Honour for colourful Territorian who turned on the lights in Darwin

Darwin developers RCGD have honoured a long-forgotten Territory business pioneer credited with bringing electricity to Darwin. Read who it is.

The spirit of a trail-blazing Darwin businessman has been honoured with a new display at the old Darwin Plaza complex in Smith Street.

Felix Ernest Holmes made an heroic contribution to the development of Darwin and the Top End in the late 19th and early 20th centuries including establishing Darwin’s first ever power plant in 1913.

His long-forgotten but significant story is now featured on a wall installation at what was previously the old Darwin Plaza food court and office complex, which has officially been renamed Power House to mark the location of the town’s first power plant.

Darwin business identity Charlie Randazzo with daughter Maria Mosole and Rosanna Spadaccini. Picture: Elise Graham

Randazzo C & G Developments bought Darwin Plaza in 1994, later replacing the original food court with ground floor tenancies. Over the past year the company has completed an $8m modernisation and upgrade to the Plaza’s old ground floor and the seven stories of office space above.

Descendants of Felix Holmes travelled from New South Wales to the Northern Territory to attend an official opening on Friday. Martin Holmes, who was there with relatives Margaret and Cole Taylor, said Felix was his great, great grandfather’s cousin.

Randazzo director Rosanna Spadaccini, daughter of RCGD co-founder Charlie Randazzo, now 89, said some persuasion was required to secure the name change.

Felix Holmes’ descendants Martin Holmes, Margaret Taylor and Cole Taylor in front of the new memorial wall. Picture: Elise Graham

“It was challenging because Charlie is very sentimental, but he supported the renaming of the building once he was made aware of the site’s importance to the story of the growth and development of Darwin,” Ms Spadaccini said.

Resources company Santos is expected to take part of the available Smith Street Mall frontage and another 10 suites are available for rent along the ground floor corridor.

The new display honouring Territory business pioneer Felix Holmes. Picture: Elise Graham

Felix Holmes arrived in the Territory in 1887 aged 19 to work cattle stations owned by his uncle Bill Lawrie who, among a number of business interests, owned numerous cattle stations including Marrakai, Glencoe, Hodgson Downs, Elsey and Humpty Doo.

His job description over 40 years included racehorse owner, pastoralist, butcher, baker, pearler, ice-maker and electrician.

In 1912, with Darwin’s population about 2500, Holmes commissioned a new power plant for his cold storage and ice-making store using a 19-horse power (25 kilowatt) Tangye oil engine at what is now the Power House site.

Holmes sold power to other businesses as well as supplying for himself and over the next two decades he became one of the Territory’s biggest businessmen.

He died after flying to Sydney for medical treatment in 1930.