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Civic and State Square Precinct

The Darwin City Deal is a 10 year initiative to create a vibrant and liveable tropical Darwin city with a growing population and a diverse economy.

Government House

Key statistics

Built a 450 bay State Square underground car park

$145 million to revitalise the Civic and State Square Precinct

Create a leafy, green gathering place in Darwin CBD

Building 4 large galleries housed inside Northern Territory Art Gallery

Status

Construction

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Civic and State Square Precinct Revitalisation

The Civic and State Square Precinct Revitalisation forms part of the Darwin City Deal delivered by the Northern Territory Government in partnership with the Australian Government and the City of Darwin.

The Civic and State Square revitalisation that is being delivered by Infrastructure NT and includes:

  • building the new Northern Territory Art Gallery
  • redeveloping Liberty Square
  • completing the overall design for the Civic and State Square Precinct and developing a final plan to complete the revitalisation.

The Civic and State Square Precinct Revitalisation project will deliver a shady, cool parkland area for residents and visitors in Darwin City.

It will include a central gathering place, areas for small and large events and performances, shaded pedestrian paths, public artwork, new shade trees, seating, landscaping and water features.

Benefits of the Civic and State Square Precinct include economic, environmental, social and cultural benefits such as increased employment, cooling and greening of the city, improving local attractions for locals, tourists and students, recognising and valuing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and supporting our night time economy through safety in design.

For a more detailed version of the concept map, view the Civic and State Square revitalisation fact sheet PDF (5.4 MB).

Works already completed in the Civic and State Square Precinct under the City Deal include:

  • Chan lawns – creating an open, green space following the demolition of the Chan building for the community to use for festivals, events and recreation
  • State Square native garden and underground car park – creating 450 car parks for people to park underground and a native garden and pathways linking to the precinct
  • redevelopment of the former 90 bay Parliamentary car park – creating public parklands and lawns to use year round for festival and community events.

For more information contact CivicandStateSquare.Projects@nt.gov.au or 8936 5698.

Northern Territory Art Gallery

The Northern Territory Art Gallery design respects the civic setting of the Supreme Court and Parliament House while enlivening the Civic and State Square Precinct. Integrating architecture, art and landscape. It will embrace the guardianship of priceless cultural treasures.

The new art gallery’s iconic façade mirrors the dusky ochre hues of the porcellanite rock cliffs that encircle the Darwin peninsular. It will become a cultural beacon inside a central gathering place to connect Darwin locals with their civic and cultural institutions.

The three-storey art gallery, with its high quality and contemporary design, will not only exhibit the Northern Territory’s significant art collections but will also display world-class Australian and international travelling exhibitions.

The art gallery’s design features tropical architectural elements such as colonnade screening and a fly roof, which provide shade and weather protection, and features four large art galleries with high ceilings, a spacious foyer and space for workshops, a shop and café.

The new art gallery is being delivered in collaboration with the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, which will develop the exhibitions and programs and operate the gallery on behalf of the Northern Territory Government after it opens.

For more information on the operation of the art gallery please visit Northern Territory Art Gallery

Liberty Square redevelopment

Keelan Fejo art installation

Liberty Square is on the corner opposite Government House and in between Parliament House and the Supreme Court.

The revitalised park provides a safe and pedestrian friendly space with dedicated and accessible short term parking for the Supreme Court and connections to the Civic and State Square Precinct.

The landscape respects and complements the surrounding institutional buildings and existing plants within the precinct and features local plant species suitable to conditions in the precinct.

The park has been redeveloped to improve connection, function and access with a new accessible seating area on elevated decking surrounding the heritage listed State Square Banyan Tree.

Artwork by Larrakia/Mayalli artist Keelan Fejo (pictured above, image by C+K Public Art) has been installed as part of the nine bench seats surrounding the tree.

Keelan’s steel cut artwork entitled ‘Ways Under the Banyan’ (2024) tells the story of how Larrakia elders lived and the cultural activities associated with the Banyan Tree.

The artist’s statement and an image of his original artwork can be viewed on the Activate Darwin website.

Page last updated 06 May 2025

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