Central Land Council

The Land is Always Alive

Barrow Creek Warriors

In 1874 ninety Kaytetye people were killed by state troopers in retaliation for the killing of two linesmen at Barrow Creek Telegraph Station. The reasons for the conflict are not clear. Some say the dispute was over women, others that the conflict erupted when the linesmen fenced off an important waterhole and refused the Kaytetye access to water and rations during a time of drought. A hundred years after the Barrow Creek massacre the Kaytetye people began a new fight for control of the Barrow Creek Telegraph Station. 'This should be the Territory's first Aboriginal war memorial,' said Kaytetye woman Barbara Shaw. 'Our people died defending their right to protect their land.'

The handover should have been straightforward. Telecom owned title to the whole Telegraph Station area and wanted to transfer title for the historic buildings to the Conservation Commission of the Northern Territory (CCNT) with the remaining land and building going to the Kaytetye people's Thangkenharenge Aboriginal Corporation. In 1986 an in-principle agreement for the transfer was reached between the parties but then the problems began.

The Northern Territory Government argued that the whole area should be transferred to the CCNT. They raised all sorts of objections to the subdivision to try and limit or prevent the transfer, but after four years of negotiations, title was finally handed over in February 1990. Thangkenharenge now runs a community resource center from the site and is conducting research to gather material for an Aboriginal museum that will tell the story of the Kaytetye and their struggle.

Speaking at the opening of the resource centre, CLC Deputy Chairman Geoffrey Shaw talked about the importance of Kaytetye history:

We've been through two massacres and we're still here. We've been scattered to the four winds, but remember: you are not just someone living in a street or town somewhere. You are Kaytetye people!