Barrow Creek is now little more than a pub and a service station on the road between
Alice Springs and
Darwin. Located on the Stuart Highway 284 km north of
Alice Springs and 1198 km south of
Darwin, Barrow Creek has a history which belies its rather unimpressive appearance. Although the 'town' has only a nominal
population and is now little more than a stopover point on the Stuart Highway between The Alice and
Darwin it was once one of the more important outposts in the Northern Territory.
The town was named after
John Henry Barrow, a preacher, journalist and politician who had migrated to South Australia in 1853. At the time of the creation of the town he was Treasurer of South Australia. The naming of the town after him seemed to have little impact on its fortunes as the government was defeated in 1873.