TOURISTS AT DARWIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23796, 1 May 1939, Page 13

TOURISTS AT DARWIN

LUXURY LINER’S CALL ABORIGINES’ ENTERTAINMENT SYDNEY, Apl. 21. Darwin, Australia’s northern outpost of settlement, went all “ tourist conscious ” this week when the Cunard luxury liner Franconia visited the port during a world tour with 250 American and English tourists, including six millionaires, aboard. The town was specially spruced for the occasion, this being the first time it had entertained such a company of visitors or seen such a large vessel, the Franconia being more than twice the size of the largest vessel that had previously visited the port.

Darv/in is all of Australia that the tourists saw, but they found a Darwin far different from that which for years has been the butt of criticism by travellers from all parts of the world. Roads had been specially repaired, the dust laid with improvised water carts, the waterfront tidied, and hedges and other vegetation pruned. Helped by sunny, dry-season weather, the "town threw off its characteristic lethargy and assumed a picturesque setting that promised to be the foundation of a new reputation.

A carefully organised welcome awaited the tourists. Neatly uniformed officers and troops of the Mobile Force ushered the tourists into a line of 50 private motor cars which had been lent for the occasion by residents. They were then driven 10 miles on a sightseeing tour through the tree-lined streets of the town and out through the bush to the Larrakeyah Barracks, headquarters of the fortress garrison, and to Vestey’s abandoned meat works, where the Mobile Force is stationed.

In the afternoon the tourists were taken to Kahlin Aboriginal Compound, where 500 natives gave an interesting display of aboriginal customs, hunting methods, and skill in arms. Many natives were Myalls who had been called into Darwin by bush telegraph for the occasion. Their prowess with spears, which enabled them to pierce small targets at a distance of 200 yards, won the admiration of the tourists. The aborigines reaped their reward in the sale of examples, of their arts and crafts, which the tourists bought eagerly. After the display the tourists and their hosts, numbering nearly 400 people, were guests of the Administrator, Mr C L. A. Abbott, and Mrs Abbott at a garden party on the terrace of Government House. The Franconia reciprocated Darwin’s hospitality by entertaining at a ball 200 residents, including 40 who “ gate-crashed.” Sixty residents had previously been guests at a sumptuous dinner. The liner was floodlit for the ball. The gay throng danced on the upper deck, under a canopy of stars. Champagne and cocktails flowed and the gaiety continued until early morning.