Doctor's Gully - Darwin NT
NTL PH08370005 - stereoscope image of some of Goyder's 150 men digging for water in Doctor's Gully (1869-1870)
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Stereoscopic images were produced in pairs to give the illusion of three-dimensional depth. The official photographer was Joseph Brooks - assisted by Capt. Samuel Sweet and Paul Foelsche was also busy. The absence of the Gulnare or an anchor suggest that this is a Brooks image.
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Dr Peel in Doctor's Gully {for whom it was named} - the fence is behind him - he has a shotgun & is perhaps waiting for the evening flight of birds such as the Torres Strait pigeon. A Brooks image 1869/70
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Shou Lao Statue 1879
From the Power House Museum Sydney NSW. Figure 'Shou Lao', carved pinite, maker unknown, China,
[early 19th century], excavated in Doctor's Gully, Palmerston, Port Darwin,
Northern Territory, Australia, 1879
"The Chinese archaeologists passed no comment on the figure regarding it as a curio. Other experts passing through and to whom I have shown it, place it at the earliest in the second half of the C18th, & most likely in the early C19th. It is a minor work and no doubt there are few accurately dated examples of this kind, but I see no reason to claim great antiquity for it". Owing to the inadequacy of the record of excavation in 1879 it would appear that stylistic analysis is the only option for dating. The Powerhouse Museum continues to gather information and opinions about the date of the object." (John Wade was a Curator at the Powerhouse Museum)
Historical Notes
The Shou Lao figurine was discovered in 1879 at Doctor's Gully, Palmerston, Port Darwin, Northern Territory, when a gang of workmen, making a road, cleared a banyan tree and found the statue wedged amongst its roots. The gang was supervised by a government official, Mr Strawbridge, who pocketed the find. Late in 1888, the Curator of the Technological Museum in Sydney (later Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences) wrote to various bodies exhibiting at the Centennial International Exhibition, seeking donations of material for the Museum. In response, the South Australian Commissioner sent a plaster cast of the statuette.
Thomas Worsnop, Town Clerk of Adelaide, purchased the figure from Strawbridge for five guineas. After his death there was an unsuccessful attempt to sell the figure to the South Australian Museum. Later the figure was placed, by Worsnop's daughters, on loan to the Art Gallery of South Australia, (apparently in the 1930s) but was withdrawn during WWII for fear of Japanese bombing raids. The figure passed by descent to Mrs May Krogman, who offered it to the Australian Museum early in 1950. The curator at the Australian Museum suggested it belonged in the Technological Museum & was purchased by that museum for 10 pounds.
"The Chinese archaeologists passed no comment on the figure regarding it as a curio. Other experts passing through and to whom I have shown it, place it at the earliest in the second half of the C18th, & most likely in the early C19th. It is a minor work and no doubt there are few accurately dated examples of this kind, but I see no reason to claim great antiquity for it". Owing to the inadequacy of the record of excavation in 1879 it would appear that stylistic analysis is the only option for dating. The Powerhouse Museum continues to gather information and opinions about the date of the object." (John Wade was a Curator at the Powerhouse Museum)
Historical Notes
The Shou Lao figurine was discovered in 1879 at Doctor's Gully, Palmerston, Port Darwin, Northern Territory, when a gang of workmen, making a road, cleared a banyan tree and found the statue wedged amongst its roots. The gang was supervised by a government official, Mr Strawbridge, who pocketed the find. Late in 1888, the Curator of the Technological Museum in Sydney (later Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences) wrote to various bodies exhibiting at the Centennial International Exhibition, seeking donations of material for the Museum. In response, the South Australian Commissioner sent a plaster cast of the statuette.
Thomas Worsnop, Town Clerk of Adelaide, purchased the figure from Strawbridge for five guineas. After his death there was an unsuccessful attempt to sell the figure to the South Australian Museum. Later the figure was placed, by Worsnop's daughters, on loan to the Art Gallery of South Australia, (apparently in the 1930s) but was withdrawn during WWII for fear of Japanese bombing raids. The figure passed by descent to Mrs May Krogman, who offered it to the Australian Museum early in 1950. The curator at the Australian Museum suggested it belonged in the Technological Museum & was purchased by that museum for 10 pounds.
Taoist figure Shou Lao riding a deer - often holding a peach - an ancient Chinese God of longevity. Patron of doctors & medicine - one of gods of the happiness, bringing health, healing from otherwise fatal illness.
John Wade (a former Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences curator) speculates that the most likely explanation for its presence in Australia was that it came with Macassan fishermen engaged in the trepang trade with China.
Later comments on file by Claire Roberts (Powerhouse Museum Curator) following discussion with Margaret Clinch (13/2/1996) of the Northern Territory Historical Society suggest that the figurine was more likely to have been deposited in the tree some years before discovery.
The Macassan connection is unlikely because trepangers did not usually come to Doctor's Gully / Darwin, preferring instead another area of the Northern Territory. Margaret Clinch feels the figurine was more likely left by local Chinese people already in Australia.
Read more:
http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=180376#ixzz3F8kk6x4l
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial
Later comments on file by Claire Roberts (Powerhouse Museum Curator) following discussion with Margaret Clinch (13/2/1996) of the Northern Territory Historical Society suggest that the figurine was more likely to have been deposited in the tree some years before discovery.
The Macassan connection is unlikely because trepangers did not usually come to Doctor's Gully / Darwin, preferring instead another area of the Northern Territory. Margaret Clinch feels the figurine was more likely left by local Chinese people already in Australia.
Read more:
http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=180376#ixzz3F8kk6x4l
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial
Paul Foelsche image 1883 - Chinese Gardens above Doctor's Gully - first hospital atop cliff on other (western) side of gully.
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PH0190-0027 - one of the Chinese fishermen who lived at Doctors Gully - dried fish & sold them to the Government who dispersed them as rations.
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Moo Tai Mue Chinese Fishermen's Temple
According to Alister M. Bowen 'Archaeology of the Chinese Fishing Industry in Colonial Victoria' this is the only known image of a Chinese Fishermen's Temple in Australia - it was taken "before1900" at Fishermen's Beach Palmerston. Bowen continues - "Lack of water during the Northern Territory dry season slowed Chinese mining operations. At these times, the Palmerston Government often provided Chinese miners with relief work, which paid a small wage and food rations (Jones 1990:23) Part of the weekly rations included 3 1/4 lb of salt fish. It is highly likely that this product was Chinese cured fish, revealing a situation possibly unique to Australia where the government purchased produce from Chinese fish curers."
The main temple was bombed by the Japanese in 1942 after which Australian soldiers looted the furniture and temple artefacts. It is reported that soldiers bombed and destroyed the Fishermen's Temple - this could be a confusion of the events & temples - there was anti-Chinese sentiment - the area was cleared for the Catalina Base - all of the above.
The main temple was bombed by the Japanese in 1942 after which Australian soldiers looted the furniture and temple artefacts. It is reported that soldiers bombed and destroyed the Fishermen's Temple - this could be a confusion of the events & temples - there was anti-Chinese sentiment - the area was cleared for the Catalina Base - all of the above.
Historic Maps series - Port Darwin 1905 www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/imfPublic/sites/historic_map_index
Historic Maps series - Port Darwin www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/imfPublic/sites/historic_map_index
Historic Maps series - Port Darwin 1870 www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/imfPublic/sites/historic_map_index