The Orchid Society of the Northern Territory Inc. was established (originally as the Darwin Orchid Society) in 1974 for the purpose of overcoming the geographic and information isolation which orchid enthusiasts in the "Top End" were experiencing in their efforts to obtain and flower tropical orchids. Any available books at the time were written for cool or temperate climates and consequently the general opinion prevailed that you couldn’t grow orchids in Darwin. Society members pooled their experience and hard won knowledge and proceeded to prove otherwise.

On 24 December 1974, Cyclone Tracy intervened and destroyed those early collections, but the group reformed in February 1975 and with enthusiasm set about establishing Judging classes and educating the public on the cultural requirements of tropical orchids. Their success has been such that Darwin now boasts several orchid nurseries which export interstate and overseas, the OSNT has hosted local, national and interstate orchid conferences and there are now three orchid clubs in the area.

Meetings are held at the Malak Community Hall, Malak Cres, Malak, at 8pm on the third Monday of each month, with the exception of December. Plants are benched for competition from 7.30pm. Visitors are very welcome. The club endeavors to provide activities and speakers to interest both the novice and the experienced grower. Supper time provides the opportunity to chat to experts, view the orchids displayed on the competition benches, borrow books and magazines from the club’s Library, purchase plants from the sales table or just to make new friends.

Members receive monthly newsletters with cultural notes, details of meetings and forthcoming events, results of the competition bench and shows, and general orchid information. The club conducts two shows, in April and October, runs the orchid competition and judging at the Royal Darwin Show at the end of July, and participates in the Orchid Spectacular in June and the Tropical Garden Spectacular in August.

Anyone with queries about tropical orchids are very welcome to contact the club.

Further information is available from:

Peter Aitken, President, 

Orchid Society of the Northern Territory Inc.,

PO Box 38493, Winnellie NT 0821

Telephone: (08) 8988 9810.