Escape Cliffs

Escape Cliffs
Escape Cliffs, looking north-east
LocationHotham, Northern Territory, Australia[1]
Coordinates12°08′S 131°15′E / 12.133°S 131.250°E / -12.133; 131.250
Establishment1864
Demolished1867
OwnerLimilngan-Wulna Aboriginal Corporation[2]
Invalid designation
Official nameEscape Cliffs
Designated12 January 2000 [1]
Escape Cliffs is located in Northern Territory
Escape Cliffs
Location of Escape Cliffs in Northern Territory
Escape Cliffs is located in Australia
Escape Cliffs
Escape Cliffs (Australia)
Boyle Finniss was in charge of establishing the Escape Cliffs settlement

Escape Cliffs is a place on the northern coast of the Northern Territory of Australia, on the western coast of the Cape Hotham peninsula, and the eastern shore of Adam Bay, near the mouth and estuary of the Adelaide River. It lies about 60 km north-east of Darwin and is located in the Cape Hotham sector of the Djukbinj National Park. It was named by John Lort Stokes of HMS Beagle after visiting the spot in 1840, and refers to an incident where he and Lieut. Helpman escaped with their lives after being attacked by hostile Aboriginal men.[3]

It was the site of the fourth of a series of four failed attempts to establish a permanent settlement in Australia's Top End. Previous attempts were at Fort Dundas, Fort Wellington and Port Essington. There is no road access, though it is sometimes visited by yachts.[4]

  1. ^ a b "Escape Cliffs". Heritage Register. Northern Territory Government. 12 January 2000. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Place Names Register Extract for Djukbinj National Park". NT Place Names Register. Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
  3. ^ "North Australia". South Australian Register. Vol. XXVIII, no. 5603. South Australia. 13 October 1864. p. 2. Retrieved 12 May 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Escape Cliff" (PDF). Darwin Sailing Club. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2012.