Tennant Creek Telegraph Station facts for kids
The Tennant Creek Telegraph Station is an important historical place in Australia. It is located about 16 kilometres north of the town of Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory. This station was once a key part of a huge communication network.
Contents
History of the Telegraph Station
Who Lived Here First?
The Warumungu Aboriginal people were the first people to live in the area around Tennant Creek. The telegraph station is built close to a very special sacred site. This site is called "Jurnkurakurr". It is believed to be home to a Dreamtime being named "Jalawala", who is a black-nosed python.
Building the Station
The Tennant Creek Telegraph Station was first built in 1872. At first, it was a simple building made from bush timber. By 1875, it was rebuilt using strong stone from the local area. This station was a "repeater station". This means it helped send messages along the Overland Telegraph Line. This amazing line connected Darwin in the north to Adelaide in the south.
Life at the Station
Besides sending messages, the station also served as a government supply point. It gave out food and other items. By the 1920s, the station had many buildings. These included a blacksmith shop, a cart shed, a store for food, a meat house, a smokehouse, and a cellar. Warumungu people worked at the station. They were cattlemen and also helped prepare meat. By the 1890s, more than 100 Aboriginal people lived at the station. The area was even made an Aboriginal Reserve.
Finding Gold and Closing Down
People started looking for gold in the area from the 1880s. In 1925, a worker on the telegraph line found gold. This discovery quickly led to a new town being built south of the station. In 1935, a new post and wireless office opened in the town of Tennant Creek itself. Because of this, the old telegraph station closed down. It then went back to being a supply depot. It provided meat to the new town and water from its bore until 1966.
People Who Ran the Station
The station had different managers over the years. Here are some of them:
| Postmasters/Managers | From Year | To Year |
|---|---|---|
| Alan M. Giles | 1875 | 1888 |
| Henry Herbert Dixon | 1915 | 1923 |
| J. W. M. Phillips | 1926 | 1927 |
Protecting the Station Today
The Tennant Creek Telegraph Station is now a protected heritage site. It was listed on the Northern Territory Heritage Register on July 4, 2001. This means it is recognized as an important historical place. In 2012, a lot of work was done to fix up the old station buildings. This helps make sure they are preserved for the future.
