Adelaide River Railway Precinct - NT

The Adelaide River Railway Siding and Railway Bridge, located on the Stuart Highway, were constructed as part of the first leg of the North Australia Railway, or NAR, which operated from 1888 until 1976. The Adelaide River Railway Siding was the first main station complex on the North Australian Railway from Darwin and Pine Creek. During World War II it was of major significance as Adelaide River was an important military centre, with the main hospital situated north of the township along with a number of Australian and Allied bases in the areaThe Friends of the North Australian Railway at Adelaide River was formed in 2001 to preserve part of the alignment of the former narrow gauge North Australian Railway between Adelaide River and Snake Creek. The Railway hopes to ultimately operate a heritage train to that destination, a distance of two miles. The location of the railway's headquarters is in the historic railway precinct at Adelaide River where the society has been restoring the original buildings and infrastructure. The new standard gauge railway line to Darwin adjoins the historic narrow gauge line and at one stage it was proposed to utilise that portion of the narrow gauge alignment for the modern railway. However it was possible to re-arrange the layout to save some of the original railway yard layout and much work is going on to restore the ambience of the historic precinct.