Address & Contact Edit
6 Awilla Rd
Batchelor NT 0845
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Batchelor is a
well-maintained town, about 100 km south of
Darwin. It is the entry point for visitors to the stunning
Litchfield National Park. A sealed road provides access to the town which has a small shopping/
services centre and accommodation.
Named after the politician E.L. Batchelor, the town remained a quiet backwater until World War II. The township was then used as an important Allied airforce base and the
population increased rapidly. The aerodrome can still be seen today.
Later, in 1949, uranium was discovered in the nearby area of
Rum Jungle, 11 km north of Batchelor. Again, the town's
population swelled, until the
mine was closed in 1963.
Rum Jungle has a rich history, typically associated with Australian mining camps and towns. In his famous novel Capricornia, Xavier Herbert wrote about
Rum Jungle under the fictitious name of Black Adder Creek. Although the
mine is no longer open for inspection, many
places around the town still keep the
Rum Jungle name alive.
Today, Batchelor thrives on tourism to
Litchfield National Park and also has exceptional TAFE and training centres that specifically cater for indigenous students.