Pine Creek, NT

Description

The town of Pine Creek is located 90km north of Katherine at the junction of the Stuart and Kakadu Hwys. Local Aboriginal peoples of the area are the Wagiman, Mayall, Arigoolia and Jawoyn.

Pine creek became a busy little mining town and around the year 1885 there were about 200 Europeans and 4000 Chinese working the gold fields. Today, Pine Creek is a small friendly town that has food, fuel, accommodation and health services to cater visitor’s needs. Local attractions include the collections of historic buildings and sites from the mining days, gorges and swimming holes.

Pine Creek holds the Gold Rush Festival annually in June, featuring the local goldpanning championships. The Pine Creek Races are held annually in May at Pussy Cat Flats Racecourse.

Pine Creek is an ideal spot for birds watching, with the largest number of bird species in the Northern Territory – including the elusive Hooded Parrot.

Some of the outdoor activities enjoyed in and around Pine Creek are:

LAKE COPPERFIELD
Lake Copperfield is located 6km from Pine Creek. It is a cool deep lake, ideal for swimming, with a shady picnic area, toilets and large parking area. No dogs allowed.

MINE LOOKOUT
Access to the lookout is via a steep bitumen road close to the centre of Pine Creek Township (no caravans). This lookout gives a panoramic view of the Enterprise Pit which is an open cut mine, now full of water to the depth of 135 meters. It began as the Enterprise Shaft in1906 and was worked intermittently until 1985 when Pine Creek Goldfields developed the open cut mine. During the 10-year life span of the goldfields mine 764,000 ounces of gold were extracted. Old Chinese mine shafts can also be viewed at the top of the lookout. Sunset views are spectacular from this vantage point.

MINERS PARK
This park is located next to the Railway Station and the old Station Master’s residence. It houses historic mining machinery from old mines in the Pine Creek area. Interpretive signs and displays give a comprehensive picture of life on the goldfields and the history of mining in the region. It is the venue for the Australia day festivities and local goldpanning championships held each year.

NORTHERN GOLDFIELDS LOOP
This heritage trail takes you from Pine Creek to Adelaide River, through Grove hill which has a heritage museum and where you can stop for a drink and a bite to eat. The route passes long abandoned and modern open cut mines that follow the Pine Creek Geosynclines’, a giant intrusions of mineral rich ore seams, the erosions of which has resulted in the alluvial gold in this region.

UMBRAWARRA GORGE
This gorge is located 22km south west of Pine Creek, further along from Lake Copperfield. It features swimming holes with sandy beaches sheltered by the steep red gorge walls. The first group of deep swimming pools is about 15 minute walk from the car park. Magnificent cliff-top views and secluded waterholes will reward the adventurous, with the local bushland abounding with wildlife. Camping and toilet facilities are available, road access during the wet season may be restricted. For more information on Umbrawarra Gorge go to the National Parks, NT Website: http://www.parksandwildlife.nt.gov.au/parks/find/umbrawarragorge#.VG1e476Za-8

WALK THROUGH TIME FOOTPATH
Heading south from the railway station and locomotive is the historic “Walk through Time” footpath, which is made up of nine bays of tiles painted by local artists. The tiles from a time line along the footpath, commemorating people who have made a contribution to Pine Creek, from the Aboriginal people to the miners and pastoralists of the 1960’s. More tile bays will be added in the future.

WATER GARDENS
When the railway lines closed in1976, the disused cutting became the Water Gardens, this tropical garden is situated in the centre of town and has shaded picnic tables overlooking lily covered ponds.

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• Booking not required

• Pine Creek, NT, Pine Creek NT Pine Creek, Northern Territory, Australia

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