Lake Dutton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Dutton |
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 Lake Dutton
Location in South Australia
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| Location | South Australia |
| Coordinates | 31°46′40″S 137°08′43″E / 31.77778°S 137.14528°E |
| Type | Salt lake |
| Basin countries | Australia |
Lake Dutton is a large salt lake in South Australia. It was once known as Lake Gill. This lake is found in the area called Oakden Hills. It sits on the west side of the Stuart Highway. Lake Dutton is about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north-west of Port Augusta. It is located in the state's Far North region.
Discovering Lake Dutton
The first European explorer to find this lake was John Ainsworth Horrocks. He explored the area in 1846. Horrocks was joined by an artist named Samuel Thomas Gill. John Horrocks decided to name the lake "Lake Gill" after his friend, S. T. Gill.
During this exploration trip, something unfortunate happened. On September 1, 1846, John Horrocks was accidentally injured. He sadly passed away from his injuries a few weeks later, on September 23, 1846.
Renaming the Lake
Years later, in July 1858, another explorer rediscovered the lake. His name was Benjamin Herschel Babbage. He sent a report about his findings to Francis Dutton. Francis Dutton was the Commissioner of Crown Lands at the time.
Because of this report, the lake was officially named "Lake Dutton." It was named in honor of Commissioner Dutton. This name has remained the official name for the lake ever since.
