Colin St Parkland - James Mallett Bennett Park

Important message

Library Closure

All City of Darwin Libraries will be closed on Monday 9 June 2025 for the King’s Birthday public holiday.

Normal opening hours will resume on Tuesday 10 June 2025.

Return chutes will remain open throughout the closure.

We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.

Colin St Parkland - James Mallett Bennett Park

Accessible
Bicycle Racks
Bicycle/Walking Paths
Drinking Fountains
Picnic Tables
Playground
Shaded
Daylight Hours
Address

3 Colin St Muirhead

FACILITIES

  • Playground for all ages. Includes waterplay areas and rope play equipment, infant swing seat and artificial mountains to climb.
  • Two undercover seating areas with tables
  • Water bubbler
  • Accessible path
  • Bike rack

Who was James Mallett Bennett?

In 1919 the Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes announced an air race, offering a prize of 10,000 pounds for the first aviator to fly from London to Australia in 30 days or less. 

Brothers Captain Ross Smith and Lieutenant Keith Smith, aviation pioneers, decided to compete, with their two mechanics James Mallett Bennett and wally Shiers. 

The flight was made in a Vickers Vimy plane, a former bomber with an open cockpit. Their route began in Hounslow, England, on the 12th of November and took them across parts of Europe, the Middle East, India and southeast Asia, to finish to Darwin on the 10th of December. In 28 days, they completed the enormously challenged trip and lately they received the 10,000 pound prize money, that was equally divided among the four men.

The brothers planned more flights, but these came to an end when Ross Smith and James Bennett were killed in a test flight on 13 April 1922 in front of a crowd of onlookers.

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