Mayor Doug Barden

Mayor Doug Barden first served as a Councillor at Litchfield Council from 2015 to 2021  before being elected as Mayor in 2021. He has also been a sportsman, a volunteer and a hands-on businessman. 

Mayor Barden was born in the Old Darwin Hospital at Myilly Point, grew up in Fannie Bay and completed his early schooling at Parap Primary School. He was then sent to a boarding school in Sydney where he finished his secondary education.  

In December 1974 while home for the holidays, Mayor Barden’s family went through Cyclone Tracy during which his house and three of four of his father’s chemist shops were destroyed. The only things they had left were the clothes they were wearing. Mayor Barden, his mother, and their staff salvaged as much as possible from the destroyed shops and then operated the main shop allowing for goods to be distributed to essential services and customers. Meanwhile, his father remained as the only injured person in the destroyed Darwin hospital for three days (with a shower curtain over his bed to stop the water dripping on him) as he refused to be evacuated. 

In 1979 Mayor Barden returned to Darwin for good and completed his diesel mechanic trade certificate with Komatsu Earthmoving Equipment & International Trucks. This provided him the opportunity to travel all over the Territory to locations such as  Borroloola, Alice Springs, Groote Eylandt, Timber Creek, Daly River, and Wave Hill. 

After his time with Komatsu, Mayor Barden took over his family’s earthmoving business where he was involved in building many Territory roads, mining, subdivision and tourism projects, including the Lakes Resort and Caravan Park at Berry Springs. The Lakes  Resort was the first 4-star caravan park in the Top End in the late 1990s to early 2000s. Mayor Barden leased and then sold the caravan park in 2013, and in 2014 during the  Inpex boom period he then travelled Europe and Asia for several months. 

Over the years Mayor Barden has developed a great understanding of how the Territory works. He also understands risk management, governance, value for money and  accountability. Mayor Barden has worked with a multitude of people having been a member of numerous community organisations and serving on many committees. These organisations include squash, water ski clubs, the volunteer bushfire brigade (life  member), PRBA, LRTA, Tourism Top End, NTCPA, and Community Groups within  Litchfield and abroad.