Ever wanted to circumnavigate Australia? Well, for the next few weeks, that's what we'll be doing, at least virtually, and clockwise. So as to make sure all states and territories are covered, we started in Western Australia and explored a little of the early history of a small part of this massive state via TROVE...
We're heading inland this week... to Nitmiluk, formerly known as Katherine Gorge... in the Northern Territory...
You can read about the Northern Territory and it's beginnings here and here...
This is just a short extract... "The Northern Territory was part of colonial New South Wales from 1825 to 1863, except for a brief time from February to December 1846, when it was part of the short-lived colony of North Australia. It was part of South Australia from 1863 to 1911."
Nitmiluk is maybe best known for it's exceptional scenery....
even as far back as 1892, it was attracting attention..
Northern Territory Times and Gazette 6 May 1892
The Katherine Gorge area has always been a matter of discussion..
Northern Territory Times and Gazette (Darwin, NT : 1873 - 1927), Saturday 5 April 1919, page 15
National Library of Australia
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3295225
In 1938, it was mooted as the perfect place to supply both water and power for Darwin...in the very same year that an enterprising Irishman had proved that it was fertile enough to grow cabbages!
Tim O'Shea had certainly proved his point.
Spectacular wet season electrical storms over Katherine Gorge.
Photography copyright of Jacci Ingham. CC BY 3.0 use with attribution
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine,_Northern_Territory
Whenever major planning was being considered for Darwin, Katherine Gorge seemed to be mentioned as an integral part of it...
News(Adelaide, SA :1923-1954) Friday 8 June 1945
In 1947,
Katherine Gorge was in the news again, but for a vastly different reason...this time it was mentioned to give people an idea as to where a plane had crashed...
News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954), Wednesday 2 April 1947, page 1 (2)
The beauty of the Gorge and surrounding areas was often a feature of magazines and newspaper articles... this is from TROVE again.. the beautiful Cutta Cutta Caves...
Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982), Wednesday 13 August 1975, page 38
After quite a long time of requests, court cases, demands, stalling, more court cases...the Nitmiluk agreement was settled and Katherine Gorge National Park was placed in the care of the traditional owners...
It's truly a place of a long history and great beauty...
Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), Monday 11 September 1989, page 11
Click to enlarge...
For more reading on Katherine Gorge/Nitmiluk, go to the following sites..
Tropical Territory & Travel cassmob
Nitmiluk National Park
Nitmiluk (Katherine) GorgeI just had to include one more stunning photo, used with the kind permission of the copyright owner, my friend, Pauleen Cass (cassmob). Thank you, Pauleen.
You’re welcome Chris. Nice to have a visit here to the Territory, our former home.
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