Darwin – no place like home
Mickey Dewar
Frederick Watson Fellow, 2007
Public lecture presented at the National Archives of Australia in Canberra
28 October 2008
This paper presents a history of housing in Australia's northern capital in the 1950s, exploring the stories and circumstances of the people who lived there. Darwin, a city affected by cyclones and bombing, was particularly unstable during this decade.
The challenge for the federal government in the postwar years was to normalise the Northern Territory and rebuild the town – to create a place that people could call home.
Audio of this presentation
Download the audio of Mickey Dewar's presentation.
| Description | Duration | Size | Download |
|---|
| Mickey Dewar: Darwin – no place like home |
52:29 minutes |
24.61mb |
 |
References – items from the National Archives
 | Commonwealth hostel and messing facilities – policy admin | 1946–52 | F1, 1949/411 | |
| Nightcliff Community Centre | 1950–53 | F1, 1949/594 part 2 | |
| Progress Association Fannie Bay | 1950–54 | F1, 1950/572 | |
| Port Darwin Progress Association | 1950–52 | F1, 1950/756 | |
| Hutments for police officers – Darwin Police Station | 1946–57 | F1, 1951/210 | |
| Houses Salonika | 1946 | F1, 1951/543 | |
| Marrenah House | 1950–54 | F1, 1951/585 | |
| Australian Half-castes Progressive Association | 1951–72 | F1, 1951/744 | |
| Community hall and recreation centre Berrimah | 1951–54 | F1, 1951/983 | |
| Proposed housing schemes Northern Territory | 1951–52 | F1, 1951/1012 | |
| Country Women's Association Darwin branch [with plans] | 1946–58 | F1, 1952/141 | |
| Half-caste children – policy | 1946–56 | F1, 1952/250 | |
| Purchase of Parap Military Camp [Parap Community Centre, with plans] | 1952–54 | F1, 1952/990 | |
| Darwin Housewives Association | 1949–52 | F1, 1953/251 | |
| Commonwealth Hostel and messing facilities – administration | 1953–54 | F1, 1953/259 part 1 | |
| Proposed new government house Darwin | 1947–53 | F1, 1953/277 | |
| Mitchell Street Hostel – complaints from guests | 1954–58 | F1, 1955/71 | |
| Marrenah House – equipment | 1948–59 | F1, 1955/744 | |
| Part-coloured housing policy – Darwin | 1955–59 | F1, 1955/1119 | |
| Welfare branch part-coloured housing programme policy | 1958–63 | F1, 1958–63 | |
| Welfare Branch – applications for emergency housing – Vesteys area | 1958–59 | F1, 1958/876 | |
| Winnellie Progress Association | 1958–60 | F1, 1958/1005 | |
| Nightcliff Hut Dwellers Association | 1958–60 | 1958/1254 | |
| Hostels – Marrenah House – complaint | 1958 | 1958/1599 | |
| Departmental housing policy | 1958–63 | 1962/1103 | |
| Housing programme – Northern Territory – non-departmental housing commission | 1957–74 | F1, 1974/2354 | |
| Department of Interior Canberra file – housing for part-coloured families policy – Northern Territory | 1954–66 | F1, 1974/5231 | |
| Property and tenancy – Darwin huts register: Winnellie, Stuart Park, Peewit Camp, Peewee Camp, Knuckey Street etc including Sydney Williams huts | 1946–64 | F1025, register | |
| Annual reports of the District Office, Alice Springs | 1949–55 | F136, X5/5 | |
| Premises – Hospital and hostel accommodation and messing – deductions for board and lodgings – general | 1952–56 | E48, 120/5/4 | |
| Country Women's Association Hostel, Darwin, NT – Deputation to Minister for Works & Housing | 1948–54 | A431, 1950/686 | |
| Non-rental housing for Darwin – Representations by Mrs Lou Stewart | 1957–58 | A452, 1957/2620 | |
