Fort Hill, Darwin facts for kids
Fort Hill was once a small hill located right on Darwin Harbour in the Northern Territory of Australia. It was an important spot because it became the site of George Goyder's survey camp in 1869. Goyder was a government surveyor who helped map out the land for new settlements.
Fort Hill's History
Early Burials
Fort Hill became the very first European burial site in Darwin. The first person buried there was John William Ogilvie Bennett. He was a draughtsman, which is someone who draws detailed plans, working on Goyder's 1869 survey trip.
Sadly, Bennett was injured during an attack near the Adelaide River on May 24, 1869. He passed away four days later. He and another team member were attacked while mapping local Aboriginal place-names. Bennett was buried at the top of Fort Hill.
Another early settler, Richard Hazard, was the next person buried there. Hazard died on August 2, 1869. In 1965, the remains of both men were moved to the Darwin Cemetery.
World War II and Beyond
During World War II, Fort Hill played a role in defending Darwin. Two large oil tunnels were dug into the side of the hill. These tunnels were used to store fuel, which was very important for the war effort.
However, Fort Hill no longer exists today. In 1965, the entire hill was removed. This was done to make space for a new wharf, which is a platform built out over water for loading and unloading ships. This particular wharf was built to load iron ore onto ships.
