Main site navigation

Darwin's temple

Gallery

  • Click to view details about this catalogue record + digital image

    Chinese Joss House and temple, 1939, by Hodder, Ivan, courtesy of Northern Territory Library.
    Details

  • Click to view details about this catalogue record + digital image

    Temple, c. 1908 - c. 1942, by Litchfield, Jessie, courtesy of Northern Territory Library.
    Details

  • Click to view details about this catalogue record + digital image

    Temple, 1940, by Jenkins, Duncan, courtesy of Northern Territory Library.
    Details

  • Click to view details about this catalogue record + digital image

    Temple, 1940, by Jenkins, Duncan, courtesy of Northern Territory Library.
    Details

  • Click to view details about this catalogue record + digital image

    Chinese Temple (Joss House), 1920s, courtesy of Northern Territory Library.
    Details

  • Click to view details about this catalogue record + digital image

    Joss House, by Fletcher, Mrs, courtesy of Northern Territory Library.
    Details

  • Click to view details about this catalogue record + digital image

    Chinese Joss House, courtesy of Northern Territory Library.
    Details

  • Click to view details about this catalogue record + digital image

    Temple, 1940, by Jenkins, Duncan, courtesy of Northern Territory Library.
    Details

  • Click to view details about this catalogue record + digital image

    Temple, c. 1908 - c. 1942, by Litchfield, Jessie, courtesy of Northern Territory Library.
    Details

  • Click to view details about this catalogue record + digital image

    Chinese festival, Darwin, 1922, courtesy of State Library of South Australia.
    Details

Alternative Names
  • Chung Wah Temple (current use)
  • Darwin's temples (also used)
  • Lich-Sheng-Kung (also used)
Summary

Darwin's temple was originally built on the Esplanade next to the old Court House. After complaints about the noise made during ceremonies and festivals it was moved to Woods Street in 1887.

The Woods Street temple was damaged during the cyclones of 1897 and 1937 and also during the bombing of Darwin in 1942. At this time the furnishings and statues were looted and vandalised by Australian soldiers. The temple was restored and reopened on 22 February 1959.

In 1974 Cyclone Tracy totally demolished the Temple. Funds were raised from Chinese communities around Australia to rebuild it according to the original design. The new temple was officially reopened on 28 September 1978.

Related Concepts

Archival Collections

State Library of New South Wales - Mitchell Library

  • Papers of E.D.W.S. Donnison, with photographs and newscuttings connected with her son Laurence Donnison, 1870 - 1964, ML MSS 890/3; State Library of New South Wales - Mitchell Library. Details

Published Resources

Books

  • Kok, Hu Jin, Chinese Temples in Australia: Hall of the Ranking Sages, Darwin, Northern Territory, Chinese Temples in Australia, vol. 4, Bendigo Golden Dragon Museum, Bendigo, Victoria, 2005. Details

Book Sections

  • On, Robyn, 'The Chung Wah Society: Past & Present', in Glenys Dimond (ed.), Sweet and Sour: Experiences of Chinese Families in the Northern Territory, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, 1996, pp. 39-49. Details

Journal Articles

  • 'Our cameraman's walkabout', Walkabout, 1 January 1936. Details

Images

Title
Altar and interior of Darwin temple
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1939
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Altar at Woods Street temple
Type
Photograph
Date
1940s
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston) - Woods Street
Details
Title
Altar at Woods Street temple
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1908 - c. 1942
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston) - Woods Street
Details
Title
Altar at Woods Street temple
Type
Photograph
Date
1940
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston) - Woods Street
Details
Title
Altar in Darwin temple
Type
Photograph
Date
1941
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Altar in Darwin's temple
Type
Photograph
Date
1941
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Altar in Woods Street temple
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston) - Woods Street
Details
Title
Altar in Woods Street temple
Type
Photograph
Date
1920s
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston) - Woods Street
Details
Title
Altar in Woods Street temple
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston) - Woods Street
Details
Title
Altar in Woods Street temple
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1940
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston) - Woods Street
Details
Title
Altar of Woods Street temple
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1908 - c. 1942
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston) - Woods Street
Details
Title
Ancestral tablets
Type
Photograph
Date
1920? - ?
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Ancestral tablets in Darwin's temple
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1915
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Bringing the dragon (or lion?) out of a Chinese temple at New Years Festival
Type
Photograph
Date
1922
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Close view of the Darwin temple altar and decorations
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1908 - c. 1942
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston) - Woods Street
Details
Title
Darwin temple altar
Type
Photograph
Date
1915 - 1930
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston) - Woods Street
Details
Title
Darwin's temple altar
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1928 - c. 1931
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Darwin's temple altar against corrogated iron wall
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1928 - c. 1931
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Detail of temple altar
Type
Photograph
Date
- 1900
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Dorothy (Dolly) Yuen Ng standing outside the Chinese Temple, Darwin, dressed in 'Princess of the Float' costume
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1926
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston) - Woods Street
Details
Title
Entrance to Darwin's temple
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1901 - c. 1904
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Entrance to principal Joss house, Prayer furnace at left
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1901 - c. 1904
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Group of unidentified men before repatriation to China
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1914
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston) - Woods Street
Details
Title
Interior of Darwin temple
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Interior of Darwin temple
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Interior of Darwin temple showing detail of altar
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1922
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Interior of Darwin's temple
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1920 - c. 1924
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Interior of Woods Street temple
Type
Photograph
Date
1908 - 1942
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston) - Woods Street
Details
Title
Interior ornament, Chinese temple, Darwin
Type
Photograph
Date
1922
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Interior view of the Woods Street temple with streamers
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1928 - c. 1929
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston) - Woods Street
Details
Title
Mah Buk infront of Darwin bronze fretted temple doors
Type
Photograph
Date
1 October 1942
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Painted portrait of unidentified man in Darwin's temple
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1915
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Palanquin used in New Year ceremonies inside Chinese temple, Darwin
Type
Photograph
Date
1922
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston) - Woods Street
Details
Title
Rear of Chinese temple in Darwin
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1895
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Side view of Darwin temple
Type
Photograph
Date
1930s
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Temple altar
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1960
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston) - Woods Street
Details
Title
Temple idol
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1 January 1936
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Temple idol
Type
Photograph
Date
1920s - ?
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Unidentified guilded idol in Darwin Chinese Temple
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1922
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details
Title
Unidentified man sitting in temple
Type
Photograph
Date
1930s
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston)
Details

See also

Title
Chinese lion outside Woods Street temple
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston) - Woods Street
Details
Title
Entrance to the temple
Type
Photograph
Date
1925
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Darwin (Palmerston) - Woods Street
Details
Title
Mon Cham of Pine Creek standing in the doorway of Chinese temple
Type
Photograph
Place
Australia - Northern Territory - Pine Creek?
Details
Title
Stone lion
Type
Photograph
Date
c. 1946
Place
Australia - Northern Territory
Details

Sources used to compile this entry: On, Robyn, 'The Chung Wah Society: Past & Present', in Glenys Dimond (ed.), Sweet and Sour: Experiences of Chinese Families in the Northern Territory, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, 1996, pp. 39-49.

Created: 23 June 2006, Last modified: 9 May 2008