Barrow Creek, Northern Territory

Barrow Creek is a town in the Northern Territory of Australia, approximately 284 kilometers north-west of Alice Springs. Barrow Creek in 2009 had about eleven inhabitants.

The River Barrow Creek near the town was named by John McDouall Stuart on July 13, 1860 on his crossing of Australia. Godfather was John Henry Barrow, a clergyman, journalist and politician, who came to South Australia in 1853. In 1871 it was decided to build at this point a telegraph station of the Trans- Australian telegraph line. However, as a place to Barrow Creek could not develop far as the water resources was too small and had too little quality. Therefore, the telegraph station was rebuilt 20 years later at 40 km from Barrow Creek at the junction of Taylor Creek.

Skull Creek Massacre

In 1872 the first telegraph station by James L. Stapleton and John Frank was put into operation. The two were attacked on 27 February 1874 by more than 20 Aboriginal people from the tribe of Kajtitia at the telegraph station and killed. The whites were at dinner in the open air and could no longer save in the massive building. Stapleton died after the attack until hours later and was able to settle a telegram. The graves are marked in Barrow Creek by a stone wall.

The answer to this attack led to the massacre of the Skull Creek, in which about 60 to 70 Aborigines were killed.