Timber Creek

Timber Creek is an isolated small town on the banks of the Victoria River in the Northern Territory of Australia. The Victoria Highway passes through the town, which is the only significant settlement between the Western Australia border and the town of Katherine to the east. Timber Creek is approximately 600km south of Darwin, in an area known for its scenic escarpments and Boab trees.HistoryPre-European settlement and explorationThe Ngaliwurru and Nungali Aboriginal people are the original inhabitants and traditional owners of the lands surrounding the town. Their way of life remained unchanged for thousands of years until first contact with Europeans in the 19th century. The traditional name for the locality is "Makalamayi".In September 1855, Sir Augustus Charles Gregory and a party of 19 men reached the mouth of the Victoria River. The party's schooner, Tom Tough, proceeded along the river, landing near the present town of Timber Creek and a base camp for the expedition was established. Gregory named a nearby stream "Timber Creek" on 24 November while seeking timber to make repairs to the boat. Gregory inscribed of the dates of this expedition on a large boab tree near the original campsite, located approximately 15km from the present town; the tree, and the inscription, can still be seen today.