By the 1940s Darwin was still a small town but its location was important militarily.

While the Second World War had commenced in late 1939, in 1940 Darwin was yet to feel the full impact.

When this was filmed, Darwin’s population had grown to almost 3,000 people. This included a significant Chinese community who originally arrived as indentured labourers in the 1870s.

This footage is from a collection of home movies made by colourful Englishman, Cecil Freer.

This 1930 silent film features legendary aviator, Charles Kingsford Smith (1897-1935), arriving at the Darwin Aerodrome in his British-made Avro Avian biplane, the Southern Cross Junior.

Darwin in the mid-1920s showing the laid-back lifestyle often associated with living in the tropics.

Note: this film is silent.

This sample of collection items highlights the people of Darwin and some of the major events in the history of Australia's most northerly capital city.

The Star Picture Theatre seated around 860 patrons and was central to Darwin’s social life.

In 1977 Rod Ansell (1954–1999) found himself stranded in remote country west of Darwin.

Directed by Charles Chauvel (1897-1959), Jedda was filmed on location in the Northern Territory and starred Ngarla (Rosie) Kunoth, a Central Australian Indigenous woman, as Jedda, and Robe