An Historical Perspective The first hospital of the settlement of Palmerston (later to be named Darwin after its port, Port Darwin) was built in 1874. It was long, narrow wood and iron building in Packard Street overlooking Doctor's Gully. By 1878 an improved stone structure with high ceilings, which made it the coolest building in Palmerston, was built on the same site. During the next 40 years the hospital was administered by South Australia. The Commonwealth Government assumed control in 1911.

In the late 1930s with war looming on the horizon, the hospital became grossly inadequate especially since Dengue Fever had, at that time, become widespread. December 1939 saw the heads of Army, RAAF and Navy jointly demand an adequate hospital for Darwin. Construction of an 89-bed hospital fronting Lambell Terrace (the site was originally the Kahlin Aboriginal Reserve) was commenced in 1941 to cater for an estimated Darwin area population of 4,000. The new hospital was occupied on 2 February 1942 and bombed just 17 days later. It came under Army control in March 1942 and remained so until June 1946 when civilian administration was resumed.

By the late 1960s/early 1970s the population of Darwin had expanded considerably. It was evident that increased hospital facilities would be required for the future. Extensions had been made to the Darwin Hospital but more were required. At the time of Cyclone Tracy, Christmas morning 1974, there were many temporary prefabricated wards. The cyclone caused extensive structural damage to a number of these. Resultantly a major repair programme was begun. This was completed in 1977.

Prior to the cyclone, approval had been given for the construction of Casuarina Hospital abutting Rocklands Drive in the northern suburb of Tiwi.

Site work commenced in June 1973 but progress was interrupted by Cyclone Tracy. After some delay, while the future of Darwin was being debated, the Darwin Reconstruction Commission resumed the programme. Finally the Northern Territory Government's Department of Transport and Works was responsible for the realisation of the project.

Casuarina Hospital became fully operational on 20 May 1980 and the 'old' Darwin Hospital was closed. The 'new' Casuarina Hospital was officially opened by the Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Malcolm Fraser on 19 September 1980. The new hospital's name was changed from Casuarina to Darwin Hospital on 1 January 1982. Following Royal Assent, the hospital became the Royal Darwin Hospital on 10 January 1984.

The Royal Darwin Hospital is a multi-million dollar facility offering a high standard of acute care and is the main specialist referral centre for the Northern Territory.

-- Adapted from A Brief History of Royal Darwin Hospital by Ellen Kettle, MBE FCNA Dip N.AD (1986)