Arltunga Historical Reserve

Arltunga Historical Reserve, known also as Arnerre-ntyenge is a deserted gold rush town located in the Northern Territory of Australia in the locality of Hart[1] about 110 kilometres (68 mi) east of Alice Springs.

[2] The name Arltunga comes from the Eastern Arrernte name for the nearby waterhole Arnerre-ntyenge (a-na-ra n-tunga-a) which translates roughly as 'stinking water' as animals were known to get stuck in there and die.

The Eastern Arrernte people acted at guides, trackers, labourers, miners, messengers and as domestic help within the community.

[2] Many Eastern Arrernte people also took work on nearby pastoral stations including Atnarpa, Loves Creek, Ambalindum and The Gardens.

[12] Despite high investment the growth of Arltunga was slowed by a significant period of drought in the 1890s where wells dried up and the horses were too starving to cart ore.

Conditions, however, improved in 1903 when a rush at the nearby Winnecke Goldfield renewed interest in the region and in 1905 a new well, store and hotel were built there.

[2] Discoveries of gold in The Granites and Tennant Creek in the late 1920s and early 1930s meant that many of the miners left Arltunga, who still faced regular issues accessing water.