Place Names Register Extract

Knuckey Lagoons

Extract date: 10/06/2026

Name Knuckey Lagoons
Type Designation Waterhole
Place Id 14203
Place Type Feature
Status Recorded
Date Registered
Location (Datum GDA94)  
Latitude: -12° 26' S (Decimal degrees -12.433713)
Longitude: 130° 56' E (Decimal degrees 130.945058)
Locality / Suburb  
  Knuckey Lagoon
Local Government Area  
  Litchfield Council
Alternate Names  
  Knuckey's LagoonWaterhole
  Knuckey's LakeWaterhole
  Knuckeys LagoonWaterhole
History/Origin These prominent lagoon or lagoons where named by Surveyor General GW Goyder during the Survey of the Port Darwin and Environs in 1869 after Richard Randall Knuckey, his Senior Surveyor, who took a leading part in the survey. Knuckey also surveyed part of the Overland Telegraph Line in later years. Born in Cornwall (England), Knuckey was educated in Kadina (SA), trained as a surveyor in Adelaide and served in the Northern Territory.


The following is an extract from S W Herbert diary,
"(September 20th 1870) ..Knuckey's Lagoon, more like a fresh water swamp covered with reeds, about 10 miles from Palmerston (Darwin), and nearly 150 acres in extent when full. It was named after Richard Knuckey, one of Goyder's cadets. Subsequently he became very well known in Adelaide and country districts, as head of the telegraph construction Department under Sir Charles Todd."

Register & Gazettal information

Date Gazettal Comment
  (None Found)  

The Northern Territory Gazetteer is maintained by the Place Names Section,
Department of Lands, Planning and Environment.
GPO Box 1680, Darwin NT 0801. Ph 08 8995 5333.
place.names@nt.gov.au

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