Occasional Papers

The Occasional Papers Series has been published by the Northern Territory Library since 1986. The Series provides writers and researchers with the opportunity to publish works which highlight significant or hitherto little known aspects of Northern Territory history and social life.

Included in the Series are papers presented by speakers chosen to deliver the Northern Territory Library’s annual Eric Johnston Lecture.

Hard copies of Occasional Papers are available free of charge from the Northern Territory Library whilst stocks last.

65. DEWAR, Mickey

What exactly is that great Territory lifestyle? (pdf 120Kb)
Lecture for the Northern Territory Library. August 2011
64.
 Johns, Gary

Statehood stalemate : a modest proposal (pdf 172 Kb)
May 2011
63. GIESE, Diana

One Fabulous Night Only: Entertaining the Territory. (pdf 2.4Mb)
Leisure and pleasure; how Top End people from the 1950s and 60s pioneered today’s thriving arts and entertainment scene. December 2009
62.
 MARTIN, Clare

get_adobe_readerReflections on being in Government 2001 - 2007.(pdf 165Kb)
The Twenty Third Eric Johnston Lecture, 2009
61. CALMA, Tom

A human rights agenda for the Northern Territory.(pdf 947Kb)
The Twenty Second Eric Johnston Lecture, 2008

60. ASCHE, Austin

"When we were South Australian" (pdf 334Kb)

Video of Lecture Introduction (mov 33.39Mb)

Video of Lecture part 1 (mov 38.52Mb)

Video of Lecture part 2 (mov 46.95Mb) 

Video of Lecture part 3 (mov 41.33Mb)

Video of Lecture part 4 (mov 41.31Mb)

Video of Lecture part 5 (mov 37.44Mb)

Video of Lecture part 6 (mov 15.36Mb)
The Twenty First Eric Johnston Lecture, 2007
59.
 NUNN, Judy

"Territory"(pdf 81.2Kb)
The Twentieth Eric Johnston Lecture, 2006.
58. Paspaley, Marilynne

Finding the spirit of Darwin (pdf 54Kb)
The Nineteenth Eric Johnston Lecture, 2005
57.
 BUNBURY, Bill

Cyclone Tracy - An ILL Wind? (pdf 122Kb)
Listen to this lecture (wma 26.46Mb)
The Eighteenth Eric Johnston Lecture, 2004
56.
 JARVIS, Martin

Under the stars in tropical Vienna (pdf 347Kb)
The Seventeenth Eric Johnston Lecture, 2003
55.
 UNDERWOOD, Terry

Nowhere to Somewhere (pdf 86Kb)
The Sixteenth Eric Johnston Lecture, November 2001.
54.
 ANICTOMATIS, John

A Home Away from Home - the Aegean to Australia (pdf 52Kb)
The Fifteenth Eric Johnston Lecture, December 2000.
53.
 COLLINS, Bob

Learning Lessons - Indigenous Education in the Northern Territory (pdf 26Kb)
The Fourteenth Eric Johnston Lecture, November 1999.
52.
 EGAN, Ted

Makarrta - Caledon Bay and Woodah Island Killings of 1932-33.
The Thirteenth Eric Johnston Lecture, December 1998.
51.
 LETTS, Goff

The Great Banteng Muster : the Cobourg Expeditions 1960 - 1963. (pdf 98.2Kb)
The Twelfth Eric Johnston Lecture, November 1997.
50.
 YUNUPINGU, Mandawuy

New Love Song for an Old Land.
Audio of Lecture Introduction (mp3 7.168Mb)
Audio of Lecture part 1 (mp3 15.99Mb)
Audio of Lecture part 2 (mp3 10.05Mb)
Audio of Lecture part 3 (mp3 8.024Mb)
Audio of Lecture part 4 (mp3 3.299Mb)
The Eleventh Eric Johnston Lecture, November 1996.
49.
 POIGNANT, Roslyn

Lost Conversations, Recovered Archives 1995. (pdf 244Kb)
The Tenth Eric Johnston Lecture, November 1995.
48.
 withdrawn



47.
 RIDDETT, Lyn

"We had good meals, plenty of nice vegetables, plenty of fish, plenty of ducks and geese..." : food and eating in outback Territory, 1900 - 1950 1996. (pdf 137Kb)
46.
 BAUMANN, Miriam-Rose

Aboriginal Education 1994 (pdf 61Kb)
The Ninth Eric Johnston Lecture, November 1994.
45.
 GIESE, Diana

"All the flavour of the times returns": using oral history to explore the Top End's heritage. (pdf 2.22Mb) 1994.
44.
 MULVANEY, D.J.

The Search for Captain Collet Barker of Raffles Bay. 1994. (pdf 1.11Mb)
A brief biographical look at Collet Barker the Commandant of Fort Wellington, 1828 - 1829. The
Eighth Eric Johnston Lecture, 5 November 1993.
43.
 BROWNE, L.F.S.

John McKinlay and the Mary River mud. 1993. (pdf 758Kb)
Retraces the McKinlay Expedition of 1866.
42.
 DEWAR, Mickey

From the Little Black Princess to Biggles: Representations of the Northern Territory in Children's Literature. 1993. (pdf 1.06Mb)
A look at the way in which the Northern Territory has been depicted in children's books.
41.
 CARMENT, David with WILSON, Helen J and JAMES, Barbara

The Father, brother, uncle, aunt and numerous other watchful relatives of the place": John George Knight and the Northern Territory. 1993. (pdf 1.10Mb)
The story of J.G. Knight and his unequalled contribution to the development of Palmerston
(Darwin) in the 1890s.
40.
 WELLS, A.

Bugs and bug collectors of the Northern Territory: entomology and entomologists in the Northern Territory. 1993. (pdf 637Kb)
The first history of Northern Territory entomology.
39.
 BROWN, George

A Planning History: Darwin Botanic Garden, past, present, future; and, Planning, a new approach. 1993. (pdf 739Kb)
2 papers by the former head of the Darwin Botanic Garden and now Lord Mayor of Darwin.
38.
 BRAITHWAITE, R.W.

Gardening as environmentalism: a Top End perspective. 1993. (pdf 1.6Mb)
Gardening in Darwin, and how we can do our bit towards saving the planet.
37.
 STANTON, Vai

Talking for country: the land and its song; and, The Ties that bind indigenous people around the world. 1993. (pdf 781Kb)
A member of the Kungarrakunj tribe in the Northern Territory's Top End, and a former Regional
Councillor of ATSIC, Vai Stanton speaks with quiet fervour and conviction of her ties to the land, and explains what her "country" means to her. In the second paper she describes the similarities that exist between indigenous people in all parts of the world.
36.
 HARGRAVE, John C.

The best of both worlds: Aboriginal health then and now. 1993. (pdf 1.45Mb)
The history of Aboriginal health, including general social and economic conditions, by a distinguished doctor who has served almost 40 years in the Territory. The seventh Eric Johnson Lecture, 9 November 1992.
35.
 GARDINER, Anne

Melding of Two Spirits:from the 'Yiminga' of the Tiwi to the 'Yiminga' of Christianity. 1993. (pdf  879Kb)
A look at the way in which Christianity has been absorbed into the life and culture of the Tiwi
Islanders (Bathurst and Melville Islands).
34.
 DERMOUDY, Peter

The I124: a Japanese submarine wreck in Clarence Strait. 1992. (pdf 499Kb)
The sinking of the Japanese submarine I124 in Clarence Strait in 1942, and the subsequent futile efforts to salvage it.
33.
 EADIE, R.

Office of Ombudsman. 1992. (pdf 428Kb)
The Office of Ombudsman in the Northern Territory, by a former incumbent.
32.
 DEWAR, Mickey

"Snorters, Fools and Little'uns": sexual politics and Territory writing in the South Australian period. 1992. (pdf 684Kb)
The way in which history and current events, particularly those relating to women, are depicted in early Territory writing.
31.
 LONG, Jeremy

The Go-Betweens: the Patrol Officer service in the Northern Territory. 1992. (pdf 511Kb)
A brief look at the early years of the Patrol Officer service in the Northern Territory, up to 1946.
30.
 THOMSON, J.M.

Northern Territory fisheries. 1992. (pdf 465Kb)
A realistic look at the potential of the NT fisheries, in the perspective of the world's great fisheries.
29.
 KNIGHT, John

The Northern Territory coast. 1992. (pdf  808Kb)
Outlines the history of exploration along the NT coast, and speaks of the problems and dangers of navigation in these waters.
28.
 HASLUCK, Paul

Pioneers of post war recovery 1992. (pdf 55Kb)
Deals with the Northern Territory Administrators and senior public servants in the 1950s, the time when so many new policies were introduced, and the NT finally seemed to be moving out of its ninety year economic slumber. The Sixth Eric Johnston Lecture, 7 November 1991.
27.
 FLYNN, Frank

Rebuilding the beacon: Point Smith, Port Essington. 1992. (pdf 1.17Mb)
Whilst describing the rebuilding of the 100 year old beacon at Port Essington (or Victoria settlement), Father Flynn looks at the historic settlement, and its short history.
26.
 BARRITT, Dennis

Some community problems from a court's perspective. 1991. (pdf  574Kb)
A former Alice Springs Stipendiary Magistrate speaks out on the cases which come before him. He speaks of the conditions which lead to such breaches of the law, and proposes some unconventional but thought-provoking remedies.
25.
 KIMBER, R.G.

The end of the bad old days: European settlement in Central Australia, 1871-1894. 1991. (pdf 1.73Mb)
How white "civilisation" came to Central Australia, and what it meant to the Aboriginal inhabitants. The Fifth Eric Johnston Lecture, 9 November 1991.
24.
 COOMBS, H.C.

Aborigines and development in Northern Australia 1991. (pdf 43Kb)
The "grand old man of Aboriginal Affairs", Dr Nugget Coombs, speaks of the effects economic and industrial / agricultural development has had on the country, and on the Aboriginal population.
23.
 RIDDETT, Lyn

Growing up in the pastoral frontier: conception, birth and childhood on cattle stations in the NT, 1920-1950 (pdf 112Kb); and,
Recreation and entertainment on Northern Territory pastoral stations, 1910-1950 (pdf 132Kb) 1991.

See also Paper 47 "We had good meals, plenty of nice vegetables, plenty of fish, plenty of ducks and geese..." : food and eating in outback Territory, 1900 - 1950 (pdf 137Kb) by Dr. Lyn Riddett
22.
 ATHERTON, C.M.

The Northern Territory - South Australian white elephant / Commonwealth prize: perception and reality in the federation era. 1991. (pdf 1.46Mb)
A fascinating study of the machinations and manoeuvring during the 20 years preceding the take-over of the Northern Territory by the Commonwealth in 1911.
21.
 NICHOLSON, Graham

Ten years of self-government: a constitutional perspective.1990. (pdf  686Kb)
A history of constitutional development in the NT, with the emphasis on post 1978 events.
20.
 GIESE, Nan

The Darwin Institute of Technology: a historical perspective. 1990. (pdf 1.31Mb)
A history of the Darwin Institute of Technology (now the Northern Territory University), which is also a history of higher education in the NT. By a former Chairperson of the Institute's Council, and the current Northern Territory University Chancellor.
19.
 LIM, Alec Fong

Memories of pre-war Northern Territory towns. 1990. (pdf 1.8Mb)

Personal experiences of life in "frontier" towns in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. By a former Lord Mayor of Darwin.
18.
 FORREST, Peter

They of the Never Never. 1990. (pdf 745Kb)
A history of Elsey Station (the setting for "We of the Never Never") and a look at the main characters associated with the station.
17.
 WOODWARD, A.E.

Three wigs and five hats. 1990. (pdf  1.78Mb)
An account of his many visits to the Territory, as Supreme Court Judge and as Chairman of numerous Royal Commissions, including the Land Rights Commission on which the NT Land Rights Act is based. The Fourth Eric Johnston Lecture, 10 November, 1989.
16.
 GIESE, Harry

Planning a program for Aborigines in the 1950s. 1990. (pdf 616Kb)
Planning and putting into effect the new policies in Aboriginal affairs in the Northern Territory during the Hasluck years.
15.
 withdrawn



14. ROLLS, Eric

The erratic communication between Australia and China. 1990. (pdf 1.01Mb)
13. BOHNING, Elsie & JAMES, Barbara (comp)

Elsie Bohning, the little bush maid. 1990. (pdf 3.54Mb)
A collection of letters written to the NT Times from 1921-1932. They describe life on an isolated cattle station in the NT.
12.
 EVANS, Ted

Arnhem Land: a personal history. 1990. (pdf 446Kb)
A brief account of Arnhem Land and the Aborigines, concentrating on events after World War 2. By a former Patrol Officer.
11.
 BUCKNALL, Graeme

Pioneers of the old track: Oodnadatta - Alice Springs, 1870-1929. 1990. (pdf 1.25Mb)
History of the old Oodnadatta - Alice Springs road, and of the settlements and pastoral stations along it.
10.
 STACK, Ella

Aboriginal pharmacopoeia. 1989. (pdf 1.49Mb)
The story behind the last authentic native pharmacopoeia in the world, the Northern Territory government's bi-centennial project. The Third Eric Johnston Lecture, 4 May 1988.
9.
 OGDEN, Pearl

Katherine's earlier days. 1989. (pdf 720Kb)
The history of Katherine told through the sale/lease of town allotments.
8.
 CLARK, C.M.H.

Writing a History of Australia. 1989. (pdf 808Kb)
The pitfalls of attempting to write an unbiased history of Australia, and a plea for racial harmony. The Second Eric Johnston Lecture, 1 July 1987.
7.
 DOOLAN, Jack

The founding of Maningrida. 1989. (pdf 11.7Mb)
The story of the original founding of the Arnhem Land Aboriginal settlement at Maningrida in 1949.
6.
 SANSOME, D. (comp.)

Xavier Herbert : a bibliography. 1988. (pdf 6.06Mb)
5.
 JOHNSTON, Eric

Operation Navy Help: disaster operations by the Royal Australian Navy post Cyclone Tracy. 1987. (pdf 1.48Mb)
The First Eric Johnston Lecture, 7 July 1986.
4.
 FOLEY, Mike

Point Charles lighthouse; and, The military occupation of Cox Peninsula. 1987. (pdf 1.16Mb)
The building and the subsequent history of Point Charles Lighthouse on Cox Peninsula, and the history of the region during World War 2.
3.
 SEE-KEE, Charles

Chinese contribution to early Darwin. 1987. (pdf 536Kb)
Looks at the Chinese influence in the Northern Territory.
2.
 O'LOUGHLIN, J.P.

The history of the Catholic Church in the Northern Territory. 1986. (pdf 676Kb)
By the late Bishop of the Northern Territory.
1.
 POWELL, Alan

John Stokes and the men of the Beagle - discoverers of Port Darwin. 1986. (pdf 947Kb)
A brief look at the major figures on board the Beagle during her 1839 North Australian survey voyage, when Port Darwin was discovered and named.