The estate
Government House is the official residence of the Administrator of the Northern Territory (NT).
It’s one of the NT’s most significant buildings and is a protected heritage place under the Heritage Act 2011.
With its tropical gardens, gracious rooms and tiled terrace, it’s also used to host official functions and is open to visitors for different occasions throughout the year.
If visitors can’t make it, a virtual tour of the estate is available.
History
Government House was first completed 1871 and was originally known as The Residency.
At this time, it contained:
- a central hall with stone walls
- 6 bedrooms and a bathroom
- a pantry and kitchen with a stone chimney and fireplace
- a verandah all around.
A second storey was added later in 1874, but white ants destroyed it within 12 months.
Later in 1878, a new residency was designed by prominent architect John George Knight, who also became the 6th Government Resident.
The new residency was built in 1879 using cypress pine as well as porcellanite stone and lime from local coral reefs.
This new building was referred to as ‘The House of Seven Gables’.
Repairs were made in 1897 after severe cyclone damage and in 1911, when the Commonwealth took control of the NT.
The first Administrator of the NT, Dr John Gilruth, was appointed in 1912. Dr Gilruth renamed The Residency to Government House.
Improvements included new bathrooms, a servants’ block, a modernised kitchen and a rebuilt tennis court.
In 1937, another cyclone caused widespread damage. At this time, a new office which was also planned as a bomb shelter was built. It sustained a direct hit during the bombing of Darwin in 1942.
When Cyclone Tracy hit in December 1974, Government House’s roof loosened but remained intact, although it did suffer some wind and rain damage.
Later in 2003, a decision was made to refurbish Government House to reflect the late 1930s and 1940s. This was during the term of Administrator Charles Abbott and Mrs Hilda Abbott.
Thanks to Mrs Abbott, these refurbishments were achieved through detailed descriptions of:
- what colours the rooms were painted
- how furniture was placed
- what floor coverings were used
- how each room was used for activities.
The refurbishments were completed in November 2010.
To this day, the exterior of Government House remains as it was in 1937.