Place Names Register Extract
Gregory's Tree Historical Reserve
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Print Extract | Search Again| Name | Gregory's Tree Historical Reserve |
|---|---|
| Type Designation | Reserve |
| Place Id | 22422979 |
| Place Type | Administrative Area |
| Status | Assigned |
| Date Registered | 20 June 1963 |
| Location (Datum GDA94) | |
| Latitude: -15° 33' S (Decimal degrees -15.56598) | |
| Longitude: 130° 22' E (Decimal degrees 130.36789) | |
| View Map | View in NT Atlas | View in Google Earth | |
| Locality / Suburb | |
| Gregory | |
| Local Government Area | |
| Victoria-Daly Shire Council | |
| History/Origin | Gregory's Tree is a mature boab (Adansonia gregorii) situated on the banks of the Victoria River, approximately 15 kilometres west of Timber Creek. The site served as the 'entrenchment camp' (or main depot) for the North Australian Expedition (1855-56), led by explorer Augustus Charles Gregory (1819-1905). The expedition party occupied this site for eight months while exploring the river's upper reaches and the Northern Territory's interior. The tree is historically significant as a 'living monument', bearing clear inscriptions carved into its trunk that record the dates of the expedition's arrival (2 July 1855) and departure (21 July 1856). These markings served as a primary record of European presence and a navigational benchmark in the mid nineteenth century. The tree is also a registered Aboriginal sacred site known as Ngalibinggag (pronounced Nali-la-bing-gag). For the Traditional Owners, the tree and its riparian environment are part of a deep cultural landscape that predates European arrival. The reserve area surrounding the tree was initially declared Gregory's Tree National Park in 1963, re-declared in 1978, and the tree was formally listed on the Northern Territory Heritage Register in 1995. In 2009, the reserve was re-declared as the Gregory's Tree Historical Reserve. |
Register & Gazettal information
| Date | Gazettal | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 20/06/1963 | Cth Gaz No 55 | Proclamation of Gregory's Tree National Park and Reserve No. 1103. |
| 27/11/1963 | NTG G48 | Gregory's Tree National Park and Reserve No. 1,103. |
| 30/06/1978 | NTG G26A | Revocation and declaration of Gregory's Tree National Park. |
| 23/09/2009 | NTG G38 | Re-declaration of reserve. NT Portion 554. Gregory's Tree Historical Reserve. |