A gun salute is performed by the 8/12 Regiment of the Royal Australian Artillery during the recent Darwin bombing commemoration. Photo: Department of Defence
Hard on the heels of celebrating the 83rd anniversary of the Darwin bombing, the NT Government wants to pitch the Territory as the ‘must-do’ military tourism destination in the country.
As part of a $3 million boost to military tourism, the government released a Military Heritage Tourism Action Plan to develop and promote the Territory’s military tourism sites and experiences.
The first stage of the plan will roll-out a new $1m grant program to help tourism operators develop, expand or improve historic military experiences.
An audit of 30 military heritage sites will be carried out to assess signs, infrastructure, and digital requirements to ensure visitor access followed by a marketing campaign.
The government says an AI trip planner is in development, harnessing digital information to generate personal itineraries.
The government has just formed a Military Heritage Tourism Advisory Committee to create a 10-year strategy that Tourism Minister Marie-Clare Boothby says will establish the Territory as a major military tourism destination.
“More bombs were dropped in the Territory than Pearl Harbour including hundreds of kilometres from Darwin with historical sites right along the Stuart Highway,” she says.
She accused Labor of failing to recognise the Territory’s military tourism potential and left these sites to deteriorate.
“Now, we are restoring them because we want to tell the world: if you’re looking for war history, you come to the Northern Territory.
“With our rich history and ongoing role in defence, we have a clear competitive edge.
“There is no better place in Australia to learn about military heritage than right here in the Territory.”
Events such as the recent Bombing of Darwin commemoration and the Pitch Black biennial defence exercises consistently attract record crowds, the government says.
More than 240 people died during the bombing of Darwin on February 19, 1942, as Japanese aircraft attacked other towns as well including Broome, Townsville, Katherine and others.
