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Place Names Register Extract

Blyth River

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Name Blyth River
Type Designation Stream
Place Id 11013
Place Type Feature
Status Recorded
Date Registered
Location (Datum GDA94)  
Latitude: -12° 03' S (Decimal degrees -12.0517)
Longitude: 134° 35' E (Decimal degrees 134.5911)
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Locality / Suburb  
  West Arnhem
Local Government Area  
 
History/Origin The Blyth River was named by Francis Cadell on 17 June 1867 after the Hon Arthur Blyth who was born in 1823, educated in Birmingham and who came to South Australia with his father, William Blyth, a pioneer colonist, City Councillor in Adelaide.

Arthur Blyth entered Parliament in 1855 and represented Gumeracha in 1857. He was Commisioner of Crown Lands in 1870. In 1871 he was Treasurer and Premier when the first freehold titles were issued in the Territory. He became a Knight in 1877 and was associated with Sir John Downer as SA representatives at the Colonial Conference in 1887 before Federation. He died in 1891 at Bournemouth, England.

The Hundred of Blyth and the Hundred of Hart to the north are contained in the spectacular waterfall country of Litchfield Park, south of Darwin. The Blyth River in Arnhem Land was named after him by Francis Cadell on 17 June 1867. The Blyth Homestead was established in the 1920s as an early pastoral holding and takes its name from the Hundred.

David Lindsay charted this River in his exploration of Arnhem Land in October 1883.

Register & Gazettal information

Date Gazettal Comment
  (None Found)  
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