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"Bold, graceful and functional, it lends a touch of simple elegance to the corner of Smith and Bennett Street." That's how the Northern Territory News described the brand new Reserve Bank of Australia when it opened in Darwin 50 years ago this week. Located on the site of the old Jolly's Store, it was the fourth and final bank to be built on Banker's Corner. It operated for nearly 30 years, closing in October 1997 due to changes in the banking system. It was taken over by the United Nations in 1999 for uses as a base for its operations during East Timor’s violent transition to independence and is now Darwin’s Visitor Information Centre.

Image: Northern Territory Library, Graeme Cheater Collection


Published: 1 April 2018

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Forgotten Territory was a weekly photo column of historic images in the Northern Territory News which I curated from 2016 until 2019 supported by the collections of the Northern Territory Library and other cultural institutions around Australia, as well as local history Facebook groups. 

Click on the images to read the story behind the image.

Warning: May contain images of people who have died.

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