Dr Norman Cramp says floating memorial for USS Peary has ‘potential’
Darwin’s wartime history is incredibly rich. But could a floating memorial in Hawaii be the key to unlocking the city’s military tourism sector?
Floating on turquoise waters almost 9000km from Darwin is a sacred memorial, offering the Territory a bold idea of how it can advance its military tourism and commemorate the fallen from where they remain.
Sunk during the Bombing of Pearl Harbour in 1941, the USS Arizona’s final resting place is shared with more than 1100 souls who went down with her.
Still leaking oil more than 80 years later, the USS Arizona is commemorated by a unique floating memorial, allowing visitors to board the platform and peer down at the vessel, exposed beneath the water.
Despite Darwin Harbour being the final resting place of numerous warships, no such floating memorial exists in the Top End.
However, the desire to add a buoyant platform to Darwin’s waters is shared by many, including Darwin Military Museum director Dr Norman Cramp, who said one particular vessel made a perfect case.
“The USS Peary – she was the biggest warship in the harbour (during the Bombing of Darwin) and she sits at the bottom,” he said.
“She took about 91 souls with her – she is reasonably deep, and you’re not allowed to dive there either – but I think there is potential.”
If the NT were to follow Pearl Harbour’s example, the platform could include a shrine with the name of the crew, as well as artefacts and displays for those visiting.
Appreciative of local conditions, Dr Cramp was quick to note the crystal clear waters of Hawaii were different to Darwin Harbour.
“One of the big problems for us is the tidal rush; the clarity of the water is very, very poor,” he said.
“Some of the ships were sunk in deeper channels so you can’t see them from the surface like in Pearl Harbour.”
Whether the idea gained traction or not, Dr Cramp maintained wartime tourism remained an “untapped” sector, despite a strong number of devoted operators.
“Military tourism is worth billions of dollars around the world – places like the Western Front, Gallipoli, Pearl Harbour and Papua New Guinea,” he said.
“And yet here in the Northern Territory, we seem to gloss over that.”
Dr Cramp said military tourism could be a strong motivator to roll in international interest.
“We should be attracting people from overseas, like Americans, British and Dutch whose fathers and grandfathers served and died here.”
Darwin’s darkest chapter is well covered by hard working military tourism operators across the city, including those who have pioneered new ways to bring the city’s story to life.
In April, Stefan Wood of Gooney Bird Adventures brought a Douglas DC-3 to Darwin with a view to giving visitors a bird's-eye view of how the Bombing of Darwin unfolded.
Passing over the Tiwi Islands before circling back to Darwin, the DC-3 experience is another example of a local operator trying to transport visitors back in time.
Last month, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Marie-Clare Boothby announced military tourism would receive dedicated support under Round 9 of the Visitor Experience Enhancement Program.
At the time, Ms Boothby said she wanted to put Darwin’s military history “on the map”.
“From Darwin to the Tiwi Islands, Katherine to the outback, no other place in Australia has a military story like the NT,” she said.
“We’re backing local businesses to bring that story to life and turn it into a national tourism drawcard.”
Originally published as Dr Norman Cramp says floating memorial for USS Peary has ‘potential’
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