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| Gold Battery Pine Creek NT |
Off to Katherine today. Katherine is about 300km south of Darwin and a routine trip for us having lived in the Northern Territory for 22 years with over 3 of those in Katherine. If you have time there are several interesting places to visit on the way, even in the wet season.
On this occasion we called into Pine Creek. The Pine Creek township is about 250km south of Darwin and 90km North of Katherine on the junction between the Kakadu and Stuart Highways. You now have to turn off the Stuart Highway to the small township and pass several historic Gold mining relic’s near the road as you drive in. And yes there is gold in them there hills!!
The town was established in the late 1800’s as a result of the discovery of gold by the crew of the Overland Telegraph Line. Pine Creek still relies on mining for its survival, with the majority of the population involved in mining or related industries. It was named after the local creek which was crossed in December 1870 by the teams constructing the Overland Telegraph Line. The creek was notable, as the name suggests, for the many pines on its banks.
Pine Creek has a population of around 650, which includes surrounding stations and Kybrook Farm, an Aboriginal community of around 100 people from various tribal groups. The population has doubled recently with the opening of new mines.
Pine Creek History
