Railway, Palmerston to Pine Creek

3000 Chinese labourers were involved in the construction of the Palmerston-Pine Creek Railway.

Palmerston Pine Creek Railway

Image Courtesy of: SLSA

At a fall Cabinet meeting held on Monday afternoon the Government decided to accept the tender of Messrs. Millar Brothers to construct the railway from Palmerston to Pine Greek. The amount of the tender was £605,424, and the conditions under which it was accepted to allow the employment of Chinese labour. In connection with this contract, the Government had to consider the probability of an influx of Chinese into the Northern Territory.

Source: South Australian Register, Adelaide, 11 May 1886 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/44565968#

The line was built during South Australia’s time – 1863 to 1911 – as administrator of the Northern Territory. The South Australian government in 1883 passed the Palmerston and Pine Creek Railway Act, with a £959,300 contract awarded to C. & E. Millar of Melbourne to build the line. The line reached Pine Creek in 1888. Singhalese and Indian gangs did the grubbing and earthwork and 3,000 Chinese labourers laid more than a kilometre of track per day for the project, with its 310 bridges and flood openings.

Source: Adelaide AZ https://adelaideaz.com/articles/rail-line-from-palmerston--darwin--to-pine-creek-opened-in-1889-as-northernmost-branch-of-south-australian-railways