Place Names Register Extract

Temple Bar

Extract date: 04/05/2024

Name Temple Bar
Type Designation Pass
Place Id 18859
Place Type Feature
Status Registered
Date Registered 5 August 1959
Location (Datum GDA94)  
Latitude: -23° 45' S (Decimal degrees -23.76435)
Longitude: 133° 47' E (Decimal degrees 133.787307)
Locality / Suburb  
  Arumbera
  Ilparpa
Local Government Area  
  Alice Springs Town Council
History/Origin Temple Bar is believed to have been named during the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line in 1871-72 as it is used in reports and shown on maps of that time.

The Gap named "Temple Bar" in the early 1870s is what is now known as "Honeymoon Gap".

W R McMinn details in his dairy of February 1871 camping at the foot of a range and the following day passing through the range (at what was later called Temple Bar and is now known as Honeymoon Gap) on foot and sighting another gorge (Simpson Gap) He makes no mention of the gap by name.

WW Mills, Overseer of Section C, subsection C of the Overland Telegraph Line construction party in his December 1872 Report to Charles Todd makes mention to "Water abounds in every direction in favourable seasons. It may be obtained by scratching in the bed of the Laira at Fenn's Gap, also at Temple Bar ; at Simson's Gap (Simpson's Gap), 3 miles north of Temple Bar..."

Temple Bar (Gap) is believed to take its name either from one of two Temple Bar's in South Australia (most probably the one near Beltana which has a very similar appearance). All three Temple Bars are believed to have their origin in the historic structure on the boundary of London, UK where British monarchs on State occasions would observe the ancient custom of securing the London Lord Mayor's permission "to pass the Temple Bar".

Temple Bar Gap was gazetted on 5 August 1959 (NTG G34).

The pass was shown as Temple Bar on maps until 1981 (Alice Springs 1:250,000 SF 53-14 Edition 2) on which the name Honeymoon Gap was shown as the pass name.

In 2004, the Place Names Committee agreed the Temple Bar Gap would be officially recorded for the southern pass through which the Roe Creek flows and the northern pass be known as Honeymoon Gap, as they are known to the general public.

Register & Gazettal information

Date Gazettal Comment
05/08/1959 NTG34

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Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics.
GPO Box 1680, Darwin NT 0801. Ph 08 8995 5333.
place.names@nt.gov.au

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