The Noonamah railway siding and its associated sites were developed as an adjunct to the Aerodrome Development Program in early 1942, when a series of airstrips and airfields, including Sattler, Strauss, Hughes and Livingstone was established south of Darwin. The railway siding was used extensively by the civilian run North Australia Railway (NAR) throughout the war years to transport personnel to and from military camps in the area, to move plant and equipment for major works, and stores and equipment for distribution to units in the vicinity.
The associated camp included comfort features such as elevated quarters for air flow. The stores depot provided storage for a range of equipment used at the nearby airfields and was used throughout the war years.
The Noonamah railway siding and associated sites provide a relatively intact example of a wartime military siding and a highly visual linking of the uses the site fulfilled over a range of activities. The Noonamah railway siding, camp and stores depot combine to form what is the only example of such a precinct in the Territory and is a significant element of the Territory’s wartime heritage.
