-darwin.com. Jump up ^ `` Things to do ''. Within Cooee. Retrieved 2 April 2008. Jump up ^ `` Australian Aviation Heritage Centre ''. Australian Aviation Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 18 January 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2008. Jump up ^ Thompson, Andrew. `` US Air Force plans to spread its fighting wings ''. ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Commission. Retrieved 13 May 2014. Jump up ^ `` US to base 2,500 troops in Australia ''. 16 November 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2011. Jump up ^ `` China, Indonesia wary of U.S. troops in Darwin ''. 17 November 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2011. Jump up ^ Paul Dibb ( 15 November 2011 ). `` US Build - up no threat to peace ''. The Australian. Jump up ^ `` First 200 US Marines land at Aussie training hub ''. 4 April 2012. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Jump up ^ Seth Robson ( 21 August 2013 ) Growing US presence in Australia to include aircraft -- News. Stripes. Retrieved on 29 December 2013. Jump up ^ Rules for US troops in NT kept secret. Smh.com.au ( 13 March 2012 ). Retrieved on 29 December 2013. Jump up ^ La Canna, Xavier. `` Marines arriving in Darwin ''. 105.7 ABC Darwin. Australian Broadcasting Commission. Retrieved 13 May 2014. Jump up ^ Purtill, James ( 2 August 2014 ). `` Air Force exercise Pitch Black takes off over Darwin and Katherine, residents brace for noise ''. ABC. Retrieved 28 August 2014. Yeo, Mike ( 26 August 2014 ). `` Exercise Pitch Black Concludes in Darwin ''. The Diplomat. Retrieved 28 August 2014. Jump up ^ Scott, Jason ( 27 August 2014 ). `` U.S. Top Guns in Darwin Combat Drills as China Tensions Rise ''. Bloomberg. Retrieved 28 August 2014. External links Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Palmerston. Media related to Darwin, Northern Territory at Wikimedia Commons Darwin travel guide from Wikivoyage Darwin at the Australian Bureau of Statistics ( 2001 Census ). Darwin -- Tourism Australia Suburbs of the City of Darwin by ward, Darwin, Northern Territory Chan Ward Coconut Grove Jingili Millner Moil Nightcliff Rapid Creek Lyons Ward Bayview Charles Darwin ( part ) Darwin East Point Eaton Fannie Bay Hidden Valley ( part ) Larrakeyah Ludmilla with Bagot Parap Stuart Park The Gardens The Narrows Winnellie Woolner Richardson Ward Alawa Brinkin Buffalo Creek Casuarina Holmes Leanyer Lee Point Lyons Muirhead Nakara Tiwi Wagaman Wanguri Waters Ward Anula with Sanderson Berrimah ( part ) Coonawarra Karama Malak Marrara with Northlakes Wulagi Northern Territory Topics History Flag Geography Territory Government Territory Parliament Local Government Energy Sport Fire and Rescue Service Police Crime Regions Alice Springs Region Arnhem Land Barkly Tableland Darwin Region Katherine Region Major settlements Alice Springs Darwin Katherine Nhulunbuy Palmerston Tennant Creek Northern Territory portal Capital cities of Australia National and ACT Canberra NSW Sydney NT Darwin QLD Brisbane SA Adelaide TAS Hobart VIC Melbourne WA Perth List of cities in Australia Cities of Australia Australian Capital Territory Canberra ( national capital ) New South Wales Albury Armidale Bathurst Broken Hill Cessnock Coffs Harbour Dubbo Gosford Goulburn Grafton Griffith Lake Macquarie Lismore Lithgow Maitland Newcastle Orange Queanbeyan Sydney Tamworth Wagga Wagga Wollongong Northern Territory Darwin Palmerston Queensland Brisbane Bundaberg Cairns Caboolture Caloundra Gladstone Gold Coast Gympie Hervey Bay Ipswich Mackay Maryborough Mount Isa Rockhampton Sunshine Coast Toowoomba Townsville South Australia Adelaide Mount Gambier Murray Bridge Port Augusta Port Lincoln Port Pirie Victor Harbor Whyalla Tasmania Burnie Devonport Hobart Launceston Victoria Ararat Bairnsdale Ballarat Benalla Bendigo Geelong Hamilton Horsham Melbourne Mildura Sale Shepparton Traralgon Wangaratta Warrnambool Wodonga Western Australia Albany Bunbury Busselton Geraldton Kalgoorlie - Boulder Mandurah Perth Charles Darwin Life Darwin -- Wedgwood family Education Voyage on HMS Beagle Inception of theory Development of theory Publication of theory Reactions to On the Origin of Species Orchids to Variation Descent of Man to Emotions Insectivorous Plants to Worms Portraits of Darwin Religious views Health Women Writings Extracts from Letters to Henslow The Voyage of the Beagle Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties ; and on the Perpetuation of Varieties and Species by Natural Means of Selection On the Origin of Species Fertilisation of Orchids Geological Observations on South America Geological Observations on the Volcanic Islands The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals Insectivorous Plants The Power of Movement in Plants The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Worms Autobiography Correspondence The Life and Letters of Charles Darwin More Letters of Charles Darwin List of described taxa Related Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation History of evolutionary thought Pangenesis Darwin Industry Commemoration Things named for Darwin Darwinism Alternatives Eclipse Social Darwinism HMS Beagle Darwin Medal Darwin Awards VIAF : 123159397 LCCN : n80158845 GND : 4011096 - 5 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Darwin,_Northern_Territory&oldid=806774697 '' Categories : Darwin, Northern Territory Australian capital cities Cities in the Northern Territory Coastal cities in Australia Port cities in Australia Timor Sea Populated places established in 1869 1869 establishments in Australia Tourist attractions in the Northern Territory World War II sites in Australia 1869 establishments in Oceania Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Unfit url CS1 maint : BOT : original - url status unknown Webarchive template wayback links Use Australian English from May 2012 All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English Use dmy dates from December 2013 Coordinates on Wikidata Articles with hAudio microformats Articles including recorded pronunciations ( English ) All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from May 2008 Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikivoyage Afrikaans Azərbaycanca تۆرکجه বাংলা Bân - lâm - gú Беларуская Беларуская ( тарашкевіца ) ‎ Български Brezhoneg Català Cebuano Čeština Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Føroyskt Français Frysk Gaeilge Gàidhlig Galego 한국어 Հայերեն हिन्दी Hrvatski Ido Bahasa Indonesia Ирон Íslenska Italiano עברית Basa Jawa ქართული Қазақша Latina Latviešu Lëtzebuergesch Lietuvių Limburgs Magyar മലയാളം मराठी Bahasa Melayu မြန်မာဘာသာ Dorerin Naoero Nederlands नेपाली 日本 語 Norfuk / Pitkern Norsk Occitan ਪੰਜਾਬੀ پنجابی Polski Português Română Runa Simi Русский Саха тыла Scots Simple English Slovenčina Slovenščina Ślůnski کوردی Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Tagalog தமிழ் ไทย Türkçe Українська اردو Vèneto Vepsän kel ' Tiếng Việt Volapük Winaray 吴语 ייִדיש 粵語 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 24 October 2017, at 02 : 15. 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Question: what is the capital city of the northern territory
Answer: Darwin