NT-WA border plaque replaced after remote off-road trek

A team of Territory history buffs have travelled to a remote border location to mark an important border point. Read what happened.

The plaque is attached to the Kimberley obelisk.

A contentious plaque on the Northern Territory, Western Australian border has been replaced almost 100 years after it was first laid and 20 years after going missing.

The Historical Society of the Northern Territory replaced the lost border plaque on the Kimberley obelisk during its annual field trip.

HSNT president Derek Pugh said the obelisk sat on the 129th meridian and was reached via Duncan Road and 10 kilometres of “rough” bush bashing.

HSNT members at the obelisk from front left: HSNT members Ian Anderson, Jim Leach, Derek Pugh, Roy Pugh, Harry Pugh, Jared Archibald, Bev Phelts, John Krumbeck, Ian Archibald and Allan Mitchell.

Mr Pugh said the New South Wales border was originally moved from 135° East to 129° East after Fort Dundas, the first settlement on the north coast, was built on Melville Island in 1824. “It was, at first, just a line on the map,” he said.

“But in 1920, accurate astrological measurements taken by WA Government astronomers found that the border that passed through local Kimberley cattle stations was incorrect.

“It was 2.9km east of the 129th meridian.”

The Kimberley obelisk with border plaque.

Seven years later, the Kimberley obelisk was erected by Western Australian surveyors WH Brown and Tom Cleave exactly on the meridian.

They installed brass plaques on both the WA and NT sides.

“Western Australian cattlemen were furious,” Mr Pugh said.

“Michael Durack of Argyle Station complained that he had lost two kilometres of land as it had become a part of the Territory.

“On the other hand, Territory cattlemen were pleased as Rosewood, Newry and other Territory stations claimed it.”

Mr Pugh said society members discovered the original plaque on the Territory side had been stolen during a 2007 field trip to the obelisk to mark its 80th anniversary.

Then Historical Society president Earl James arranged production of a new plaque, but it’s taken until now for a subsequent site visit to be organised.

“It was a pleasure for the historical society to make the trek west and to replace the plaque, despite several flat tyres and damage to vehicles on the rough track in,” Mr Pugh said.

“Brass plaques last a long time, and we are hopeful that it will still be there thousands of years from now. It’s a little bit of Territory history the historical society is proud to have been involved in.”