Arltunga Historical Reserve

Arltunga Historical Reserve
Hart[1], Northern Territory
The Arltunga Gaol at the Arltunga Historical Reserve
Arltunga Historical Reserve is located in Northern Territory
Arltunga Historical Reserve
Arltunga Historical Reserve
Coordinates23°26′51″S 134°43′02″E / 23.4475°S 134.7172°E / -23.4475; 134.7172[1]
Managing authoritiesParks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory

Arltunga Historical Reserve, known also as Arnerre-ntyenge is a deserted gold rush town located in the Northern Territory of Australia in the locality of Hart[1] about 110 kilometres (68 mi) east of Alice Springs. It is on the lands of the Eastern Arrernte people who are the traditional owners.[2]

The name Arltunga comes from the Eastern Arrernte name for the nearby waterhole Arnerre-ntyenge (a-na-ra n-tunga-a) which translates roughly as 'stinking water' as animals were known to get stuck in there and die.[3][4] Alternatively there is speculation that the name comes from a corruption of the Kukatja dialect (Luritja language) word aldolanga which means 'easterners'. The European name for this waterhole is Paddy's Rockhole.[3]

It is of major historical significance as the first major European settlement in Central Australia.[5]

It is nearby to the Winnecke Goldfield which followed a similar history.[6]

  1. ^ a b c "Place Names Register Extract for "Arltunga Historical Reserve"". NT Place Names Register. Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  2. ^ Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife Commission (1 January 2021). "Arltunga Historical Reserve (Arnerre-ntyenge): joint management plan" (PDF). Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b Traynor, Stuart (2016), Alice Springs : from singing wire to iconic outback town, Wakefield Press, p. 129, ISBN 978-1-74305-449-9
  4. ^ "Arltunga Bore". NT Place names register. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Arltunga Historical Reserve" (PDF). Parks and Wildlife Commission NT. Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 February 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  6. ^ McGowan, Barry (1991). "The Arltunga and Winnecke goldfields". Territory Stories. hdl:10070/87589. Retrieved 8 March 2024.