Northern Territory Library - Department of Arts and Museums

Northern Territory Library
Malak Streets named after the men who
worked on the Overland Telegraph Line
Streets named in Malak
Abbott
Named after Charles Lydiard Aubrey Abbott, a
Supervisor for E M Bagot, the contractor for the
construction of the southern section of the Overland
Telegraph Line, between Port Darwin and South
Australia.
Abrahams
Named after Bob Abrahams, a member of John
Ross' exploration party sent to locate the Overland
Telegraph Line route north from Alice Springs to as
far as the Roper River.
Bayfield
Named after George Bayfield who was with JM
Thomas' timber cutting party when Palmerston (now
Darwin) was first established in February 1869. He
later was a teamster in charge of the stables and
during the construction of the OT line he was a
member of RC Patterson's party engaged on
completing the northern section of the line.
Bee
Named after Cadet surveyor Tom Bee who was a
member of McMinns Survey Party with Goyder in
1869 when Palmerston (now Darwin) was
established. He was also a member of the overland
telegraph line construction party for Section "B",
which was from Crown Point on the Finke River to
the southern side of the MacDonnell Ranges.
Bengal
Named after the Bengal, one of the ships to carry
provisions for the Overland Telegraph parties to the
Roper River Depot under Captain Sweet.
Binet
Named after Philip Wadsworth BINET who worked
as a Draftsman for the NT Administration (Lands &
Surveys) on a number of occasions starting in 1928
and finally ending in 1954. He was actively engaged
in Community and Sporting activities during his stays
in the Territory.
Department of Arts & Museums

Boucaut
Named after Ray Parkin Boucaut, Officer in Charge
of Travelling Arrangements for the Overland
Telegraph construction parties. The position
necessitated his making almost continuous journeys
along the telegraph route. In 1872 he joined with Mr
John Lewis in carrying telegrams and mail by pony
express known as an "estafette" between the
northern and southern ends of the O.T. Line until
they were linked together. He had earlier been
associated with pastoral activities in the far north of
South Australia. On completion of the O.T. he
became Chairman of the Land Board, and Inspector
of Lands in the south, and held these positions for
many years. He always expressed great faith in the
potentiality of the MacDonnell Range country.
Calder
Named after Captain Calder of the "SS Omeo" one
of four ships carrying men and supplies from
Melbourne to Darwin in August 1871 for work on the
OT Line construction south of Katherine.
Chambers
Named after Livingstone Chambers who was one of
the wire fitters in the Northern Construction party of
the Overland Telegraph Line.
Connor
Named after Connor, one of the original operators for
BAT in Darwin. He carried mail on horseback over
the unfinished sections of line north of Tennant
Creek in 1872.
Dalwood
Named after William Dalwood - one of the two
partners engaged in contract construction of the
northern section of the OT Line.
Darwent
Named after Joseph Darwent, the other partner in
the construction of the northern section of the
Overland Telegraph Line.
Emmit
Named after Henry EMMIT Gribbon who was a
storeowner in Darwin then later in Pine Creek. He
was a butcher in Pine Creek and had Tabletop
Station, near Jindare and Umbrawarra, to the west of
Pine Creek. Gribbon was in the second contingent to
leave the Territory to serve overseas during WWI.
Fawcett
Named after James Edward and Myrtle Magdelene
Fawcett. Jim Fawcett came to the Territory in 1907
to work for A E Jolly & Co. He retired as Manager for
this Company in 1942 after 30 odd years work which
was broken by service in Gallipoli and France. With
his wife they took over the Adelaide River Hotel in
1945 and rebuilt it across the River.
Frith
Named after Francis and Harriet Frith who came
from Camooweal in Queensland by covered wagon
in 1904 and settled in Pine Creek with their children.
He was a teamster and had a team of 35 horses. He
had a wolfram mine in the area and his wife was the
only midwife in the early years before there was a
permanent nurse there.
Furnell
Named after the Surgeon for the northern Overland
Telegraph Line construction party.
Gribbon
Named after Henry Emmit Gribbon who was a
storeowner in Darwin then later in Pine Creek. He
was a butcher in Pine Creek and had Tabletop
Station, near Jindare and Umbrawarra, to the west of
Pine Creek. Gribbon was in the second contingent to
leave the Territory to serve overseas during WWI.
Hack
Named after Stephen Hack, a veteran teamster in
charge of a team carting provisions for the Overland
Telegraph construction parties.
Halpin
Named after Captain Robert Halpin, Commander of
the cable laying expedition from Darwin to Java.
Hands
Named after Hands, a stockman who ran the first
'Pony Express' between the uncompleted sections of
the Overland Telegraph Line on 24 June 1872.
Harcus
Named after Jeremiah Harcus who was one of the
construction workers on the Overland Telegraph
Line. He was lost in the bush on 10 December 1871.
Hawkins
Named after Thomas Hawkins age 27, a cook who
died of exposure at the Union Camp on 23 March
1872.
Hearne
Named after William Hearne, a member of John
Ross' exploration party.
Holzerland
Named after Francis Holzerland, a teamster on the
central section of the Overland Telegraph line
construction.
Hummel
Named after Captain Hummel, Master of the Bengal
and Larrakeyah, both used to carry OT Line supplies
to Roper River.
Jarvis
Named after a sub-overseer on one of the central
Overland Telegraph line construction parties.

Jindare
Named after Jindare Station south-west of Pine
Creek.
Kapool
Named after an Aboriginal worker with R.C.
Patterson's Overland Telegraph line party.
Kraegen
Named after C. W. I. Kraegen, a member of the O.T.
Line party who perished in Central Australia near
Maryvale Station on 12.12.1871.
Lowrie
Named after Captain Lowrie, Master of the Young
Australian, used to carry OT Line supplies to the
Roper River.
Machell
Named after Charles W Machell, a chainman with
Finniss' survey party to Escape Cliffs in 1864. He
later was appointed Government Customs Officer
and was one of the first residents of Southport which
had taken shape about the 1873-1874 period.
Maddock
Named after Thomas Maddock, a member of the
O.T. Line party manning the Barrow Creek Station at
the time of construction.
Magdelene
Named after Mrs Myrtle Magdelene Fawcett, of
Adelaide River. Mrs Fawcett was born at Brocks
Creek around 1907.
Marchant
Named after a horse tailer in R.C. Patterson's
Overland Telegraph line party.
Marshall
Named after a linesman in the supervisory party on
the northern construction contract of the Overland
Telegraph line.
Moody
Named after Captain Moody - Master of the
Investigator, one of the ships engaged in the cable
laying operation, Darwin to Timor.
Mueller
Named after J F Mueller, first officer in charge of
Alice Springs Telegraph Station 1872. Lived for 50
years in Central Australia and was first warden of
Arltunga Goldfield.
Neate
Named after a stonemason employed on the
construction of the first telegraph building. He lost an
eye in blasting operations for the foundations.
Osborn
Named after Noel Osborn, one of the Officers of the
"Telegraph Construction and Maintenance
Company", which selected a site for the first office on
Mindil Beach. This was later changed.
Palmer
Named after a teamster, Charles Palmer, on the
centre section of construction of the OT Line who
died and is buried near Central Mt. Stuart.
Paqualin
Named after WA Paqualin, Engineer in charge of the
construction of the far northern section (Darwent and
Dalwood) section of the OT Line in 1870.
Patterson
Named after Robert C. Patterson, the engineer
appointed to complete the northern section of the
Overland Telegraph Line when Contractors Darwent
and Dalwood were relieved of the task.
Pitman
Named after one of the contractors, Messrs. Pitman
and Croker, who built the first Telegraph Station in
Darwin, the foundation stone of which was laid on
9.12.1871.
Prowse
Named after William Prowse, one of the original staff
at Barrow Creek when the OT Line was opened
Radge
Named after Thomas Radge, one of the first staff
members at Barrow Creek Telegraph Station.
Renner
Named after the Chief Medical Officer for the whole
Overland Telegraph Line construction project,
originally working in the centre.
Ringwood
Named after Paddy Ringwood, one of the exploring
party under Stephen King who located a route from
the OT Line to Roper River.
Rickards
Named after an OT staff member who swam the
Roper River in June, 1875 with two colleagues, Daer
and Johnston. While swimming the river they were
attacked by Aboriginals with Johnston being killed
and Daer later dying of wounds.
Rix
Named after Dr EC Rix, Medical Officer with RC
Patterson's Overland Telegraph Line construction
party.
Ross
Named after Ross, leader of the party sent north to
meet Darwent and Dalwood's party which surveyed
the O.T. line route which worked north ahead of the
construction parties and reported back from time to
time.

Rutt
Named after Walter Rutt, an engineer and second-in-command of Patterson's Overland
Telegraph Line construction party.
Samson
Named after Edward Samson, one of the first staff members at the Barrow Creek
Telegraph Station.
Stapleton
Named after a Telegraph Operator in the supervisory part on the northern construction
section of the Overland Telegraph Line.
Squier
Named after the first cable superintendent at the Darwin Telegraph Station.
Tabletop
Named after Tabletop Station, a pastoral property near Pine Creek, which together with
Jindare was owned by Henry Emmit Gribbon, a butcher, after whom nearby Emmit and
Gribbon Streets are named.
Todd
Named after Charles (later Sir Charles) Todd - Superintendent of Telegraphs and Post
Master General in South Australia and Officer-in-Charge of all construction particularly of
the Overland Telegraph Line.
Tymn
Named after Charles Tymn, Third Officer of the northern Overland Telegraph Line
construction party.
Welsh
Named after the Captain of the Hibernia, a 3,100 ton cable laying steamer which in the
company of two other ships layed the cables from Port Darwin to Java. The Hibernia
started laying cable on 7 November, 1871 and the first cable message was sent from
Adelaide to England on 20 November 1871.
Wescombe
Named after a member of the supervisory party on the northern Overland Telegraph Line
construction section.
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Contact Details
Phone: 1800 019 155
or (08) 8999 7177
Email: ntl.info@nt.gov.au
Fax: (08) 8999 6927
Post: GPO Box 42, Darwin, N.T. 0801
Location: Parliament House, Darwin
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www.ntl.nt.gov.au