Escape Cliffs
The Escape Cliffs are an area on the north coast of the Northern Territory of Australia .
At this point, the fourth attempt in a series of failed efforts to establish a permanent settlement in Australia's Top End region was launched .
location
Escape Cliffs is on the west coast of Cape Hotham Peninsula and on the east bank of Adam Bay , near the mouth and estuary of the Adelaide River . They are located about 60 kilometers northeast of Darwin and are now part of the Cape Hotham Sector of Djukbinj National Park . There is no access road and yachts occasionally head for the site.
history
In 1864, a year after South Australia was granted control of the Northern Territory, the government of South Australia decided that settlement was desirable and dispatched a mapping and settlement expedition under the command of the former Premier of the State Lieutenant Colonel Boyle Travers Finniss out. He had instructions to establish a settlement at Adam Bay and chose Escape Cliffs as the location, although other members of the expedition objected. It was planned to cover the expenses for the construction of the settlement through land sales and a large part had already been bought in advance by speculators and settler aspirants before the expedition even reached its destination and began the surveying.
After a confused start and a failed move to another location about 40 miles inland on the Adelaide River , construction began on the Escape Cliffs. However, conflicts with the local Marananggu quickly developed and the land was unsuitable for agriculture and ongoing personal disputes wore down morale. In 1865, following complaints and unfavorable reports to the South Australian Government, Finniss was recalled. Escape Cliffs was finally abandoned in 1867, two years before a permanent settlement could be established in Port Darwin.
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Escape Cliffs: Initial Settlement and Exploration. 2012-05-14 Litchfield Council
Coordinates: 12 ° 8 ′ 0 ″ S , 131 ° 15 ′ 0 ″ E