Darwin Turf Club

The first race meeting was held at Fannie Bay in 1873, and it was an Easter scratch meeting with 16 entries from the 11 horses taking part in a 6 race program. The Northern Territory Race Club was formed in 1874, but its first official race meeting was not held until Melbourne Cup Day on the following year, 9 November 1875. By 1888 the annual Palmerston Cup meeting was attracting big crowds.

The Darwin Turf Club was formed in 1955 with 64 members who set about a years hard work of restoring the Fannie Bay circuit that had been unused since 1940. A scratch meeting was held in September 1956 in preparation for the first official meeting on 6 October.

The Darwin Turf Club complex has seen many changes over the years, climaxing with the construction of The Grandstand and Winners Circle venues that were completed in time for the 1995 Darwin Cup Carnival.