Pine Creek

History

Pine Creek is one of the oldest towns in the Northern Territory and it is named for the pine trees that once grew by the creek in the centre of the town. Although it was originally and officially called Playford, the name was not in popular use and was officially changed to Pine Creek on 20 September 1973. Of the town, SW Herbert wrote: By 1875 there were two hotels, The Royal Mail and The Standard, competing for business. A public school opened in 1899. By the 1890s, as many as 15 mines were operating in the area, and the town's population exceeded 3000 people. The towns population fluctuated significantly in its early years and declined significantly in the interwar period; one of the few developments in this period was the establishment of the short lived Pine Creek Home between 1931–1933; it was briefly reopened in the early war years 1940–1941 as a place were children who were being transferred from government institutions to church missions.

Most-observed species

• Hooded Parrot

  Psephotellus dissimilis (Collett, 1898) · Aves
  1,319
• Magpie-lark

  Grallina cyanoleuca (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  1,251
• Bar-shouldered Dove

  Geopelia humeralis (Temminck, 1821) · Aves
  1,086
• Peaceful Dove

  Geopelia placida Gould, 1844 · Aves
  1,057
• Great Bowerbird

  Chlamydera nuchalis (Jardine & Selby, 1830) · Aves
  1,039
• Red-collared Lorikeet

  Trichoglossus rubritorquis Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 · Aves
  958
• Blue-faced Honeyeater

  Entomyzon cyanotis (Latham, 1801) · Aves
  951
• Artamus leucorhynchos

  Artamus leucorhynchos · Aves
  765