Place Names Register Extract

Melville Island

Extract date: 16/06/2026

Name	Melville Island
Type Designation	Island
Place Id	15003
Place Type	Feature
Status	Recorded
Date Registered
Location (Datum GDA94)
	Latitude: -11° 33' S (Decimal degrees -11.5583)
	Longitude: 130° 55' E (Decimal degrees 130.9333)
Locality / Suburb
	Tiwi Islands
Local Government Area
	Tiwi Islands Shire Council
History/Origin	PP King records on 23 March 1818 his passing to East of Cape Van Diemen on Melville Island, but had no knowledge of Apsley Strait and the insularity of both Melville and Bathurst Islands. On his return in May, he named the islands. King in his hand written journal wrote "...was called "Melville Island" - after the noble Viscount Robert Saunders Dundas (1771 - 1851), now First Lord of the Admiralty in May 1804...".

Register & Gazettal information

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

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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.