Tennant Creek Telegraph Station Historical Reserve Fact Sheet And

Tennant Creek Telegraph Station Historical Reserve

The Overland Telegraph Line water supply from the well. was built along a 3,600 km route In 1890 the Telegraph Station Safety and Comfort from Adelaide to Darwin, which became a rations store with staff • Observe park safety signs. had been sucessfully traversed in distributing flour, sugar, tea and • Carry and drink plenty of water. 1862 by John McDouall Stuart’s blankets to Aboriginal people. • Wear a shady hat, sunscreen, expedition party. Completed By 1892 the Warumungu insect repellent, suitable in 1872, it was Australias first Aboriginal Reserve was clothing and footwear. telegraphic link to Britain established and this lasted until • Avoid strenuous activity during through the colonial telegraph 1934 when a mining permit was the heat of the day. Fact Sheet system. issued over the area. Renowned • Consider your health and fitness A temporary bush timber building pioneering anthropologists Spencer when choosing a walk. was erected and by 1875 a and Gillen used the Telegraph Please Remember permanent building was made Station as a base, setting up a dark • Keep to designated roads and out of stone quarried from a site room to process photographs and tracks. nearby. observing ... ‘Warumungu people • All historic, cultural items and The Telegraph Stations not only at the station perform such a wildlife are protected. ensured the operation of the line variety of ceremonies that both • Fires are not permitted in the but also acted as important points researchers are quite exhausted reserve. for water and supplies to the keeping records.’ • Bins are not provided, please early explorers, pastoralists and take your rubbish with you. Access travellers opening up the unknown • Pets are permitted on a leash in The Reserve is situated 10 km country. the car park only. north of Tennant Creek along the The discovery of gold by a • A permit is required for Drone Stuart Highway. use – conditions apply and it linesman in 1925 quickly led to must be obtained prior to your the establishment of the present When to visit arrival in the Reserve. Tennant Creek township. By The Reserve is accessible all year 1935 a post and telegraph office round. The cooler months (April to borrow a key from the Battery was operational in the thriving September) are the most pleasant. Hill Visitor Centre on Peko town of Tennant Creek, leading to Road (identification and a fully the closure of the old Telegraph What to do refundable deposit required). Station. However the station Walking - There is a self continued to play an important role guided walk around the Ranger guided walks are in the development of the region, Telegraph Station buildings. An conducted during May to supplying meat to the new town information sheet is available September. Visit our website - and water from its bore until 1966. at the information shelter. To www.nt.gov.au/parks for details. access the buildings visitors may Aboriginal Perspective Warumungu Aboriginal people were the first occupants of the region. Development of the Overland Telegraph line and pastoral activities in the region caused a major upheaval in their lives. During the severe droughts of the 1880s some Aboriginal people chose to camp near the Station to take advantage of the

Parks & Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory Tennant Creek Ranger Station Regional Office - Arid Zone Research Institute Ph: (08) 8962 4499 South Stuart Highway ALICE SPRINGS NT 0870 PO Box 1120 ALICE SPRINGS NT 0871 www.nt.gov.au/parks Ph: (08) 8951 8250 Fax: (08) 8951 8290 Darwin Tennant Creek Telegraph Station Historical Reserve

To Darwin Three Ways Locality Map Barkly High Tennant Creek way Barkly Homestead TENNANT Telegraph Station CREEK Historical Reserve

0150 00 Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles To Mt Isa Kilometres Conservation (Queensland) Reserve Kurundi Wauchope Epenarra Binns Track Iytwelepenty / Wycliffe Well Davenport Ranges National Park B inns Trac

Barrow Creek

Telegraph Station k Historical Reserve Barrow Creek ay w Ammaroo High

Aileron Ti Tree

Dulcie Range Anna’s Reservoir Binns Track National Park Conservation Reserve On Park Locality Ryan Well Sandover Highway Off Park Locality Historical Reserve Sealed Road Plenty Native Gap Highway Unsealed Road Conservation Reserve 4WD Track

Stuart Park Boundary

ALICE SPRINGS Fuel Meals Cafe To Adelaide

To Darwin Park Map

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Metres

Highway

Stuart

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L To Tennant Creek Cemetery in 10 km e Cellar Kitchen Blacksmiths Tennant Creek Telegraph Station Sealed Road Facilities & Activities Butchers

Information Unsealed Road Tennant Creek Telegraph Telegraph Station Parking Fence Office

Toilets Overland Telegraph Line

Short Walks Buildings

Historical Building Park Boundary

A/02/2020PWCNT Fact Sheet For more information visit www.nt.gov.au/parks or contact Tennant Creek Information Centre (08) 8962 1281 www.barklytourism.com.au