Jay Creek, Northern Territory facts for kids
Jay Creek or Iwupataka is a special place in the MacDonnell Ranges. It's about 45 kilometres (28 mi) west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia. This area is strongly linked to a sad time in history called the Stolen Generations.
Jay Creek is now mostly empty, like a ghost town. But it's still very important to many Aboriginal people. This includes families from the Arrernte, Luritja, and Pitjantjatjara groups. Their ancestors were sent to a place called The Bungalow here, or later lived on the Reserve.
Contents
A Look Back: Jay Creek's Past
Why Was Jay Creek Chosen?
The land for Jay Creek was taken by the government in 1925. This was done to move children from The Bungalow in Alice Springs. Officials wanted to keep the children, especially the girls, safe. They wanted them away from the many construction workers building a new railway line.
Moving to Jay Creek
It took a while to get Jay Creek ready. There wasn't enough water, which was a big problem. Finally, in November 1928, 45 children moved there. Most of them were under 12 years old. Two important women, Ida Standley and Topsy Smith, moved with them. They lived in tents during the hot summer.
Ida Standley became very sick at Jay Creek and retired in 1929. Ernest Kramer and his wife Effie took over. Another worker, Hetty Perkins, also lived there. She wanted to stay with her younger children, who were in the care of The Bungalow. Hetty had another child, May, in 1931 while working there.
Life for Children at Jay Creek
By 1932, there were 57 children at Jay Creek. More boys arrived from another home, bringing the total to 100. The girls had to do housework and sew clothes. Older girls also looked after the younger children, making sure they were clean. The boys had to carry water, cut wood, and look after goats. Water was always a challenge at the site.
Jay Creek Becomes a Reserve
In 1932, The Bungalow moved back to Alice Springs. Jay Creek then became one of three special reserves. These reserves were meant to be a place for Aboriginal people who were not working, or who were elderly or unwell.
Over time, fewer people lived at Jay Creek. By the late 1980s, it was mostly empty.
What's There Now?
Important Places at the Site
Today, you can still see parts of the old settlement. There's the former home of Ted Strehlow, a church that Moses Tjalkabota once led, and a cemetery. Some pre-made buildings from the 1940s and 1950s are also still there.
Restoring the Cemetery
In 2017, the Central Land Council did important work at the cemetery. At least 64 people were buried there. Before the work, only 7 graves had names. During the restoration, they were able to find the names for 38 more graves.
While the old town site isn't used much, the area is home to a depot for a local service. There are also several Homelands and outstations nearby.
