CONFIRMATION OF CANDIDATURE
Candidate: Maisie Pauline Austin, Doctor of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts and Society
Topic: An Indigenous History of Parap Camp
Supervisors: Dr. Michaela Spencer (Principal), Northern Institute
Dr. Christine Tarbett-Buckley (Associate)
Date: Monday, 10th November 2025
Time: 10:00 AM Darwin time
Location: Room 18, Level 3, CDU Danala city campus and Microsoft Teams Meeting
Online Link: Please send a request to
ZmFzaGRyIHwgY2R1ICEgZWR1ICEgYXU= to request the Teams link.
Abstract:
Parap 118 Military Camp was built in the 1930s to provide accommodation for the Australian and Allied soldiers before and during the Second World War. It comprised rows and rows of Sidney Williams corrugated iron huts and served as the main accommodation for people who had returned to Darwin from the war in the 1940s to the 1960s. It was a ‘melting pot of different nationalities’ where cultures and traditions were shared and lifetime bonds of friendship were formed. Residents believed there was no other place like it in Australia, even though it was one of the most disadvantaged areas of post-war Darwin and had been referred to as a ‘tin-shanty' slum and considered the birthplace of multiculturalism in Darwin and possibly Australia. The stories of residents and the significance of the Parap Camp to the life and culture of Darwin have not been previously recorded. Through a program of creative works and exegesis, this project will celebrate the vibrant history of this place in ways that are suitable for its community.
Biography:
I am a PhD student studying at Charles Darwin University, Faculty of Arts and Society. I was born on Thursday Island, Queensland, but was raised and educated in Darwin since I was three months old, alongside my twelve siblings. I am a proud wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, and have a close and loving relationship with all my family. I lived with my family as a ‘half-caste’ in Parap Camp during the time when we were governed by the many Aboriginal Acts and policies. Many people do not know the background of ‘half-caste’ people or the existence of Parap Camp. As a former resident and historian, I am now embarking on this project to nurture the community and its living history.
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