Larrimah, Northern Territory


Larrimah is a town and a locality in the Northern Territory of Australia located about southeast of the territorial capital of Darwin and about southeast of the municipal seat of Katherine.
It is built along the Stuart Highway. It was the railhead on the North Australia Railway during World War II. It is the home of the Big Stubby, a large replica of a Darwin Stubby beer bottle.
The 2016 Australian census reports that the locality of Larrimah had 47 people living within its boundaries while as of August 2018, the town of Larrimah was reported as having a population of 11.
The town's pub was originally 9 km south in Birdum, but was moved when Larrimah became the end of the railway
Larrimah's fuel station burnt down in October 2009 so no fuel is available there. The closest fuel available is 76 kilometres north at Mataranka, or 100 kilometres south at Daly Waters. There is a Northern Territory Fire & Rescue unit stationed there to attend motor vehicle accidents and local bush & grass fires.

History

Establishment

Larrimah was established in March 1941 as a "village" and as a town on 29 June 1950. The locality of Larrimah was established on 3 April 2007.

World War II

The 8th Australian Staging Camp, built by the Australian Army, was set up in Larrimah for troops making the journey by road from Adelaide before transferring onto rail at Larrimah siding for the rest of the journey to Darwin. No. 45 Australian Camp Hospital was also set up at Larrimah by the Australian Army.

Heritage sites

The following places listed on the Northern Territory Heritage Register are located within the locality of Larrimah:
Larrimah was visited in an episode of Dom Joly's Happy Hour.
In December 2017, Larrimah resident Paddy Moriarty and his dog Kellie went missing. Authorities are treating the case as a homicide. Paddy's disappearance was the subject of A Dog Act: Homicide on the Highway, a four part YouTube series by ABC News.
The Walkley Award winning podcast Lost in Larrimah also explores the mystery of Paddy Moriarty's disappearance, as well as the town's history in great depth, including the feuds within the small community.

Governance

Larrimah is located within the federal division of Lingiari, the territory electoral division of Barkly and the local government area of the Roper Gulf Region.