Place Names Register Extract

Nemarluk

Extract date: 29/03/2024

Name Nemarluk
Type Designation Locality
Place Id 22375
Place Type Administrative Area
Status Registered
Date Registered 3 April 2007
Location (Datum GDA94)  
Latitude: -14° 02' S (Decimal degrees -14.0442)
Longitude: 130° 08' E (Decimal degrees 130.1412)
Locality / Suburb  
  (None Found)
Local Government Area  
  Victoria-Daly Shire Council
History/Origin The locality of Nemarluk is named after Nemarluk, a great man by Aboriginal standards, although a convicted murderer.

On 10 April 1934, he was convicted of the murder of a Japanese on a lugger off Port Keats. The killing occurred in 1931 and, following his apprehension and whilst awaiting trial, he escaped from goal and was not re-arrested until 1933 following a man-hunt which captured the attention of the whole of Australia. The sentence of death following conviction was subsequently commuted to life imprisonment. In his submission seeking commutation, the Chief Protector of Aboriginals stated that it had been ascertained that there were five women of Nemarluk's tribe living on the lugger at the time of the assault on the Japanese. Nemarluk's health deteriorated in Fannie Bay Gaol to the point that an application for a total remission of sentence was actively under consideration when he died in Gaol in August, 1940, having served six years of his sentence.

Register & Gazettal information

Date Gazettal Comment
03/04/2007 Date of Registration
04/04/2007 NTG 14 Notice of Naming

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

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