King Stephen Jnr
| Type of person | Individual |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1841 |
| Place of birth | Kingsford Homestead |
| Principal occupation | ExplorerSurveyorSketcher |
| Date of death | 1915 |
Stephen King Junior was born on the 15th of December 1841 at Kingsford Homestead.
At the age of 20, in 1861, King joined John McDoull Stuart’s transcontinental expedition party (The 6th exploration mission) which was launched from James Chambers home in Gawler South Australia. The expedition would open up the Northern Territory and be credited as the first to explore Australia from south to north.
B.T. Finniss, in 1864, sent an expedition to the Northern Territory, on which King was put in charge of the sheep stock that was to be used at the Adam Bay settlement. King contracted Malaria on this trek, and was subsequently sent back to Adelaide.
After his recovery, King worked in the South Australian Government Survey Department, surveying settlements around the state.
In the late 1860s, into the early 1870s, King worked for George Goyder on the survey of Darwin. From 1870 until 1874, King was instrumental in opening land that would be used in the construction of the Overland Telegraph Service.
From 1874 until 1893, King worked once again for the South Australian Government Survey Department.
In 1912, King retired and lived in his home “Calta Wurlie” on Kensington Terrace, Kensington. Stephen King junior died on 8 October 1915 at the age of 74 and was buried in North Road Cemetery.
King had three sons and five daughters.
Stephen King Junior has been recognised in various ways across Australia:
Honorary membership of the South Australian Royal Geographical Society of Australasia
Honorary Member of the Australian Natives’ Association
Places named in his honour:
King River (a tributary of the Katherine River); named by G. R. McMinn
Kings Creek, Litchfield Council Area; named by W. P. Auld
King's Pond; named by McDouall Stuart
King Place, Jabiru, Northern Territory
King Street, Urapunga
King Street, Union Town, Northern Territory
Please click here to read 'Stephen King Jr' by Elizabeth Lawrenson.
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