History

In 1953 the township of Batchelor was established. Batchelor is 50 years old and an anniversary celebration and reunion was held on the Queen's Birthday weekend from 6-8th June 2003.

Although the present Batchelor township is of comparatively recent origin, the locality has associations with some of the most significant themes in the history of the Northern Territory since the earliest days of European settlement.

The following is a brief history of Batchelor and Rum Jungle.

During the 1800's, two teams of bullocks, one being outward bound from the

Township of Batchelor N.T

town ( now Darwin), with supplies for the diggers in the Pine Creek area and the other, homeward bound and very thirsty met on the banks of a creek and disputed the possession of a cargo of rum. As the evening grew greyer and greyer and the Bullock Crew grew more and more insensible, rum ran everywhere soaked into the parched soil and into the creek and so,"Rum Jungle" was born.

Raw Uranium

On 11th August, 1949, Jack White, prospecting in the area, discovered an outcrop of uranium then a rare and precious thing and this was to become Australia's first uranium mine. The Federal Government paid him 25,000 pounds for his find and then negotiated with the large mining group, now known as Conzinc Rio Tinto of Australia Ltd.(CRA) to undertake the mining and processing of the uranium on a management basis for the Australian Atomic Energy Commission. In January, 1953, a ten year agreement for the sale of uranium to the United States was signed in Washington and the company known as Territory Enterprises Pty.Ltd was established by CRA to take over the whole of the Hundred of Goyder as a restricted area.

During 1953-54, TEP proceeded to build workshops, powerhouse, garage, store, administrative and technical offices at Rum Jungle and at the same

time, constructed the township of Batchelor seven miles away to house its employees including the Mine Managers residence which is an early example of a "G" style type housing.

Batchelor, which was named after the late Hon. E. L. Batchelor, MHR, a South Australian Labour Member of the first Federal Parliament in 1901, first come into prominence early this century, when the Government started an experimental farm here.

By September 1954, the main part of the town was complete and the treatment plant at the mine was ready to begin operations. On 17 September 1954, Sir Robert Menzies plus a score of Cabinet Ministers and other Parliamentarians, officially opened the treatment plant.

Hon. E. L. Batchelor, MHR

H.R.H Duke of Edinburgh

The Mine Manager's House has over the years hosted several V.I.Ps and dignitaries. V.IP's include the then, H.R.H Duke of Edinburgh, while visiting Batchelor and Rum Jungle 15 November 1956.

H.R.H was the guest of honour at a reception at the Mine Manager's Residence (now known as Historic Retreat ).

The Mine Managers Residence is the biggest of only two other "G"style housing in existence and they are located next to each other in Batchelor, forming a heritage precinct.

In 2003, the Mine Manager's Residence was rescued from total ruin. Long term friends and business partners, Barry Rowlands and Robert Hobbs shared a vision to co-develop the Mine Manager's Residence to reflect the significant part of history that the township of Batchelor has become renowned for.
Mid 2004 saw the restoration work completed on the Residence and is now known as the Historic Retreat.

The Historic Retreat is now open for Bed and Breakfast Homestay style accommodation.

10th December 2004, The Historic Retreat was officially NT Heritage Listed.