Water is life in the Territory, and delivering it across vast, unforgiving landscapes requires grit, innovation and deep local knowledge. For decades, Barkly Plumbing Services earned its reputation by making the impossible possible, supplying safe, reliable water to communities no matter how remote. 

Now, the next chapter begins. 

Under its new name, Territory Water Solutions, the family business is stepping into a larger role: shaping the future of water access and infrastructure across more than one million square kilometres of the NT. 

The rebrand signals far more than a visual refresh. It marks a long-term growth strategy, a commitment to modern capability, and the continuation of a family legacy that started in 1997 with founder John Henderson and a single ute on the Barkly roads. 

Today, John’s daughter Sarah Curran and her husband Brian employ more than 40 people across the region. Their mission? Build opportunity, strengthen remote communities and ensure the next generation inherits a Territory that is more resilient, capable and water-secure than the one before. 

“Purchasing the business from my parents in 2020 was a proud moment,” Sarah said. “It meant continuing the family legacy, and expanding it.” 

The company has grown from a small Tennant Creek operation into a Territory-wide water infrastructure provider. From Tennant Creek to Alice Springs and beyond, Territory Water Solutions now operates in regions others have deemed too hard or too far. 

Their reputation is built on respect, especially in remote Aboriginal communities. The company has long prioritised employing local Aboriginal workers and engaging with Traditional Owners to ensure projects are culturally informed and community-focused. 

Major works such as the Mungkarta homelands housing upgrade and Yuendumu water infrastructure projects have been praised by Traditional Owners and the NT Government alike, demonstrating capability, reliability and trust. 

As project scale increased, the company knew it needed a brand and structure that reflected where it was heading. 

“We kicked into another gear,” Sarah said. “The size and complexity of the contracts we were securing made us rethink everything, our operations, our systems, our long-term vision. The rebrand to Territory Water Solutions reflects the business we’ve become.” 

The company’s growth is creating real opportunity across the Barkly and Central Australia. Territory Water Solutions employs over 40 team members, including three apprentices, with a fourth on the way, and partners closely with local schools and employment pathway providers to introduce young people to trade careers. For many, the business becomes a doorway into skilled work, long-term employment and generational stability. 

With demand rising across the NT, particularly in remote communities, mining corridors and major infrastructure projects, the business is investing heavily in building a skilled, long-term workforce. 

“We’re becoming the employer of choice in this region,” Brian said. “We treat people well and offer genuine incentives to live and work remotely. The long game is a fully local, highly skilled team.” 

To meet demand, Territory Water Solutions recently recruited plumbers from New Zealand, South Africa and Fiji, all moving to the Barkly with their families. This reflects the company’s vision for multi-regional capability, cultural diversity and long-term community stability.

Territory Water Solutions delivers residential, commercial, industrial and civil plumbing services, including specialist work such as bore equipment, water system installation and maintenance. The company considers all environmental, cultural, safety and climatic factors for each project, an essential requirement for the NT’s remote conditions.

With contracts across Government, Power and Water Corporation, Aboriginal organisations, mining operations and the private sector, the company is now positioning itself for the next decade of infrastructure growth.

“We’ve come a long way from my dad and his ute,” Sarah said. “But our core purpose hasn’t changed — safe, reliable water, no matter the distance or terrain.”

Their ambition stretches further: to create a Territory-born legacy that lasts generations.

“Our goal is to build something that outlives us,” Sarah said. “A strong Territory business that our kids, their kids, and the people of the NT can be proud of.”

From one ute in 1997 to a multi-regional water infrastructure company, Territory Water Solutions stands as proof of what’s possible when family, opportunity and regional pride converge — shaping a stronger future for the Northern Territory. TQ

CONTACT

TENNANT CREEK 12 Brown Street, Tennant Creek NT 0860 (08) 8962 2502 admin@territorywater.com.au territorywater.com.au

ALICE SPRINGS 20 Chateau Rd, Connellan NT 0873 (08) 8962 2502 admin@territorywater.com.au territorywater.com.au 

COEN WORTLEY HARD AT WORK