Barrow Creek Telegraph Station - NT

John McDouall Stuart named this site in 1860 after a then member of the South Australian Parliament. It became the chosen site for a repeater station in 1871 and the station as it stands today was officially opened on 16 August 1872 by Charles Todd as part of the morse repeater network. It was one of 15 such repeater stations on a network traversing Australia and linking Australia to Europe, providing essential communication services. This lonely outpost was to get some company by the way of a store and hotel erected in 1932,
In February 1874 Mounted Constable Samuel Gason arrived at Barrow Creek and a police station was also opened. Eight days later Aborigines from the Katish Tribe attacked the station resulting in the death of two men and the wounding of Ernest Flint. On 22 February Gason cabled to Adelaide, 'This Station has been attacked by natives at 8. Stapleton has been mortally wounded, one of the men, named John Franks, just died from wounds. Civilised Native Boy has had three spear wounds. Mr Flint, assistant operator one spear wound in leg, not serious. Full particulars in morning'. In Adelaide Dr William Gosse adviced treatment for the wounded which was telegraphed back to Barrow Creek.