History of the North Australia Railway

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Friends of the North Australia Railway - GPO Box 3504 - Darwin NT 0801 - Australia FACT SHEET 1 – History of the North Australia Railway Year Event Aeons Traditional owners of the area are the Kungarakan and, to a lesser extent, the Warai people. 1839 The mouth of the Adelaide River was found and named by officers on board The Beagle . 1862 John McDouall Stuart and his expedition party reached the Top End, mapping the country from Adelaide in the first transcontinental crossing from south to north. 1863 Following Stuart’s success, the Colony of South Australia assumed control of the Northern Territory, it becoming the Northern Territory of South Australia. 1864 Surveyor Boyle Finniss selected Escape Cliffs, six miles from the mouth of the Adelaide River, as a settlement site. It failed. 1869 Palmerston (Darwin's then name) was surveyed by George Goyder. The town was thus established. 1870 Overland telegraph line (OTL) construction commenced from Port Augusta in South Australia. No 1 Depot was 15km south of Adelaide River. 1871 Gold was discovered at Pine Creek by OT workers. Southport on the Blackmore River developed as the nearest navigable point for the goldfield and supply of materials for the OT line. Adelaide River, about half-way to the mining districts, became a preferred camping place for travellers. 1872 22 August – The Overland Telegraph Line was completed when the southern and northern lines were connected at Frews Ponds. This was a triumph for South Australian Superintendent of Telegraphs Charles Todd and was a major engineering feat. 1873 Mr Dougherty built a rough log and bark hut, and opened a restaurant for travellers. HS Findlay then built the first hotel at the river. It was named the QCE Hotel. The acronym stood for Quiet, Comfort and Ease. 1882 Adelaide River became the overnight stop for Haimes Royal Mail coach. The fare from Southport to Adelaide River was £1/15/10. 1884 Pioneer cemetery (on the left of the Stuart Highway north of the Precinct) was established 100 yards from the QCE Hotel. 1886 A decision was made to build the Palmerston (Darwin's then name) to Pine Creek rail to service the goldfields. A contract between SA Railways Commission and C&E Millar was signed. It involved construction of 145 miles of 1'6" gauge railway line using 41lb/yard German Krupp rails bolted onto English pressed steel sleepers. It was further agreed to use 3000 'coolies' for labour: Indian for earthworks and Chinese for track laying. 1887 July - plate laying commenced from Palmerston at the rate of three-quarters of a mile (1200 metres) per day. 1888 The first locomotive in the NT, a Baldwin shunter officially named NT-A1 but locally known as Sandfly , was used to transport rail building equipment. Fact Sheet 1 – History of the North Australia Railway - page 1 .

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