Timeline of Darwin history
This list shows notable events for Darwin, nowadays the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Note: When Darwin was first settled, it was called Palmerston and the port was called Port Darwin. In 1911 the town was renamed Darwin due to the common usage of the name.
19th Century
| Year | Date | Event |
| 1839 | 9 Sep | HMS Beagle sailed into Darwin Harbour during its surveying of the area. John Clements Wickham named the area Port Darwin in honour of their former shipmate Charles Darwin. The settlement became the town of Palmerston in 1869 and was renamed Darwin in 1911. |
| 1862 | 24 Jul | John McDouall Stuart reached the beach at Chambers Bay. |
| 1869 | 5 Feb | George Goyder and survey party arrive in Port Darwin |
| 1869 | 27 Mar | Gulnare arrives in Darwin with stores and reinforcements. |
| 1869 | 24 May | J. W. O. Bennett speared by Aborigines; he died and was buried on top of Fort Hill later being moved to the Pioneers Section of the General Cemetery. |
| 1869 | 9 Aug | Richard Hazard died of consumption. Buried on Fort Hill and later moved, 3 November 1965, to McMillans Road Cemetery |