Place Names Register Extract

Gray

Extract date: 18/10/2025

Name Gray
Type Designation Suburb
Place Id 2041
Place Type Administrative Area
Status Registered
Date Registered 5 December 2001
Location (Datum GDA94)  
Latitude: -12° 29' S (Decimal degrees -12.4898)
Longitude: 130° 58' E (Decimal degrees 130.9818)
Locality / Suburb  
  (None Found)
Local Government Area  
  Palmerston City Council
History/Origin The suburb of Gray is named after William Henry Gray who was born in London in 1808 and who after becoming interested in the Wakefield Scheme of colonizing South Australia in 1834, arrived in Adelaide aboard the John Renwick in 1836. Gray was among the first colonists to purchase land in the new Colony He bought large tracts of land in Port Adelaide, Palmerston (now Darwin), Southport and surrounding hinterland. He established his farm near Adelaide at the Reedbeds. He set up a Voluntary Military Force known as the Reedbeds Mounted Rifle Company in 1859.

He came to Palmerston in 1870 not long after its founding, the SS Bengal with John McKinlay and others who were seeking some investments in the north when Captain Bloomfield Douglas was the Government Resident. Gray's lawyer, B A Moulden, was a member of the SA Legislative Council and was at one time Attorney General in the Coockburn Government of 1887. Gray was connected with E H Bakewell of the pastoral firm and the three men held titles in the area now occupied by the new Town of Palmerston. Gray died in 1896 and left a large estate to his family, with interests which have been held by them until recent post-war years.

Register & Gazettal information

Date Gazettal Comment
17/10/1984 NTG41
05/12/2001 NTG48 Revocation of 17/10/1984 gazettal and renaming of suburb due to changes to boundaries from originally gazetted

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GPO Box 1680, Darwin NT 0801. Ph 08 8995 5333.
place.names@nt.gov.au

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