Humpty Doo, Northern Territory

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2008)

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.
Please improve this article if you can. (June 2008)

Humpty Doo
Northern Territory

The Humpty Doo Hotel

Population:

5,413 (2006) ^[1]

Postcode:

0836

Property Value:

AUD $302,500 ^[2]

Location:

41.8 km (26 mi) from Darwin
21.9 km (14 mi) from Palmerston

LGA:

Shire of Litchfield

State District:

Goyder, Nelson

Federal Division:

Solomon

Localities around Humpty Doo:
McMinns Lagoon	Girraween	Lambells Lagoon
Bees Creek	Humpty Doo	Lambells Lagoon
Southport	Noonamah	Noonamah

Humpty Doo is a small town in Australia's Northern Territory. It is situated just south of the Arnhem Highway, approximately 40 km from Darwin. At the 2006 census, Humpty Doo had a population of 5,413.^[1]

The locality of Humpty Doo is named after the station originally called ‘Umpity Doo’. Origins of the name are uncertain. Three derivations have been suggested:

from "the Army slang term "umpty" used in 1917 for the dash when reading Morse code" (however, the station name was in use in 1910)
from a colloquialism to describe "everything done wrong or upside down"
the place was known as "Umdidu", an English language corruption of an Aboriginal term which meant a popular resting place."^[3]

The town is known for agriculture experiments that have occurred there. In 1954, after some experimentation by CSIRO, a joint Australia-U.S. company called Territory Rice Ltd. was formed with a plan to irrigate the subcoastal plain of the Adelaide River in order to commercially produce rice. The plan was a complete failure due to several factors, including an invasion of geese, soil that was too saline and an insufficient amount of drainage, all combined with poor management.^[4] They gave up the land to the government in 1962. The Rice Project was 20 km east of the present town on part of the Humpty Doo Station where the name "Humpty Doo" was first used. The irrigation dam, called Fogg Dam, is still there and an attraction for bird watching.

Humpty Doo's Big Boxing Crocodile.

A more successful agricultural experiment was the growing of mangos. Top quality fruit from Humpty Doo is picked earlier than Queensland mangos and fetches a top price in southern markets. There is a honey farm located in outer Humpty Doo, Humpty Doo Apiaries.

The town has a High School - Taminmin High School - that takes students from a wide area, as well as two Primary Schools - Humpty Doo Primary School and St. Francis of Asissi, both with pre-schools.

The Humpty Doo Hotel is well known and features in several bush ballads. Another tourist attraction is the Big Boxing Crocodile outside the Bush Shop. Tours from Darwin to Kakadu stop to inspect it. Graeme Gow's Reptile World has also been an attractive stop on the way to Kakadu.^[4]

The town has seen much commercial and residential development in recent years, including the construction of a shopping centre, fire and emergency services station, as well as new schools and housing subdivisions.

On the 21st of July, 2007, the town played host to the first of the 'Triple J goes AWOL' concerts, sponsored and organised by the national youth radio station Triple J.