Lyons Cottage
Lyons Cottage is the only remaining example of colonial bungalow style architecture in Darwin.
Lyons Cottage was built in 1925 as accommodation for the Darwin Cable Company management staff and their families. The Eastern Extension Australasia and China Telegraph Company operated and maintained the cable but it was more commonly known as the British Australia Telegraph Company and the cottage as BAT House.
Lyons Cottage closed in 2021 for significant upgrades and maintenance works to be carried out including installation of air-conditioning, removal of asbestos and accessibility upgrades to the building and toilets.
In 2024, House of Darwin took up residence at Lyons Cottage. A social enterprise, House of Darwin are a for profit company who reinvest a portion of their profits into initiatives in Indigenous communities around the Northern Territory. They initiate social programs that inspire and educate, and work with grassroots organisations to create dialogue and provoke positive change using creativity as their medium. They exist to better our communities and to share stories of the past and present.
Lyons Cottage is currently not open to the public.
Lyons Cottage
74 The Esplanade
Darwin City
History
Lyons Cottage was built in 1925 as accommodation for the Darwin Cable Company management staff and their families. The Eastern Extension Australasia and China Telegraph Company operated and maintained the cable but it was more commonly known as the British Australia Telegraph Company and the cottage as BAT House.
Following the laying of the cable in the 1870s, the cable company built several substantial buildings along The Esplanade but many of these buildings were either destroyed during the 1937 cyclone or the Japanese bombing raids on Darwin in 1942. Although the bombing destroyed most of Darwin city, the Cottage survived intact and was occupied by the United States Army between 1943 and 1945.
Post-war Era
After the war, there was an acute housing shortage when Darwin was officially reopened to civilians. Lawyer John ('Tiger') Lyons and his family returned to Darwin, leased the Cottage and eventually purchased it in 1952. In 1958, Lyons was elected Lord Mayor of Darwin and later to the Legislative Council.
Cyclone Tracy
Following Lyons' death in 1970, the Cottage was sold to a property developer with plans to erect a multi-story hotel on the site. However, these plans were vigorously rejected by heritage conscious Darwin residents and Cyclone Tracy effectively cancelled the development plans. Like most Darwin buildings, the Cottage suffered some damage during the cyclone. The roof was blown off and the ornate plaster ceilings damaged beyond repair.
Restoration
The Cottage was restored to its post-1942 exterior, while the interior reflects the period between 1926 and 1942. In early 1984, the Museums and Art Galleries Board developed the Cottage as a museum of early Darwin history.
The building is managed by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.