Alec Fong Lim
Encyclopedia
Alec Fong Lim (18 February 1931 – 3 September 1990) was the eleventh Lord Mayor
of the City of Darwin
, the capital city of the Northern Territory
of Australia He served as Lord Mayor from 1 June 1984 – 9 August 1990). Notably he was also the first Chinese Australian
Lord Mayor and was awarded the Order of Australia
in 1986 for services to the community and local government.
Born 18 February 1931 in Katherine
, Alec Fong Lim was the sixth of 9 children of George and Lorna Fong Lim. He died on 3 September 1990 shortly after resigning from the office of Lord Mayor. He was succeeded as Lord Mayor by George Brown.
, a man-made lake, was named for him when it was opened on 21 July 1991. The road leading to the lake was also renamed Alec Fong Lim Drive.
In 2008 the Electoral division of Fong Lim
was also named in his honour.
and Alec Fong Lim attended Scotch College
in Adelaide, South Australia. Following the war the family moved back to Darwin to resume their businesses, which eventually included the Vic Hotel. Alec Fong Lim worked in the hotel until it was sold in 1965. In the early 1970s the family also owned and operated the legendary Lim’s Hotel in Rapid Creek
. Following the sale of the original Vic Hotel Alec Fong Lim owned and ran a fine wine and food wholesale business located in the Parap Shopping center and was invested in several other local businesses. His was also a popular course bookmaker at the Fannie Bay race course.
Lord Mayor
The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
of the City of Darwin
City of Darwin
The City of Darwin is a Local Government Area of the Northern Territory, Australia. It includes the central business district of the capital, Darwin, and represents two-thirds of its metropolitan population. The City covers an area of 112 km² and has a estimated population of 75,908...
, the capital city of the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
of Australia He served as Lord Mayor from 1 June 1984 – 9 August 1990). Notably he was also the first Chinese Australian
Chinese Australian
Chinese Australian is an Australian of Chinese heritage. In the 2006 Australian Census, 669,890 Australian residents identified themselves as having Chinese ancestry, either alone or with another ancestry....
Lord Mayor and was awarded the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
in 1986 for services to the community and local government.
Born 18 February 1931 in Katherine
Katherine, Northern Territory
Katherine is a town situated southeast of Darwin in the "Top End" of Australia in the Northern Territory. It is the fourth largest settlement in the Territory after the capital Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs...
, Alec Fong Lim was the sixth of 9 children of George and Lorna Fong Lim. He died on 3 September 1990 shortly after resigning from the office of Lord Mayor. He was succeeded as Lord Mayor by George Brown.
Posthumous Honors
On 25 September 1990 a motion of condolence was issued in the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory and in recognition of his dedication to the people of Darwin, Lake AlexanderLake Alexander
Lake Alexander is a man-made lake named in honour of Alec Fong Lim who was Lord Mayor of Darwin from1984 to 1990. The lake is located in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia and was officially opened on the 21 July 1991 for recreational use by the people of Darwin....
, a man-made lake, was named for him when it was opened on 21 July 1991. The road leading to the lake was also renamed Alec Fong Lim Drive.
In 2008 the Electoral division of Fong Lim
Electoral division of Fong Lim
Fong Lim is an electoral division of the Legislative Assembly in Australia's Northern Territory.The district is named after former Darwin lord mayor, Alec Fong Lim.-Geography:...
was also named in his honour.
Early years
Both George and Lorna Fong Lim were born in Australia and the family spent Alec Fong Lim’s early years in Katherine where his father was a tailor, ran a general store and owned a peanut farm. When Alec Fong Lim was 7 the family relocated to Darwin to run several businesses. During the war years the family was evacuated to Alice SpringsAlice Springs, Northern Territory
Alice Springs is the second largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Popularly known as "the Alice" or simply "Alice", Alice Springs is situated in the geographic centre of Australia near the southern border of the Northern Territory...
and Alec Fong Lim attended Scotch College
Scotch College, Adelaide
Scotch College is an independent, Uniting Church, co-educational, day and boarding school, located on two adjacent campuses in Torrens Park and Mitcham, inner-southern suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia....
in Adelaide, South Australia. Following the war the family moved back to Darwin to resume their businesses, which eventually included the Vic Hotel. Alec Fong Lim worked in the hotel until it was sold in 1965. In the early 1970s the family also owned and operated the legendary Lim’s Hotel in Rapid Creek
Rapid Creek, Northern Territory
Rapid Creek is a northern suburb of the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.- History :Although the precise circumstances of the naming of Rapid Creek remain obscure, the name must have been applied by Surveyor-General George W. Goyder's surveyors not long after the arrival of the 1869...
. Following the sale of the original Vic Hotel Alec Fong Lim owned and ran a fine wine and food wholesale business located in the Parap Shopping center and was invested in several other local businesses. His was also a popular course bookmaker at the Fannie Bay race course.
Community service
Positions held included:- Founding member of the local Apex club
- Chairman of the St John Council
- Vice President of the NT Spastics Association
- Chairman of the National Australia Day CouncilNational Australia Day CouncilThe coordinating body for the Australian of the Year Awards and Australia Day celebrations across the nation is the National Australia Day Council ....
NT Inc - Trustee of the Cyclone TracyCyclone TracyCyclone Tracy was a tropical cyclone that devastated the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day, 1974...
Fund - Member of the NT Australia Bicentennial Committee