Place Names Register Extract
Packards Knob
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Print Extract | Search Again| Name | Packards Knob |
|---|---|
| Type Designation | Hill |
| Place Id | 17434 |
| Place Type | Feature |
| Status | Recorded |
| Date Registered | |
| Location (Datum GDA94) | |
| Latitude: -12° 27' S (Decimal degrees -12.46556) | |
| Longitude: 130° 58' E (Decimal degrees 130.97147) | |
| View Map | View in NT Atlas | View in Google Earth | |
| Locality / Suburb | |
| Durack | |
| Local Government Area | |
| Palmerston City Council | |
| Alternate Names | |
| Goyders Camp Hill | |
| History/Origin | Packards Knob was named by George Goyder during his 1869 survey expedition, after one of his cadet surveyors, Harrison D Packard and is described as a thickly timbered conical rise about 100 feet above the surrounding flat. Elrundie Camp was established adjacent to the hill by members of Goyder's expedition, whilst they surveyed the surrounding country (Ref: Diagram Book 1 Folio 10 and Surveyor RR Knuckey's monthly journal for April 1869). The present city of Palmerston has been established predominantly south east of Packards Knob. Harrison Daniel Packard (1838-1874) was born in England to Reverend Daniel Packard MA (c1810-1862) and his wife Sarah née Devereux (1814-1886). He emigrated to South Australia in 1851 with his family. Packard joined the South Australian Survey Department in 1855, beginning his career as a cadet surveyor. In 1864, Packard was appointed second-in-command of a relief party sent to Escape Cliffs, near the mouth of the Adelaide River, to support the establishment of a new settlement. The settlement faced numerous challenges, including conflicts with local Aboriginal groups and harsh environmental conditions. Despite these difficulties, Packard and his team continued their surveying work in the area. Notably, during this period, Packard's wife, Mary, gave birth to their second daughter, Eleanor Devereux Packard, who is remembered as the first European-born child in the Northern Territory. In 1868, Packard was appointed to an expedition to Port Darwin under Surveyor-General George Goyder. By 1870, he had risen to the position of cadet surveyor and later served as acting surveyor of the Northern Territory. Packard married Mary Bell in 1863, the eldest daughter of Mr. James Bell of Prospect Village. Mary accompanied her husband on Goyder's survey expedition in 1869 and remained until, overcome by sickness, she returned to Adelaide in July 1874. Just four months later, on 13 November 1874, at the age of 36, Packard died from an ulcerated throat. He had been able to communicate with his wife the previous evening via the recently completed overland telegraph. Packard had reportedly marked the longer continuous stay in the Territory than any other settler at the time. |
Register & Gazettal information
| Date | Gazettal | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| (None Found) |