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Barrow Creek Telegraph Station
Permanent Declaration
Place
This group of structures includes the old telegraph station, stables and connecting stone walls, blacksmiths shop and graves. The telegraph station building consists of eight rooms arranged in a 'U' shape around a central courtyard.
Barrow Creek Telegraph Station is of historical, architectural and social significance. The construction of the Overland Telegraph Line from Port Augusta to Darwin in the early 1870s not only provided Australia with an international communication link, it also led to the establishment of Barrow Creek as an important regional centre at a time when Central Australia was largely uninhabited by Europeans. Later, it assisted in the regional development of the pastoral and mining industries.
Initially the Station was a relatively self-sufficient community consisting of stone buildings constructed in 1872. From 1930 it functioned as a Police Station and during WWII played an important role in telephonic communications. The existing buildings are testimony to a particular way of life and also the impact of changes in communications technology. From 1950 the area was used as a line depot and later, was home to Tom Roberts, a line foreman whose contribution to the Territory was recognised by his admittance to the Order of Australia. The site also has some archaeological potential to shed light on the nature of early European occupation and interaction with local Aboriginal groups.

Barrow Creek Telegraph Station became a point of exchange between two cultures. Paradoxically, both cultural conflict and understanding characterised the relationship between local Aboriginal groups and Europeans. The positive aspects of the anthropological research undertaken by Spencer and Gillen at the turn of the 20th Century are in contrast to the Aboriginal attack on the Station that occurred on 22 February 1874. This event is the only know planned attack on staff and property in the history of the Overland Telegraph Line and it remains important to local Aboriginal groups as well as non-Aboriginal Australians.
22/02/1994
11/04/1994
22/02/1995
Comment sought
07/06/2002
19/10/2002
03/07/2002
H94/0006
Historic & Indigenous
Barkly Shire
Further reading
Clune, F. (1955) Overland Telegraph. Angus and Robertson: Sydney.
Giles, A. (1995) Exploring in the Seventies and the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line. WK Thomas & Co: Adelaide/Friends of the State Library of SA: Adelaide.

Mulvaney, D.J. (1988) Encounters in place: Outsiders and Aboriginal Australians 1606-1985. University of Queensland Press.

Taylor, P. (1980) An End to Silence: the building of the Overland Telegraph Line from Adelaide to Darwin. Metheun of Australia: Sydney.
Photo
   
NameDescriptionDate Added
ViewDSC00640.JPGBuggy Shed10/SEP/15
ViewDSC00649.JPGTelegraph Station10/SEP/15
ViewDSC00650.JPGBlacksmith's shop10/SEP/15
ViewIMGP1029.JPGBluey & Curley 194410/SEP/15
ViewBarrowCrkTelegraphStn06_LR.jpgFront of Telegraph Station10/JUN/16
ViewBarrowCrkTelegraphStn20_LR.jpgCemetery10/JUN/16
ViewBarrowCrkTelegraphStn09_LR.jpgInternal10/JUN/16
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Scan
   
NameDescriptionDate Added
ViewInstrument.pdf - 09/MAR/09
1 - 1
Further Information
   
NameDescriptionDate Added
ViewP&W Barrow Creek telegraph station.pdfFactsheet16/DEC/11
1 - 1
Approximate Location
   
LAIS KeyStreet NumberStreet NameSuburbLocation CodeLot NumberLTO PlanPartTenure
000 03603 22235STUARTDAVENPORT0003603 - - Freehold
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Status Explanations
   

Nomination Period - a nomination has been accepted by Heritage Branch, but has not yet been accepted by the Heritage Council; OR a nomination has been accepted by the Heritage Council but the place/object has not yet been subject to a heritage assessment.

Assessment Period - a nomination has been accepted by the Heritage Council and the place/object is in the process of being assessed.

Consultation Period - Heritage assessment has been completed and s24 of the Act has been instigated, ie comment has been sought on a proposal to declare the place/object.

Recommendation Period - the Heritage Council has made a recommendation to declare the place/object and the Minister's final decision is awaited.

Not Recommended - a decision has been made by the Heritage Council not to recommend to the Minister that a place/object be declared

Declared - the Minister has made a decision to declare the place/object

Refused - the Minister has refused to declare the place/object