Berry Springs is a locality in the Northern Territory of Australia. The locality is a mostly rural area situated on the

Cox Peninsula Road The Cox Peninsula Road is a rural road in the Northern Territory of Australia linking the Cox Peninsula and western shore of Darwin Harbour to the Stuart Highway in the rural suburb of Noonamah on the outskirts of Darwin. The route is approxim ...

and is sparsely populated. A few businesses and a school are located in the locality. In the , the population of Berry Springs was 818. It is located by road from the Darwin

Central Business District A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...

and lies within the Litchfield Municipality local government area.

History

The location is known as Laniyuk by the indigenous

Kungarakany The Kungarakany people, also spelt Koongurrukuñ, Kungarrakany, Kungarakan and other variants, are an Aboriginal Australian people of the Northern Territory. They were called the "Paperbark People" by European settlers. Country Norman Tindale e ...

people. The name Berry Springs derives from Berry Creek, named by the

Surveyor General of South Australia The Surveyor General of South Australia (also stylised Surveyor-General) is a position originally created for the Surveyor General for the colony of South Australia. The post is held by an official responsible for government surveying Survey ...

George Goyder George Woodroffe Goyder (24 June 1826 – 2 November 1898) was a surveyor in the Colony of South Australia during the latter half of the nineteenth century. He rose rapidly in the civil service, becoming Assistant Surveyor-General by 1856 ...

, in 1870, after his chief draftsman, Edwin Berry. Most early development of the area was concentrated around the thriving town of Southport at the confluence of the Blackmore and Darwin Rivers. In 1889, a station named Southport opened on the North Australia Railway, on the road between that town and Berry Springs. The location soon declined in importance however. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, over 100,000 service personnel were deployed to the Litchfield area. A low weir was built across Berry Creek to provide a swimming pool as part of a rest and recreation camp for troops, and it is still a popular swimming venue.NRETAS Websit
Berry Springs Nature Park
, Northern Territory Government

Economy

A 14ha aquaculture complex, known as ARDA-Tek Barramundi Farm was established in 1998 in the locality. It employs 3 full-time staff. In addition to supplying fish for seafood wholesale, there is a research program aimed at managing disease and creating cheaper, high protein food sources to increase the quality of the fingerlings produced by the farm. The farm offers recreational fishing and tours for visitors, further contributing to tourism and the local economy.

Infrastructure

Education

There is one public primary school located in Berry Springs,

Berry Springs Primary School A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, raspb ...

. The school caters to students in Transition to Year 6. A pre-school also operates on the site. There were 217 students enrolled as of August 2010. The current principal is Ms. Leah Crockford.DEET Schools Director
School Profile
Northern Territory Government There are no secondary schools in the suburb, but the Darwin rural area is served by Taminmin College in Humpty Doo for students studying in years 7–12.

Attractions

The Territory Wildlife Park is a zoo located in the locality. The

Berry Springs Nature Park A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, raspb ...

is a public recreation area that includes bushwalking trails, picnic areas and a kiosk where refreshments are available. The park is centred on the springs and catchment which are the source of water for Berry Creek. The clear waters of the pools created by the springs are ideal for observing the aquatic life within, and access is provided for swimming to escape the tropical heat. Information displays are provided detailing the native plants, wildlife and history of the area. The park is open all year round, but during the months of October – April may be closed for swimming depending on local conditions.

References

External links

{{Litchfield Municipality Suburbs and Towns Suburbs of Darwin, Northern Territory