Phone: 8983 1733

Fax: 8983 2702

Mob: 0413 052 843

Stickybeak Shop
8983 4399

Finlay's Joint Cafe
8983 1055

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THE STORY OF THE MAP

Salvaged from the demolition of the "new" Post Office in 1996 this beautiful map of wartime Darwin was doomed until the contracted demolisher of the building realised after knocking down part of a wall, that he had smashed a part of a unique piece of Darwin History. He was so concerned that he put all the remaining complete pieces onto a truck and brought them to Tom Finlay.

Until the construction of the Stickybeak Shop they remained in Tom’s shed. On close inspection you can see 5 new panels that are reproductions of the original ones that didn't survive the demolition. They were produced in Adelaide using the same polished black granite.

So if it's demolished why call it the "new" Post Office? Just another of Darwin's quirks. The "old" Post Office was destroyed by Japanese bombs in February 1942 and some photos are reproduced alongside this article.

Several buildings were used as Post Offices after World War 2 until the "new" Post Office was built in 1964.

To commemorate the sad loss of 9 Post Office staff when the bomb directly hit the "old" Post Office, this magnificent black granite engraving was erected in the foyer of the "new" Post Office on the corner of Smith and Knuckey Streets to show the location of the "old" Post Office in relation to the Town of Darwin in 1942.

This site is now Darwin Central Hotel and this map is all that was retained. There is however a piece of the "old" Post Office still to be seen at Parliament House. Outside the front of the building a piece of the structure of the "old" Post Office remains as a heritage to a past era of Darwin Town.

The “new” Post Office where this map once stood.

Directly after the bomb hit. Note the crater in the foreground where another landed nearby.

The unfortunate Post Office staff didn’t stand a chance!

Click photo to get a larger view

The “old” Post Office in Mitchell street at the site of the current Parliament House.

That’s a weather station on the left and note the bicycle leaning against the verandah post.

That’s how mail and telegrams were delivered until the 1970’s!