Extract

Glen Helen

Extract date: 04/06/2026

Name	Glen Helen
Type Designation	Homestead
Place Id	13162
Place Type	Feature
Status	Recorded
Date Registered
Location (Datum GDA94)
	Latitude: -23° 24' S (Decimal degrees -23.4062)
	Longitude: 132° 14' E (Decimal degrees 132.241)
Locality / Suburb
	Mount Zeil
Local Government Area
	MacDonnell Shire Council
History/Origin	In the mid-1870s, explorer Ernest Giles recorded a gorge along the Finke River in the West MacDonnell Ranges during his explorations of Central Australia. Although he observed the feature, he did not approach it closely or assign it a name. European interest in the region continued, and in 1875 or early 1876, Richard Warburton traversed the area while tracing the Finke River to its source. During this expedition, Warburton named the gorge Glen Helen, reportedly in honour of Helen Grant, the eldest daughter of his employer, Alexander Grant. Pastoral expansion soon followed. Around 1877?1878, Alexander Grant and his business partner, Henry L?Estrange (operating as Grant & Stokes), secured pastoral leases at Glen Helen and began developing Glen Helen Station. Warburton, who had previously explored the region, was engaged as their agent to identify and acquire suitable land in the headwaters of the Finke River. Allan Breaden was appointed as its manager, overseeing its early operations. His brother, Joseph Albert (Joe) Breaden, was also involved in establishing Glen Helen and later managed Macumba Station. By 1884 there were 1500 head of stock, but over the next decade the property was abandoned because of drought, recession and lack of markets. Glen Helen remained under Grant & Stokes? ownership until 1893, when their partnership dissolved. Sources: Tourism NT. Original Glen Helen Homestead. Accessed 17 March 2025, https://northernterritory.com/alice-springs-and-surrounds/see-and-do/original-glen-helen-homestead Allan D. Breaden reminiscences, 1875-1893, MLMSS 953. Accessed 17 March 2025, https://archival-classic.sl.nsw.gov.au/_transcript/2017/D35230/c04162.html

Name

Glen Helen

Type Designation

Homestead

Place Id

13162

Place Type

Feature

Status

Recorded

Date Registered

Location (Datum GDA94)

Latitude: -23° 24' S (Decimal degrees -23.4062)

Longitude: 132° 14' E (Decimal degrees 132.241)

Locality / Suburb

Mount Zeil

Local Government Area

MacDonnell Shire Council

History/Origin

In the mid-1870s, explorer Ernest Giles recorded a gorge along the Finke River in the West MacDonnell Ranges during his explorations of Central Australia. Although he observed the feature, he did not approach it closely or assign it a name. European interest in the region continued, and in 1875 or early 1876, Richard Warburton traversed the area while tracing the Finke River to its source. During this expedition, Warburton named the gorge Glen Helen, reportedly in honour of Helen Grant, the eldest daughter of his employer, Alexander Grant.

Pastoral expansion soon followed. Around 1877?1878, Alexander Grant and his business partner, Henry L?Estrange (operating as Grant & Stokes), secured pastoral leases at Glen Helen and began developing Glen Helen Station. Warburton, who had previously explored the region, was engaged as their agent to identify and acquire suitable land in the headwaters of the Finke River.

Allan Breaden was appointed as its manager, overseeing its early operations. His brother, Joseph Albert (Joe) Breaden, was also involved in establishing Glen Helen and later managed Macumba Station. By 1884 there were 1500 head of stock, but over the next decade the property was abandoned because of drought, recession and lack of markets. Glen Helen remained under Grant & Stokes? ownership until 1893, when their partnership dissolved.

Sources:
Tourism NT. Original Glen Helen Homestead. Accessed 17 March 2025, https://northernterritory.com/alice-springs-and-surrounds/see-and-do/original-glen-helen-homestead
Allan D. Breaden reminiscences, 1875-1893, MLMSS 953. Accessed 17 March 2025, https://archival-classic.sl.nsw.gov.au/_transcript/2017/D35230/c04162.html

Date	Gazettal	Comment
	(None Found)

Date

Gazettal

Comment

(None Found)

The Northern Territory Gazetteer is maintained by the Place Names Section,
Department of Lands, Planning and Environment.
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.

Place Names Register Extract

Glen Helen

Register & Gazettal information