It was built during World War II for the burial of Servicemen and women who died in this part of Australia. There are 434 burials in total, 14 airman Royal Air Force, 12 unidentified men of the British Merchant Navy, seven Australian Merchant Navy men, one Canadian Army soldier and 400 from the Australian Forces.

The war cemetery adjoins the Civil Cemetery where 63 civilians including 31 aboriginal people are buried. Among the civilians are nine Post Office workers who were killed on 19 February 1942 in the bombing of Darwin.

Pine Creek.

About 250 km south of Darwin, on the Stuart Highway, is the small townm of Pine Creek. Established in the late 1800s after a gold rush in the area, the town is a treasure trove of heritage bush buildings and mining sites. Echoes of the gold rush days are still evident in the historic Pine Creek Settlement. Gold was discovered at Pine Creek in 1871 by construction workers on the Overland Telegraph Line.

There is a small and informative museum and preserved railway station within the township. The township is small but offers a range of accommodation options, including caravan parks and cabins. Many of the original buildings still stand, allowing travellers to soak up some of the old pioneering spirit.

I visited the War Cemetery and Pine Creek on a coach tour to the Nitmiluk National Park on Remembrance Day, November 11, 2008.