Northern Territory draws a long line of royals
THE NT is best known for its red dusty plains, croc infested waters, and thong-wearing residents, but every now and then royalty drop by to say hello.
Northern Territory
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The Northern Territory may be best known for its red, dusty plains, croc-infested waters, thong-wearing residents and horny roos, but every now and then it mimics a popular childhood fantasy where real kings, queens, princes and princesses from faraway lands drop by just to say hello.
As Territorians await the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, in Uluru on Tuesday as part of the couple’s 10-day Australian tour, past royal visits to the NT live on in the minds of many.
Chief Minister Adam Giles said the NT had long been a destination of choice for royals.
“Our iconic outback landscapes and colourful characters offer the perfect backdrop for the quintessential royal visit Down Under,” Mr Giles said. “The Territory’s wide open spaces and warm weather are a magnet for English tourists and members of the royal family.”
Royal visits to the NT date back to 1884, when the 7th Duke of Manchester, William Drogo Montagu, toured the Territory.
The South Australian Register newspaper reported on October 11, 1884, that the Duke went to Darwin (formerly known as Palmerston) and the Adelaide River, and from there travelled to Glencoe, and through to Pine Creek.
“Before his visit he thought Queensland the best portion of Australia,” the article read.
“He now considered, judging from the country visited, that the Territory was superior to Queensland. The vegetation was richer, the grass was thicker and of a more permanent character, and the country was better watered. He considered the Territory the best-watered country he ever saw, better even than Huntingdonshire in summer, which was one of the wettest counties in England.”
Many royals have followed in the Duke’s footsteps.
The Earl and Countess of Jersey came to the NT in 1898, after which it was more than 50 years until a member of the royal family next stepped foot in the Top End.
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visited the NT in November 1956 after opening the Melbourne Olympics.
He returned with the Queen in early 1963, and again solo in 1968.
The Duke and Duchess of Kent visited Darwin as part of a 25-day Australian tour in August 1969.
Princess Margaret and Lord Snowden made an appearance in Darwin in October 1972.
The Queen and Prince Philip returned to Darwin nine months before Cyclone Tracy destroyed the city in 1974.
The couple hosted a dinner on board HMY Brittania.
The following year, Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips visited Darwin to inspect the cyclone damage and spoke with several residents.
“Royals have also been here on more sombre occasions, such as Princess Anne’s visit to Darwin in 1975 to inspect the reconstruction effort in the aftermath of Cyclone Tracy,” Mr Giles said.
The Queen and Prince Philip returned to the Territory in March 1977 as part of a 23-day Australian tour.
Their son, the Prince of Wales, Charles, came to the NT in November the same year, as Patron of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Appeal for Young Australians.
The XII Commonwealth Games in Brisbane drew the Queen and Prince Philip back Down Under and saw them extend their tour to include other Australian states and the NT in October 1982.
The pair took a trip to Darwin’s Gardens Oval, Smith St Mall and officially opened the new Navy base.
The Queen presented a Medal for Bravery to Peta Mann, who had rescued her friend from a crocodile attack.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, Charles and Diana, and their son Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, visited Alice Springs in March 1983.
The royal couple went to Yulara and Uluru and spoke to children from the Alice Springs School of the Air and visited Tennant Creek.
The pair returned to the NT in February 1988 as part of Australia’s 200th anniversary celebrations.
Prince Philip made another trip to the NT with the Duke of Westminster, to officially open the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth reception at Government House in April 1998.
His Royal Highness and the Queen returned to the Territory for the last time in 2000, where they went to Alice Springs and walked through Todd Mall.
Prince Charles was the last royal to visit the NT, with a trip to Alice Springs in 2005.
“I’m sure there are still many Territorians who have fond memories of past royal visits,” Mr Giles said.
He said the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s visit to the NT on Tuesday will be another “unbeatable opportunity to showcase the Territory to the world and entice tourists to consider the Territory as a holiday destination”.
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