A day of heritage in
Darwin City Approx. 9am to 4pm itinerary

Visit Brown’s Mart community theatre

In the heart of the city you'll find Brown’s Mart theatre - but it hasn’t always been a theatre. Built of porcellanite stone, this building dates back to the 1880s and is a highly regarded landmark in Darwin city. Throughout time it has been a stone store, a Mining Exchange, shipping agency, auctioneering venue, and even a bank. It has suffered through and survived cyclones and still stands strong to this day.

Discover the ruins of the Town Hall

Just past Smith Street Mall and originally built in 1882, this building was so severely damaged by Cyclone Tracey that it was never rebuilt. The remains of the original Palmerston Town Hall have been preserved for visitors to learn about the history of our city and for arts organisations to use as a performance venue.

Peruse Parliament House

One of the more iconic buildings in Darwin City is Parliament House. Affectionately referred to as ‘the wedding cake’ due to its appearance, this building was opened in 1994 and has been designed for its tropical setting overlooking Darwin Harbour. Self-guided tours are available daily, or you can join their free daily guided tour for more information.

Once you’ve had a good look around, head down to Speakers Corner Café located within Parliament House. This café boasts award-winning home-made food with the use of native ingredients. Enjoy fresh salads and sandwiches, or indulge yourself with one of their various cakes and slices made daily on site.

Visit the Roadmaster

Originally constructed by the North Australian Railway to provide staff accommodation, the Roadmaster’s House is a great example of domestic architecture from the 1910s. You can explore this building which was typical of houses built by the Commonwealth in Darwin in that era.

Enjoy afternoon tea at Burnett House

Wander down to Burnett House - one of Darwin’s best examples of tropical architecture. Having survived bullets, bombs and cyclones, it is now in the hands of the National Trust. A small museum is located upstairs giving an insight into life in Darwin during World War II, whilst downstairs is a picturesque location to sip tea in the afternoon overlooking the lush gardens and Darwin’s beautiful harbour.