A history of Darwin in the post-war period has gained the support of the National Archives of Australia through its $15,000 Frederick Watson Fellowship.

Director-General Ross Gibbs today announced that Darwin historian Dr Mickey Dewar was the recipient of the of 2007 Frederick Watson Fellowship.

‘Dr Dewar aims to research a history of the nature of postwar Darwin through a detailed study of Commonwealth public housing policy in the 1950s,’ said Mr Gibbs.

Bombing raids during World War II had annihilated existing infrastructure including housing. Peace brought an unprecedented population growth to the city, which created an accommodation crisis.

‘Before Darwin could attract the skilled labour force required to reconstruct the city, it needed a Commonwealth public housing program, unlike the patterns of private home ownership elsewhere in Australia,’ said Mr Gibbs.

‘Dr Dewar will investigate the active integration of ethnic groups within the mainstream and how the policy contributed strongly to a proudly multi-racial social environment that was unique in Australia at the time.’

During the 1950s the Northern Territory was administered by the Commonwealth of Australia. The Commonwealth records held by the National Archives in Darwin and Canberra will form the basis of Dr Dewar’s historical research.

Dr Dewar is a prominent historian whose previous books on Northern Territory literature and the history of Fannie Bay Gaol are important contributions to Australian historical scholarship. When her research on this project is complete Dr Dewar will present a public lecture on her findings.

The National Archives Frederick Watson Fellowship was established to encourage and facilitate the use of the Archives’ extensive collection of files, photos, films and other records dating from Federation in 1901.