Birdum / Northern Territory


Map of Birdum


When Construction of the Northern Australian Railway staggered to a halt in 1929, in the middle of the bush, a small town of railway workers sprang up at the end of the rail. Katherine Publican, Tim O'Shea built a pub in the early 30's, and Birdum was born. During the war, the hotel was a U.S. army headquarters. Birdum's population declined slowly after the war, because often the only wet season access was by rail. With Birdum's water no longer being needed for steam boilers, the town was dismantled in the 50's and moved to Larrimah.