Place Names Register Extract

Don Darben Bridge

Extract date: 23/04/2024

Name Don Darben Bridge
Type Designation Bridge
Place Id 24254
Place Type Feature
Status Registered
Date Registered 4 November 2011
Location (Datum GDA94)  
Latitude: -15° 36' S (Decimal degrees -15.614508)
Longitude: 131° 07' E (Decimal degrees 131.130287)
Locality / Suburb  
  Gregory
Local Government Area  
  Victoria-Daly Shire Council
History/Origin Named after Donald (Don) Frederick Darben AO (1930 - 2010), a civil engineer, who relocated from Queensland to the Northern Territory and began work as a Commonwealth public servant with the Department of Civil Aviation. Don then went on to become the Chief Engineer Roads for the Commonwealth Department of Works and became a senior Northern Territory public servant when the Territory gained partial self government in 1978.

Don held many different positions over his long and distinguished career in the NT Government and contributed greatly to the Northern Territory. Some of his achievements included the managing of the Katherine Beef Roads Project for the Katherine Region in 1960's, contributing to the reconstruction of Darwin post Cyclone Tracy, and overseeing major upgrades of the Stuart, Barkly and Tanami Highways. As the Chairman of the Palmerston Development Authority, Don contributed to the strategic planning of 12 future suburbs in the Palmerston region.

In the 1990's, Don established the NT Veterans Golfing Association and the Casuarina All Sports Club, the latter of which he was a Director from its inception in 1995 until 2004. He was awarded life membership in recognition of his service to the Club. Don was the founding member of the Government House Foundation of the Northern Territory, created to preserve and promote the oldest European building in the Northern Territory.

In 1992 Don was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (OA) for his service to the development of the Northern Territory.

Register & Gazettal information

Date Gazettal Comment
04/11/2011 Date added to the Register
16/11/2011 NTG46

The Northern Territory Gazetteer is maintained by the Place Names Section,
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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