Van Diemen Gulf

Van Diemen Gulf is a gulf in the Northern Territory of Australia. It connects to the Timor Sea in the north via Dundas Strait. Most of its area is also gazetted as a locality with the name Van Diemen Gulf.

Van Diemen Gulf
Map showing the layout of Van Diemen Gulf. Darwin is in lower left corner.
Van Diemen Gulf
Coordinates	11°49′S 131°57′E
Type	Gulf
Etymology	Anthony van Diemen.[1]
Basin countries	Australia
Max. length	75 nautical miles (139 km; 86 mi) [2]
Max. width	45 nautical miles (83 km; 52 mi) [2]

History

The gulf was named after the Dutch colonial governor, Anthony van Diemen (1593–1645).^[3]

Phillip Parker King and his crew in the 76-tonne cutter HMS Mermaid surveyed the coastline in early 1818, encountering local Aboriginal people and proas sailed by Makassans, and passed by the Gulf on other voyages.^[4]

Geography

The gulf connects to the Timor Sea in the north via Dundas Strait, and is also connected to the Beagle Gulf in the west by the Clarence Strait. It is partially enclosed by Melville Island and the Cobourg Peninsula, and measures about 140 kilometres (90 mi) by 80 kilometres (50 mi).^[5]

Rivers draining into the Gulf include the South Alligator River, the East Alligator River, the Mary River, Wildman River and the Adelaide River. The Kakadu National Park adjoins its south-east coast.^[6]

Photo of part of the Van Diemen Gulf taken from the International Space Station, April 2015

Administrative status

On 4 April 2007, most of the area occupied by the Van Diemen Gulf was gazetted as a locality with the name Van Diemen Gulf by the Northern Territory Government, who also included it in the local government area of the West Arnhem Region.^[7][8][9]