Shortlist announced for the Chief Minister’s Northern Territory History Book Award 2018

Gold medal stating Shortlisted 2018

Senior Director Northern Territory Library and Archives, Mr Patrick Gregory, is proud to announce the shortlist for the 2018 Chief Minister’s Northern Territory History Book Award.

“The 2018 Chief Minister’s Northern Territory History Book Award recognises the most significant contribution to Northern Territory history published in 2017,” Mr Gregory said.

The shortlisted books vying for the Award are:

  • A Stubborn City: Darwin 1911-1978 by Kathy De La Rue
  • Charles James Kirkland: The Life and Times of a Pioneer Newspaperman in the Top End of Australia by Steven Farram
  • The Intrepid Hilda Abbott: Author, Designer, Red Cross Officer, Political Wife, 1890-1984, by Pam Oliver
  • Tjungunutja: from having come together by Sid Anderson, John Kean, Professor Fred R Myers, Lisa Nolan, Dr Benedict Scambary, Luke Scholes, Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra, Michael Nelson Tjakamarra, Joseph Jurrah Tjapaltjarri, Bobby West Tjupurrula, Desmond Phillipus Tjupurrula and Margie West

The Northern Territory Library received a record 19 entries for the 2018 Award with the number of entries consistent with previous years’ offerings. 

“This year we received over double the number of entries from 2015 with a really interesting range of subjects and presentation styles that included a theatre script and a children’s book” said Patrick Gregory, Senior Director Northern Territory Library and Archives. 

The panel of expert judges said there was an exceptionally strong field of entries this year. 

“The number of entries and the diversity in topics is a testimony to the fact there is a significant amount of work taking place to capture history. Across the entries there are demonstrations of high levels of research and analysis which is vital in presenting an historical work. 

The four shortlisted works are diverse in subject with all pieces offering something new to the historical landscape as well as being accessible to a diverse audience” the panel said.   

The 19 entries were:

  • A Nice Day for Flying: Bombing Of Darwin by Garry Gallagher
  • A Stubborn City: Darwin 1911-1978 by Kathy De La Rue
  • Bloody Bastard Beautiful by Mocco Wollert
  • Charles James Kirkland: The Life and Times of a Pioneer Newspaperman in the Top End of Australia by Steven Farram
  • Darwin 1942: The Japanese Attack on Australia by Bob Alford
  • Eagle and Lamb by Noel Kentish
  • Fort Dundas: The British in North Australia 1824-29 by Derek Pugh    
  • Gilruth: John Anderson Gilruth: A Complex Man by Ted Egan
  • History of Bilingual Education in the Northern Territory - People, programs and policies by Brian Devlin, Samantha Disbray, Nancy Friedman Devlin
  • Iron Roads in the Outback - The Legendary Commonwealth Railways by Nick Anchen
  • Mr Takahashi (and other falling secrets) by Sandra Thibodeaux
  • Quincy and the Sheriff by Robyn Smith            
  • Songlines and Fault Lines by Glenn Morrison
  • The Empire Strikes South by Tom Lewis        
  • The Fall of the Daisy Cutters - bombing of Katherine WW11 1939-1945, by Mike Reed
  • The Intrepid Hilda Abbott: Author, Designer, Red Cross Officer, Political Wife, 1890-1984 by Pam Oliver
  • The Spear and the Gun by Robert Baker 
  • Tjungunutja: from having come together by Sid Anderson, John Kean, Professor Fred R Myers, Lisa Nolan, Dr Benedict Scambary, Luke Scholes, Long Jack Phillipus Tjakamarra, Michael Nelson Tjakamarra, Joseph Jurrah Tjapaltjarri, Bobby West Tjupurrula, Desmond Phillipus Tjupurrula and Margie West
  • Waratah Football Club: a 100 year history: 1917 – 2017 by Nigel Adlam    

The Chief Minister’s Northern Territory History Book Award has been administered by the Northern Territory Library since its creation in 2004.

The winner of the 2018 Chief Minister’s Northern Territory History Book Award will be announced at a ceremony on Wednesday 4 July at Northern Territory Library in Parliament House.