Palmerston Flowers

Palmerston is at the top end of Australia – situated in Darwin Harbour – and is a planned satellite city located only 20 kilometres from Darwin. It is the second largest city in the Northern Territory and has a tropical climate, with heavy rainfall during the wet season. There is a natural escarpment on the eastern side of Palmerston, which has been made into a reserve that protects the surrounding bushland, preserving the natural beauty and uniqueness of the town.

The name Palmerston was chosen in recognition of Lord Palmerston – who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1855 – and was originally the name for what is now Darwin. The original site was abandoned and a second founded in Port Darwin in 1869, and officially renamed in 1911. The land for the Palmerston of today was acquired in 1971 and developed as Darwin was growing dramatically. The name was re-selected in 1980, and development began. Population now exceeds 34,600 and has the fastest growing population in the Northern Territory. There are eighteen suburbs in total, with twelve in the inner city and six on the outskirts, with the latter developments constructed in 1995 and 1996. The first construction jobs were the water tower, Highway House and the Chan Park Nursing Home and Palmerston’s. The first residents, the Potterton family, were welcomed in 1982.

 With the commitment of the City to provide low cost activities, parks are abundant in the region, with over 100 to choose from, making it a great place to explore. Additionally, there are a myriad of recreational activities with bike paths, walking paths, nearby fishing spots and gyms. The City also provides a skate park, a near-Olympic size swimming pool with a gymnasium, a tennis court with seven courts, BBQ area and canteen and a boat ramp with access to the Elizabeth River. One thing to be aware of whilst in Palmerston are the local box jellyfish and crocodiles that call the river home. During the dry season, there is the celebrated and unique Palmerston Festival, with cultural events, children’s events, special guests, bands, live performances and an array of food stalls.

The Palmerston Markets – held every Friday night from May to October – are a Palmerston tradition and not to be missed. With fresh fruit and vegetables, local arts and crafts, entertainment and delicious international cuisines there’s something for the whole family. Starting at 5pm and running to 9pm, you can be assured that Friday evening will be an experience for the senses. For more shopping adventures, there is the enclosed Palmerston Shopping Centre in the Central Business District, which has a 24-hour Coles, Medicare, Australia Post and the Northern Territory’s only Target store, along with specialty stores and eateries. Palmerston also boasts a variety of Interflora florists, who can deliver fresh flowers to all local residences, businesses, hospitals – including Palmerston Health Precinct centres – nursing homes, churches, funeral homes and hotels/motels. The local delivery areas include Archer, Bakewell, Bellamack, Driver, Durack, Farrar, Gray, Gunn, Johnston, Marlow Lagoon, Mitchell, Moulden, Palmerston City, Pinelands, Rosebery, Woodroffe, Yarrawonga and Zuccoli.