smoke signals from N.W. and S.W. yesterday indicated the approach of big numbers of desert blacks of the Warramulla tribe. Scouts had been sent out to bring them in for the inter-tribal corroboree. (Sydney Sun 2/8/1936)
For the last two weeks members of the Myall and Warramulla tribes, called from the desert by the 'bush telegraph' system of the aborigines had been coming into the reserve. (Melbourne Argus 10/8/1936 'Strange Party in Heart of Desert' by J.D. Balfe)See Petersen et al 1978, Nash 1980, Aboriginal Land Commission 1978, 1982, 1983, Koch & Wafer 1981, and the Transcript of Proceedings of those traditional land claims for details of Aboriginal lands to the west of the Pastoral Leases west of the Stuart Highway.
NB: I believe the western part of Buchanan's 1896
route is too far south on Gibson's map.
In 1962 a road was sealed from Tennant
Creek as far as Orlando Mine. This was reported at the time with a
comment about the prospects
for its extension:
29th March, 1962 - The tender was let for the construction of the Orlando Road and won by Thiess Bros. … The length of the road from the turnoff just above the aerodrome will be 17.2 miles and this represents a savings of about 7 miles on the present route. The Government is contributing 60,000 pounds towards the construction of the road, the remainder of the cost being to Peko. Peko will be responsible for the maintenance of the road until such time as it is in substantial use by the public in general. This road could, at some later date be the starting point on a route to Western Australia, a project which was contemplated by the Government at one stage and which is on the agenda for long term planning and development. (Reprinted in Peko Clarion June 1984, page 4.)In May 1964, a party of Warlpiri men from Hooker Creek (as Lajamanu was then known) (including †Peter Blacksmith Japanangka) and †Max Cartwright and Graham Clark of Welfare Branch took a two vehicles across a fairly direct route from Lajamanu in the direction of Tennant Creek. For some distance from Duck Pond they made a straight cut-line. The NTA Bedford truck reached the Stuart Highway at Cabbage Gum bore (20km south of Tennant Creek town); Cartwright had to return from halfway to Hooker Ck, then came back east and took a more direct route on to the Alluvial and thence by roads to Tennant Ck. The party tried to return along their tracks but with vehicle trouble and threatening rain they turned back from west of Alluvial, and returned home by highways. (Cartwright 1995:62-68)
A senior member of the [Lajamanu] Council told me:Between 26-31 October 1983, David Gibson and Jeff Cole (Conservation Commission of the NT, Alice Springs) with several Warlpiri/Warlmanpa people travelled west to a place in sandhills about 20km west of fork to the north-west. (Cole & Gibson 1983). Gibson and others made other surveys across the area in following years.
- The thing I really want is that road to Tennant Creek. We got a lot of relatives that way. Too far to go round top way. Too much drinking at Top Springs. Put a road through to Tennant Creek. That's what we got to do. (McClay 1988:281)
Aboriginal development in Tennant Creek and surrounding areas is at the crossroads. Provided proper support from Government and people is given, the next couple of years should see a number of communities developing in the areas between Tennant Creek and Hooker Creek, with perhaps some on the east side also, the people coming from Tennant Creek, Ali Curung and Hooker Creek.In 1984 Max & Marie Cartwright travelled from Lajamanu at least as far as Duck Pond. (Cartwright 1997:63).
This has economic significance for Tennant Creek as the Hooker Creek Community (especially once a good road is put through) will relate here more instead of Katherine, as at present. (Clark 1984:7)