Batchelor & Adelaide River

The present township stands on a section of the main demonstration farm set up when the Federal Government took over administration of the NT from South Australia. Egerton Batchelor was an outstanding SA politician who then served in the Federal Parliament.

The whole area back to the Highway was occupied by thousands of troops during WW2. American, Dutch and Australian Bomber aircraft all flew out of Batchelor where the early development of the main airstrip meant General Mac Arthur landed there when he came to Australia to oversee the war activities in the Pacific. You can follow this story, and more, at the Batchelor Museum.

After uranium was discovered in 1949, the township was specially designed and constructed to house workers at the Rum Jungle mine – the first commercial uranium mine in Australia. It was a golden time for the residents of Batchelor as they embraced a great lifestyle, and also positively influenced the Top End development.

Adelaide River Township

Situated on the Stuart Highway 112 km south of Darwin, Adelaide River offers a warm welcome to travellers. The township came to prominence following the completion of construction on the Overland Telegraph Line, followed by a hotel, police outpost and railway station. The town became a popular overnight stopover for  travellers and prospectors on route to Pine Creek following the discovery of gold there in 1871.

From 1939, with the build-up of WWII military activity, the town took on a major role as the location for a huge military base, with the 119 Australian General Hospital, Army camps and thousands of service personnel stationed there.

Connection to country

The Warai and the Koongurrkun People are co-Traditional Owners-Custodians of the sovereign lands, the ancient traditional estates in the Batchelor-Coomalie, Adelaide River-Litchfield region. 

History and WWII

The townships of Adelaide River and Batchelor are steeped in history, from the early Chinese market gardens and military presence during WWII, to the discovery of uranium and the mining at Rum Jungle. The area was originally inhabited by the Koongurrkun and Warai Aboriginal clans – the first Europeans to travel through the area were members of the Goyder survey expedition in 1869. The first settlement here was not established until 1870, a base for workers on the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line.

Adventure the way you want it

Litchfield National Park is set to grow by 20 percent with the NT government purchasing Silkwood, a 30,000-hectare parcel of land that borders Litchfield's south-east boundary.

For details as to when the park extension will be open; visit nt.gov.au/parks/findapark/ litchfieldnationalpark .