Place Names Register Extract

Arnhem Highway

Extract date: 06/05/2024

Name Arnhem
Type Designation Highway
Place Id 5117
Place Type Road
Status Registered
Date Registered 4 November 1998
Locality / Suburb  
  Humpty Doo
  Jabiru
  Lambells Lagoon
  McMinns Lagoon
  Middle Point
Local Government Area  
  Litchfield Council
History/Origin Named in 1970 after Arnhem Land through which it was proposed to be built and to which it gives access from Darwin.

The name Arnhem Land has been in existence since the late 1620s and its discovery by the Dutch.

Arnhem Land is named after one of the two Dutch ships "Pera" and "Arnhem" which on 26 April 1623 proceeded in company along the south coast of New Guinea. During this part of the journey the skipper of the "Arnhem", Meliszoon, and some of his men lost their lives as a result of an attack by natives while they were on land. The second mate of the "Pera", William Joosten van Colster, a young man, was then appointed skipper. The two ships separated. After the separation in the southeast part of the Gulf of Carpentaria on 27 April 1623, Colster made some discoveries on his own account. He discovered the northeastern extremity of Arnhem Land, the Wessel Islands and possibly Groote Eylandt in April-May 1623.

Register & Gazettal information

Date Gazettal Comment
01/07/1970 NTG26
08/07/1970 NTG27 Regazettal
04/11/1998 NTG43 Revocation of 8/07/1970 gazettal and Regazettal

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

© Northern Territory of Australia
The Northern Territory of Australia does not warrant that the information in this extract or any part of it is correct or complete and will not be liable for any loss damage or injury suffered by any person as a result of its inaccuracy or incompleteness. You are encouraged to notify any error or omission in the material by calling the Place Names Section.