1979: Famous NT croc Sweetheart caught at popular fishing spot, but dies during relocation
THE NT News and NT Government are celebrating 42 years of self governance by revisiting some of our most memorable milestones. In 1979, the NT’s most famous croc, Sweetheart, was captured after stalking fishermen in dinghies at a popular Darwin fishing spot, but tragically died during relocation.
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THE NT News and NT Government are celebrating 42 years of self governance with some of our most memorable milestones. In 1979 …
This was the year the NT’s most famous croc, Sweetheart, stalked fishermen in dinghies at a popular Darwin fishing spot.
Wildlife rangers captured the 5.1m bad boy, but tragically he died during relocation.
To get a real feel for his size, visit the Museum and Art Gallery NT (MAGNT), where his stuffed corpse now resides.
The Territory’s own insurance company, TIO, opened in 1979 and snapped up a world first by offering crocodile attack insurance policies.
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Meanwhile, the historical Fannie Bay Gaol closed its doors to be replaced by a new corrections facility at Berrimah.
Other memorable milestones include the opening of the first casino – and only the second in Australia – at the old Don Hotel on Cavenagh Street, with a raise in status for Darwin from town to city.
Dr Ella Stack became Darwin’s first Lord Mayor and the first female Lord Mayor of an Australian capital city.
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The Bougainvillea Festival (now known as the Darwin Festival) was launched, the Larrakia people lodged the long-running Kenbi Land Claim and Alice Springs was linked to the rest of Australia and the world with the installation of subscriber trunk dialling (STD) telephone dial.
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