Lake Bennett (Northern Territory)

Lake Bennett
Lake Bennett is located in Northern Territory
Lake Bennett
Lake Bennett
LocationLake Bennett, Northern Territory[1]
Coordinates12°57′36″S 131°09′57″E / 12.96°S 131.1657°E / -12.96; 131.1657
Lake typereservoir
Basin countriesAustralia
Surface area4.45 km2 (1.72 sq mi)
Islands1
Woman on stand-up paddle-board on Lake Bennett
Stand-up paddle-boarding on Lake Bennett

Lake Bennett is a small artificial freshwater lake located 80 km south of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia within the Coomalie Shire. The lake is set in 4.45 square kilometres of tropical wilderness. It was created in 1980 following the construction of a dam by George and Ken Bennett on a property they had purchased the previous year.[1]

It has been stocked with barramundi since 2004. In recent times some sub-division of the lands around the lake foreshores has occurred with cabins and houses being built around the northern edge, although the permanent population is very small. These dwellings are largely used as "weekenders" or retreats.[1]

Resort

Lake Bennett Wilderness resort was developed in the 1990s. The resort offers a variety of accommodation options as well as canoe hire, restaurant and bar.[2] The resort was awarded a Northern Territory Tourism Brolga Award in 2002 in the category "unique accommodation".[3] In 2011, a development application was approved for a large expansion of the resort, including both tourist and residential accommodation,[4][5] however these plans did not eventuate. After closing in 2018, the resort was sold to new owners, renovated and rebranded. It reopened in 2021 as the De Lago Resort at Lake Bennett.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Place Names Register Extract for "Lake Bennett"". NT Place Names Register. Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  2. ^ Lake Bennett Resort Home Page
  3. ^ Tourism Top End Lake Bennett Wilderness Resort
  4. ^ "Archived Planning Proposals". Development Applications Online. Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Minutes of Coomalie Community Government Council Meeting" (PDF). 19 July 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  6. ^ Alicia Perera (16 April 2021). "New beginning for beloved Lake Bennett Resort just weeks away". The West Australian.


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