“Adelaide River is a small but historically significant town located at the crossing of the Stuart Highway over the Adelaide River in the Northern Territory of Australia. The town is upstream of the Adelaide and Mary River Floodplains Important Bird Area. At the 2011 census, Adelaide River had a population of 237.[1] Adelaide River is part of the Coomalie Shire and is the second largest settlement (after Batchelor) in the local government area.
Adelaide River was first settled by workers who arrived in the area to construct the Overland Telegraph Line. During construction, the discovery of gold at Pine Creek in 1872 had a major impact on the settlement.
In 1873, a weekly mail service between Southport and a mining site further south at Yam Creek was established. This service utilised pack horses, and during the wet season months when progress was slow mail bags from the north and south were exchanged at the crossing of the Adelaide River.The following year, Mr. Edward Hopewell was awarded this mail contract and built the Q.C.E. Hotel on the river bank and a restaurant, the “”Jolly Waggoner”” was opened by George Doherty, increasing the importance of the area as an overnight stop for travellers.The first police station in the town was constructed in 1879.
Pastoral and agricultural activity were stimulated with the issuing of leases for Crown Land. In 1911 brothers Frank and Fred Hardy, local buffalo hunters, established Mount Bundy Station on a 834sq mi pastoral lease near the town of Adelaide River. Using local Aboriginal stockmen to hunt and process the animals, they began exporting buffalo hide to European markets. During the 1920s, Dutch-born agriculturalist Edwin Verburg (1869-1965) established a farm in the township irrigated by a weir he constructed across the river.
Work began in 1936 on a road linking Darwin to Adelaide River. As the railway was still the primary means of transportation at this time, it was an unsealed, dry weather road that was poorly maintained. This road followed a similar route to the present day Stuart Highway. Around the same period, a road south towards the rail yards at Larrimah was also developed to a similar standard.
Adelaide River played a central role in the defence of Australia during the second world war. In 1939, the town was designated as a rest area for personnel serving in Darwin, Northern Territory.
Military activity around the area increased significantly following the first Japanese air-raids on Darwin on 19 February 1942. The immediate aftermath of these attacks led to a mass-exodus of the city’s civilian population toward the south, an event that would become known as the Adelaide River Stakes. The allied response was a significant increase of forces to rebuild and greatly expand defences in the region. A military airfield was built in the town close to the railway station, along with several others in the surrounding district including Coomalie Creek and Pell. In addition an artillery and weapons range was established at Tortilla Flats, between Coomalie Creek and Adelaide River. The town became an important tactical supply and communications base for all branches of the armed forces. In August 1942, the Adelaide River War Cemetery was established.
The town remains an important rest stop for travellers on the Stuart Highway and offers fuel, mechanical repairs and accommodation. It also functions as a service centre for the agriculture and horticulture activities in the surrounding area. The town boasts a number of tourist attractions. Government services provided in the town include the Post Office, police station, fire station and a Remote Health Clinic. Businesses on the main street include three petrol outlets (including a large BP Roadhouse with diner and convenience store used as a refreshment stop for Interstate coach services passing through town), a general store and the Adelaide River Hotel.
The town is serviced by a Remote Health Centre run by the Northern Territory Government. The centre has 2 full-time nurses, and a GP is available for consultations on selected days. The centre is open Monday to Friday, but remains staffed 24 hours for emergencies.
Adelaide River has a one small primary school, Adelaide River School, with 42 enrollments (As of August 2010).The school was established in 1950 and moved to is current site, 100m from the Adelaide River itself in 1956. An building housing the administration office and library was added along with a canteen for students in 1994. Currently, the school employs two teaching staff and a grounds keeper. The principal it Mr. Tony Clegg.The school features large solar panels on the main building’s roof to sustain the schools electrical requirements. These were installed with a grant funded through the National Solar Schools Program.Any surplus electricity goes into the small towns supply.The nearest secondary schools and tertiary education facilities are located in Batchelor.
The Adelaide River Show Society (ARSS) precinct is located on the southern side of the river and is a 24 ha (59-acre) site incorporating display pavilions, a caravan park, a public swimming pool and the only grass turf racing track in the Northern Territory. The showgrounds is home to a number of community and sporting organisations. The ARSS precinct hosts annual events including the Adelaide River Show and the Adelaide River Races.
The Adelaide River War Cemetery was established in 1942 following the Bombing of Darwin. It was used for the by the army field hospitals in the area to bury service personnel who were killed in action. Control of the cemetery was handed over to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in 1947. The cemetery has a memorial to missing personnel serving in the area who’s remains were never found. It is set on the banks of the river and is maintained with lush green lawns, and floral garden beds all year round.
Adelaide River Railway Heritage Precinct occupies the area surrounding the historic railway station located on the southern side of the river. The precinct operates as a museum and has several restored vehicles and items of rolling-stock from the original North Australia Railway on display, as well as maintaining the buildings. A society of “”friends”” of the precinct aim to restore a section of the track between Adelaide River Station and the old Snake Creek armoury using the original 1888 bridge and operate a heritage train, however the construction and alignment of the Adelaide-Darwin Railway has created obstacles to the completion of this project.
The Adelaide River Races were first run in 1942, and are held annually at the ARSS Showgrounds in the beginning of the dry season. The event attracts visitors from all over Australia and continues to grow in size and popularity each year.”

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