Back of Beyond The NT: The Cox Peninsula

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The Cox Peninsula, is about 130 kilometres by road and 10 kilometres by ferry from Darwin. It has had a varied and interesting history. Elizabeth Povinelli writing about the original indigenous aboriginals who occupied on the peninsula claimed that, Elkin (a noted anthropologist) identified the Larrakia tribe as being the original settlers of the Cox Peninsula. "Largely extinct the survivors coalesce with one of the Wagaitj groups, the Wadjigiyn. Elizabeth, Povinelli,. Pg 194 Povinelli, Elizabeth. The Cunning of Recognition: Indigenous Alterities and the Making of Australian Multiculturalism. Durham: Duke University Press. 2002.

She also wrote that, ""Waugeit" (now Wagait) is a term from the Batjemal language referring to the coast and to coastal people. Since the settlement of Darwin in 1869, it had been a common way of referring to the Aboriginal groups living along the coastline stretching from the Cox Peninsula-where Belyuen is located-to Cape Dombey." Elizabeth, Povinelli,.Pg 193 Povinelli, Elizabeth. The Cunning of Recognition: Indigenous Alterities and the Making of Australian Multiculturalism. Durham: Duke University Press. 2002.

Early white settlement came in the form of a sugar plantation and after that the location was called Dellissaville. According to Atherton ,"By offering rewards and subsidised land, the South Australian Government had attempted before 1890 to promote plantations of sugar, coffee, rubber, tobacco and maize crops in the Top End, with no success. … Pests, diseases, poor soils and the climate devastated introduced crops…" C.M. Atherton, Pg.8 Atherton,C.M. The Northern Territory-South Australian 'White Elephant'. Occasional Papers No. 22. Distance Education Branch of the Northern Territory Department of Education.

Throughout the 1880's mariners using the Port of Darwin and its approaches experienced many difficulties. Many ships were wrecked on the rocky, coral reefs and sandbars that made the route into the port a treacherous journey. M. Foley writing about the eventual construction of a lighthouse on Charles Point stated that "...Captain the Hon Foley C P Vereker …after obtaining the leave of the Commander in Chief, Rear Admiral Fairfax,…left for the Territory to make a careful examination of Point Charles and other positions which had been under consideration for some years. At the same time, HMS Myrmidon was carrying out a survey of the northern coastline ... M Foley, Pg 9 Foley, M. Point Charles Lighthouse And The Military Occupation Of Cox Peninsula. Northern Territory Library Service. Darwin. 1987

On February 1893 the lighthouse was completed, but over the years it has undergone several alterations. With a switch from vaporized kerosene to acetylene gas in 1933, occupancy at the lighthouse was no longer required. In 1971 the Lighthouse became obsolete due to the building of tall transmission masts in Radio Australia's transmission area and the installation of powerful lamps atop these masts. However in 1974 Tropical Cyclone Tracy knocked down the masts and the lighthouse was called back into action. The lighthouse was modernized into its present condition in 1982.

The Radio Australia complex at Cox Peninsula consisted of a Receiving Station, and a Transmitting Station. The Cox Peninsula complex was a powerful booster station for the Radio Australia programmes that were being transmitted to Asia from Shepparton. The Receiver Site was made redundant in the 1980's by satellites, and Radio Australia transmissions from the Transmitter Site ceased in the late 1990's. In 2000, the Cox Peninsula transmitter site was sold to a private broadcasting company, Christian Vision. The former Receiver Site is now part of the Belyuen (Delissaville) Aboriginal Community. During the time the transmitter was being used, Radio Australia played a vital role by broadcasting accurate news and information to the Pacific and reporting Australian perspectives on current affairs. Foley, M. Point Charles Lighthouse And The Military Occupation Of Cox Peninsula. Northern Territory Library Service. Darwin. 1987

Due to its relative isolation and lack of urban development several remnant vine forests still exist adjacent to and at the old lighthouse and Radio Australia complex.
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