Government House, Darwin
Encyclopedia
Administrator of the Northern Territory
The Administrator of the Northern Territory is an official appointed by the Governor-General of Australia to exercise powers analogous to that of a state governor...
. Built between 1870 and 1878, the building is set on 13,000 square metres of hillside gardens in the centre of the Darwin business district, on The Esplanade.
History
Government House is the oldest EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an building in the Northern Territory. Government House has been the home of successive Government Residents and Administrators
Administrator (Australia)
The title Administrator of the Government has several uses in Australia.-Administrator of the Commonwealth:At the Commonwealth level, Section 4 of the Australian Constitution provides that:...
since 1871. It has endured cyclones, earthquakes, enemy bombing raids, infestations of white ants and rowdy public demonstrations to remain one of the most spectacular and attractive buildings in Darwin.
On 17 December 1918, Government House became the focal point of political turmoil and union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
unrest against John Gilruth's
John A. Gilruth
John Anderson Gilruth was a veterinary scientist and administrator. He is particularly noted for being Administrator of the Northern Territory from 1912 to 1918, when he was recalled after an angry mob demanded that he resign...
administration. About 1000 demonstrators marched to Government House where they burnt an effigy
Effigy
An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture or some other three-dimensional form.The term is usually associated with full-length figures of a deceased person depicted in stone or wood on church monuments. These most often lie supine with hands together in prayer,...
of Gilruth and demanded his resignation. The incident became well-known as the Darwin Rebellion
Darwin Rebellion
The Darwin Rebellion of 17 December 1918 was the culmination of unrest in the Australian Workers' Union which had grown between 1911 and 1919. Led by Harold Nelson, some 1000 demonstrators marched on Government House at Liberty Square in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia where they burnt an...
.
Government House, was entered on the Register of the National Estate
Register of the National Estate
The Register of the National Estate is a listing of natural and cultural heritage places in Australia. The listing was initially compiled between 1976 and 2003 by the Australian Heritage Commission. The register is now maintained by the Australian Heritage Council...
in 1980 and was declared a Place of Heritage under the Heritage Conservation Act (Northern Territory) on 15 March 1996.
See also
- Government Houses of AustraliaGovernment Houses of Australia-Current:Federal* Government House, Canberra, aka Yarralumla; Governor-General's Canberra residence* Admiralty House, Governor-General's Sydney residence* The Lodge, Canberra, Prime Minister's Canberra residence...
- Government Houses in the CommonwealthGovernment Houses of the British Empire and CommonwealthGovernment House is the name given to some of the residences of Governors-General, Governors and Lieutenant-Governors in the Commonwealth and the British Empire. It serves as the venue for the Governor's official business, as well as the many receptions and functions hosted by the occupant...
- Administrators of the Northern TerritoryAdministrator of the Northern TerritoryThe Administrator of the Northern Territory is an official appointed by the Governor-General of Australia to exercise powers analogous to that of a state governor...