Attack Creek Historical Reserve

Attack Creek Historical Reserve is a modest heritage site on the Stuart Highway north of Tennant Creek. It signifies the furthest north that explorer John McDouall Stuart reached in 1860 during one of his early attempts to cross Australia from south to north. Confronted by hostile conditions and failing resources, Stuart was forced to turn back at this creek – which he named "Attack Creek" after a skirmish with local Aboriginal people occurred, according to his journals. Today, the reserve features a cairn and plaque commemorating Stuart’s journey and the historical significance of the location. The creek itself is usually a dry, sandy watercourse lined with acacias and eucalypts in an otherwise flat, arid landscape. Visitors typically stop briefly to stretch their legs and read the monument when driving the highway. There are no facilities aside from a gravel pull-off area; however, interpretive signage provides context about Stuart’s expeditions and the role Attack Creek played. While not a destination for extended exploration, the reserve is part of the network of historical markers along the "Explorer’s Way" (Stuart Highway) that together tell the tale of the arduous overland crossings. Standing at Attack Creek, one can imagine the challenges faced by those early explorers, and appreciate the endurance it took to eventually traverse the continent. The site also implicitly acknowledges the resistance of Indigenous people to the incursion on their land. For history enthusiasts, Attack Creek is a poignant little stop linking the story of exploration to the very ground on which you stand.