Coat of arms of Darwin

The coat of arms of Darwin were granted by Queen Elizabeth II on 9 December 1959—the same year that Darwin gained city status. The city currently only uses the arms in correspondence by the city's lord mayor. They are currently being reviewed by the city's reconciliation working group, with some councillors in 2011 calling the arms "appalling" and not representative of the city.

Symbolism
The fort on the shield acknowledges the origin of Darwin as an army base, founded in order to defend the claim of the British to the entire mainland of Australia. The ship symbolises the importance of the port to Darwin in its early days. The advent of air travel is symbolised by the propeller with wings. The two supporters represent the Aboriginal people of Darwin, the original inhabitants of Darwin, and European miners which contributed significantly to the new town's prosperity. The crest contains a compass pointing north, representing the location of Darwin at the north of Australia.