Place Names Register Extract

Adelaide River

Extract date: 24/04/2024

Name Adelaide River
Type Designation Stream
Place Id 10152
Place Type Feature
Status Recorded
Date Registered
Location (Datum GDA94)  
Latitude: -12° 13' S (Decimal degrees -12.2209)
Longitude: 131° 13' E (Decimal degrees 131.2249)
Locality / Suburb  
  Coomalie Creek
  Daly
  Hotham
  Koolpinyah
  Manton
  Middle Point
  Robin Falls
  Tipperary
Local Government Area  
  Coomalie Community Council
History/Origin Stokes in his journal "Discoveries in Australia, Vol 1" published in 1846 writes following the return of Mr Fitmaurice to the "Beagle":-
"There was no difficulty in finding a name for a river which fell into Clarence Strait; it was at once, therefore, honoured with that of Adelaide, after her most gracious Majesty the Queen Dowager."

Clarence Strait having been named by the Stokes after William IV, Duke of Clarence, her husband.

SW Herbert in his unpublished manuscript "Reminiscences of life in the NT, 1870-1873" (SAA996) having climbed Mount Carr (in the vicinity of the current township of Adelaide River) states:-

"This river, on the coast, was discovered by Mr Fitmaurice, who was sent on a boating expedition along the coast by Commander L Stokes of the Admiralty surveying ship "Beagle" in 1839, and was named in the memory of Queen Adelaide." (pg 58)

Register & Gazettal information

Date Gazettal Comment
  (None Found)  

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GPO Box 1680, Darwin NT 0801. Ph 08 8995 5333.
place.names@nt.gov.au

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