In a ceremony at the Northern Territory Library, Parliament House the Honourable Michael Gunner, Chief Minister of the Northern Territory announced the winner 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,” Patrick Gregory, Senior Director Northern Territory Library and Archives said.

This year, the Award was presented to A Stubborn City: Darwin 1911-1978, written by Kathy De La Rue and published by the Historical Society of the Northern Territory. The book is a definitive publication for people to learn about the politics, popular leisure and urban history of Darwin from 1911 to 1978.

Ms De La Rue was unable to attend the Award ceremony, and Dr Samantha Wells, President of the Professional Historians Association (NT) accepted the Award on her behalf.

The panel of expert judges said there was an exceptionally strong field of entries this year with an interesting range of topics and genres explored.

“With broad appeal and accessibility for the reader, Kathy De La Rue’s book is superior in production and is meticulously researched and referenced.” the panel said.

The Chief Minister’s Northern Territory History Book Award has been administered by the Northern Territory Library since its creation in 2004.  The books entered have also been added to the Library’s collection.

The books shortlisted for the Award were:

• 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.

A special commendation was given to Robyn Smith’s illustrated children’s’ book Quincey and the Sherriff. The judges felt Smith’s work to share an historical story that is accessible to younger audiences is important for the next generation to engage with history.

ENDS

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