Daly River, Northern Territory
Encyclopedia
Daly River is the name of a river and a town in the Northern Territory
of Australia
. At the 2006 census
, Daly River had a population of 468.
European discovery of Daly River was in 1865 by Boyle Finniss
, the first Premier of South Australia
and Government Resident in the Northern Territory
. Finniss named the river after Sir Dominick Daly
, the Governor of South Australia, since the Northern Territory was at that time part of South Australia
. The region lay untouched by Europeans until 1882 when copper
was discovered.
Daly River town was the scene of some particularly bloody exchanges between the local Aborigines
and the miners. In 1884 three miners were killed. The miners in the town wreaked vengeance on the local Aborigines out of proportion to the perceived crime. A year later, probably aware of the tensions in the area, the Roman Catholics
established a mission in the town. As a result of Roman Catholic mission in this area, 75% percent of the population are Roman Catholics.
Through the twentieth century there were a number of attempts to settle the town without real success. In 1911 the Commonwealth Government tried to convince people to move to the town. By the 1920s there were plans for crops of peanut
s and tobacco
which came to nothing. Cashew
s and sugar cane were also planted unsuccessfully. In 1967 the Tipperary Land Corporation cleared large tracts of land around the settlement and started growing sorghum
but the operation was closed down in 1973.
. The park is home to saltwater crocodile
s, reptile
s, spider
s, cockatoo
s, wild pigs, feral Water Buffalo, mangrove
s, giant bamboo
s, pandanus
and Kapok
trees.
The Daly River is famed for its large barramundi and is one of the more popular waterways for recreational fishing. It hosts two major fishing competitions annually, the “Barra Classic” and the “Barra Nationals”. The best barramundi fishing is generally just after the wet season when the flooded river is falling fast and clear water is pouring in off the floodplains. The floodwater carries baitfish which in turn attracts predatory barramundi.
The Daly River is home to more freshwater turtle species
than anywhere else in Australia.
On the road 5 km east of Daly River is a turnoff to Woolianna, a camping and caravan park on the banks of the river, one of several such parks. Just before entering the town there is a turnoff to the Nauiyu Aboriginal Community, home to the Roman Catholic Mission and Merrepen Arts Centre where Aboriginal artifacts are sold.
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Daly River had a population of 468.
History
The traditional owners of the area are the Malak Malak people who live both in Nauiyu and at Wooliana downstream from the community.European discovery of Daly River was in 1865 by Boyle Finniss
Boyle Finniss
Boyle Travers Finniss was the first Premier of the Colony of South Australia, serving from 24 October 1856 to 20 August 1857.-Early life:...
, the first Premier of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and Government Resident in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
. Finniss named the river after Sir Dominick Daly
Dominick Daly
Sir Dominick Daly was the Governor of Prince Edward Island from 11 July 1854 to 25 May 1859 and later Governor of South Australia from 4 March 1862 until his death on 19 February 1868....
, the Governor of South Australia, since the Northern Territory was at that time part of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. The region lay untouched by Europeans until 1882 when copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
was discovered.
Daly River town was the scene of some particularly bloody exchanges between the local Aborigines
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
and the miners. In 1884 three miners were killed. The miners in the town wreaked vengeance on the local Aborigines out of proportion to the perceived crime. A year later, probably aware of the tensions in the area, the Roman Catholics
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
established a mission in the town. As a result of Roman Catholic mission in this area, 75% percent of the population are Roman Catholics.
Through the twentieth century there were a number of attempts to settle the town without real success. In 1911 the Commonwealth Government tried to convince people to move to the town. By the 1920s there were plans for crops of peanut
Peanut
The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...
s and tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
which came to nothing. Cashew
Cashew
The cashew is a tree in the family Anacardiaceae. Its English name derives from the Portuguese name for the fruit of the cashew tree, caju, which in turn derives from the indigenous Tupi name, acajú. It is now widely grown in tropical climates for its cashew nuts and cashew apples.-Etymology:The...
s and sugar cane were also planted unsuccessfully. In 1967 the Tipperary Land Corporation cleared large tracts of land around the settlement and started growing sorghum
Sorghum
Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...
but the operation was closed down in 1973.
Attractions
Today the town is little more than a pub with a few motel units, a police station, and a free caravan park. It is located on the banks of the river a couple of kilometres from the Daly River Crossing, now by sealed road from the main tourist route, the Stuart Highway. The settlement is a centre for visitors to explore the Daly River Nature Park and fishermen after barramundiBarramundi
The Barramundi , also known as Asian Seabass, is a species of catadromous fish in family Latidae of order Perciformes. The native species is widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific region from the Persian Gulf, through Southeast Asia to Papua New Guinea and Northern Australia. Known in Thai...
. The park is home to saltwater crocodile
Crocodile
A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...
s, reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s, spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
s, cockatoo
Cockatoo
A cockatoo is any of the 21 species belonging to the bird family Cacatuidae. Along with the Psittacidae and the Strigopidae , they make up the parrot order Psittaciformes . Placement of the cockatoos as a separate family is fairly undisputed, although many aspects of the other living lineages of...
s, wild pigs, feral Water Buffalo, mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
s, giant bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
s, pandanus
Pandanus
Pandanus is a genus of monocots with about 600 known species. They are numerous palmlike dioecious trees and shrubs native of the Old World tropics and subtropics. They are classified in the order Pandanales, family Pandanaceae.-Overview:...
and Kapok
Kapok
Ceiba pentandra is a tropical tree of the order Malvales and the family Malvaceae , native to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, northern South America, and to tropical west Africa...
trees.
The Daly River is famed for its large barramundi and is one of the more popular waterways for recreational fishing. It hosts two major fishing competitions annually, the “Barra Classic” and the “Barra Nationals”. The best barramundi fishing is generally just after the wet season when the flooded river is falling fast and clear water is pouring in off the floodplains. The floodwater carries baitfish which in turn attracts predatory barramundi.
The Daly River is home to more freshwater turtle species
Terrapin
A terrapin is a turtle living in fresh or brackish water.Terrapin may also refer to:* Terrapin , a transport vehicle used for amphibious assault by the Allies during the Second World War...
than anywhere else in Australia.
On the road 5 km east of Daly River is a turnoff to Woolianna, a camping and caravan park on the banks of the river, one of several such parks. Just before entering the town there is a turnoff to the Nauiyu Aboriginal Community, home to the Roman Catholic Mission and Merrepen Arts Centre where Aboriginal artifacts are sold.
Tributaries
- Katherine RiverKatherine RiverKatherine River is located in the Northern Territory, Australia. Its headwaters are in Nitmiluk National Park, it flows through the town of Katherine, and is a major tributary of the Daly River....
- Fish River
- Douglas RiverDouglas RiverThe Douglas River is a river of the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. Its source is high in the Southern Alps, five kilometres south of Mount Sefton, and its upper reaches are fed by water from the Douglas Glacier, New Zealand. It flows west for 18 kilometres, joined by runoff from the...
- King RiverKing River (Northern Territory)The King River is a river in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is a tributary of the Daly River which ultimately flows into the Timor Sea.The Dry River is a tributary of the King River....