Halls Creek, Western Australia

Halls Creek Western Australia
Ruins of Old Halls Creek
Halls Creek
Coordinates	18°14′S 127°40′E / 18.23°S 127.67°E / -18.23; 127.67Coordinates: 18°14′S 127°40′E / 18.23°S 127.67°E / -18.23; 127.67
Population	1,546 (2016 census)[1]
Established	1887/1949
Postcode(s)	6770
Elevation	422 m (1,385 ft)
Location	366 km (227 mi) from Kununurra 546 km (339 mi) from Derby
LGA(s)	Shire of Halls Creek
State electorate(s)	Kimberley
Federal Division(s)	Durack
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 33.6 °C 92 °F 20.0 °C 68 °F 571.5 mm 22.5 in

Halls Creek is a town situated in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia. It is located between the towns of Fitzroy Crossing and Turkey Creek (Warmun) on the Great Northern Highway. It is the only sizeable town for 600 km on the Highway.

Halls Creek is also the northern end of the Canning Stock Route, which runs 1,850 km through the Great Sandy Desert until the southern end of the route at Wiluna.

The town functions as a major hub for the local indigenous population and as a support centre for cattle stations in the area.

Halls Creek is the administration centre for Halls Creek Shire Council.

History[]

The land now known as Halls Creek has been occupied for thousands of years by Aboriginal peoples. The land is crossed by songlines and trading paths stretching from the coasts to the deserts, some passing near the modern town. The story of that long occupation remains alive today and it is revealed in the culture of the Jaru, Kija, Kukatja, Walmajarri, Gooniyandi and other Indigenous people who live in Halls Creek Shire.

Late in the 19th Century, Europeans arrived, searching for land for cattle and sheep, as well as minerals. On Christmas Day 1885 prospector Charlie Hall found a huge 870-gram (28-troy-ounce) gold nugget at a site that would eventually be named after him. News of the discovery drew more than 15,000 people to what is now Old Halls Creek to try their luck. It proved an inhospitable land for these people and the graves of some can be found in Old Town's small cemetery.^{[citation needed]}

The gold rush lasted less than three months and Halls Creek became a trading centre for cattle stations, Aboriginal communities and miners who stayed in the area. The post office with its telegraph line that terminated here, the police station, government office, racecourse and stores gave the town a purpose. In 1918 the Australian Inland Mission built a hospital and the old town continued, with few inhabitants and little water.^{[citation needed]}

In 1948 an airfield was built near the site of the present town and over the next decade the old town moved nearer to this new site. Except for the police station, which finally relocated in 1961, the old town was abandoned by 1954.

The nearby settlements known as Chinaman's Garden (Yarrunga) and Wangu Outstation (Flora Valley Station) were funded by the federal government as outstations during the 1980s.^[2]

Tourism[]

The so-called "China Wall"

For tourists, there are several nearby attractions such as:

• China Wall
• Old Halls Creek
• Palm Springs
• Saw Pit Gorge
• Duncan Road
• Wolfe Creek Crater, 200 km to the south on the Tanami Road
• Purnululu National Park (the Bungle Bungles), 120 km to the north.
• Canning Stock Route

Tourism information is available.^[3]

Indigenous Australian art[]

Many talented artists producing Indigenous Australian art live in Halls Creek and the surrounding communities. Visitors will be surprised at the huge variety of styles coming out of the region. It's not uncommon to buy artwork directly from the artist, so having cash handy can be useful. There are also multiple art centres within the Shire of Halls Creek, where you can meet the artists and purchase unique works of Kimberley art.

• Yarliyil Art Centre, Halls Creek^[4]
• Warlayirti Artists Aboriginal Corporation], Wirrimanu (Balgo) Community^[5]
• Warmun Art Centre], Turkey Creek (Warmun) Community^[6]
• Laarri Gallery, Yiyili Community

Travel tips[]

There are alcohol restrictions within Halls Creek. In May 2009 the state Director of Liquor Licensing imposed a "prohibition on the sale of packaged liquor with an alcohol content greater than 2.7 per cent from licensed premises" in the town.^[7] In September 2009 it was reported that assaults and drink driving arrests had decreased dramatically as a result of the bans.^[8] Full strength alcohol can be purchased with a meal at the local motel or hotel, however take-away sales of alcohol above 2.7% Alc./Vol. are prohibited.

Halls Creek has two distinct seasons, the wet season (November - March) and the dry season (April - October). Permanent surface water sources are scarce during the dry season. Always carry plenty of water. During the wet season, Halls Creek is often cut off due to flooding. People traveling during the wet should be extremely cautious of flood ways and bridges, as water levels can rise and fall very rapidly.

Permits are required in some areas and permission should always be sought before visiting Aboriginal communities. Always seek local advice and never travel on a closed road.

Impact craters[]

Aside from the well known and well preserved Wolfe Creek Crater, averaging about 875 metres in diameter, nearby there is also Goat Paddock crater, 7 km in diameter and 106 km west-southwest of Halls Creek, and Piccaninny crater, 7 km in diameter, within the Purnululu (Bungle Bungle) National Park. Near the other end of the Tanami Road in the Northern Territory, over 1000 km away from Halls Creek, is Gosses Bluff crater, with the 5 km diameter, 180 m high crater-like feature, now exposed, being interpreted as the eroded relic of the crater's central uplift.

Indigenous population[]

In the 2016 Census, there were 1,546 people in Halls Creek. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 66.9% of the population.^[1]

It is home to the Indigenous Djaru and Gija peoples as well as some Tjurabalan peoples from the desert to the south of the town. Indigenous people have lived in the region for at least 30,000 years.^[9]

"Aboriginal people in Halls Creek are predominantly Jaru and Kija peoples. Many residents celebrate both Jaru and Kija heritage. there are also significant numbers of Gooniyandi people from further east, Walmajarri from the south-east and Kukatja people originally from the desert country to the south. Over the years other Aboriginal people from nearby groups have moved to Halls Creek. These include the Gurindji and the Walpiri from the east, the Ngardi from the south-east and Malngin from the north-east".^[9]

Climate[]

Heavy rare earth mine[]

As of November 2018 the Browns Range Project pilot plant—160 km south east of the township near the Kundat Djaru Community—is producing 50 tonnes (49 long tons) per annum of dysprosium.^[11][12]

See also[]

• Halls Creek Airport
• Carnegie expedition of 1896

References[]

External links[]

• Shire of Halls Creek
• Halls Creek tourism