Place Names Register Extract

Henry Wrigley Drive

Extract date: 15/06/2026

Name Henry Wrigley
Type Designation Drive
Place Id 6464
Place Type Road
Status Registered
Date Registered 8 January 1992
Locality / Suburb  
  Eaton
  Marrara
Local Government Area  
  Darwin City Council
History/Origin Named after Air Vice Marshall Henry Wrigley who was the first person to land an aircraft in the Territory - he landed at Avon Downs on 8 December 1919.

On 16 November 1919 Captain HN Wrigley DFC AFC and Sergeant A W Murphy DFC AFC set out from Point Cook, near Melbourne, in a BE2e aircraft to survey a route across Australia which would be traversed by competitors in the first England to Australia Air Race which was won by the brothers Ross and Keith Smith on 10 December 1919.

Wrigley and Murphy's flying time for the 4000km was only 47 hours, but it was spread over such a long period that they arrived in Darwin 2 days after Ross and Keith Smith who were leading in the Australian Government sponsored Air Race in their Vickers Vimy

The flight gave Wrigley and Murphy the honour of being the first to fly across the continent.

After the flight to Darwin the BE2e was dismantled and returned to Point Cook by sea.

Henry Wrigley Drive, originally along the western side of Rapid Creek (Gazette NTG6 15/2/89) has been renamed Charles Eaton Drive.

Register & Gazettal information

Date Gazettal Comment
15/02/1989 NTG6
08/01/1992 NTG1 Previously named Marrara Road which went to Abala Rd only.

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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