Barrow Creek Telegraph Station

The site of the Barrow Creek Telegraph Station was selected by John Ross, in 1871, during his Overland Telegraph exploring party which followed on from more general exploration undertaken by John McDouall Stuart. The site was selected due to the supposed availability of water and the polling and wiring of the area was completed in the same year. By January 1872 work had also completed the construction of a small stone hut and had begun constructing the Telegraph Station itself. The Telegraph Station ceased operation in 1935 when the line ceased carrying international traffic, following the establishment of the Pacific and Indian Ocean cables but it remained in use by the police station. In 1975 the station was transferred to Telcom Australia (Telstra) until it was made redundant in 1980. == Massacres at the site ==

In 1873 and 1874 the Telegraph Station was the site of two massacres, known as the Barrow Creek massacres. July 1873 The first of these massacres was when staff at the station "dispersed" local Kaytetye peoples with the use of firearms and which resulted in the death of approximately 30 people. It appears that Telegraph Station staff wired Charles Todd days before asking to disperse people but that, not receiving a reply they decided that the request had not been whether they were allowed but for approval to do it "at public expense". February to April 1874 The second of these massacres took place after Kaytetye men attacked the Telegraph Station and killed stationmaster James Stapleton and linesman John Franks (both buried in the cemetery) and a number of others were injured; this was likely in response to the earlier massacre and accusations that European men had been abducting Aboriginal women and girls. In reprisal mounted constable Samuel Gason carried out four punitive expeditions with volunteers from throughout the region into the surrounding country. The official number of people killed in these attacks was reported as being 11 but a much higher death toll has been estimated at between 50 and 90 people and likely higher. The death toll was not only made up of Kaytetye people but also included Anmatyerre, Warumungu, Alyawarre and Warlpiri people. == References ==