Mantarur

Coordinates: 25°35′S 130°13′E / 25.583°S 130.217°E / -25.583; 130.217 Mantarur is a hilly area in the southwest of the Northern Territory, Australia. It forms the southeastern end of the Olia Chain of mountains. This outcrop includes Butler's Dome (Pitjantjatjara: Utanta; 1102 metres above sea level). The granite escarpment called Foster's Cliff is nearby to the east.[1] Mantarur is located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) southwest of Kata Tjuṯa.[2] It is on Pitjantjatjara land, part of the Petermann Aboriginal Land Trust. A family outstation was established here in the 1980s, at a rockhole in the western slopes. It has since been abandoned.

Frank Rees George led a prospecting expedition through the area between 1905 and 1906. George gave names to several of the landforms, including Butler's Dome, which is believed to have been named after Richard Butler, who was a minister of South Australia.[3] He named Foster's Cliff after R. W. Foster, the South Australian Commissioner of Public Works.[4] The expedition found traces of gold at Foster's Cliff, but not enough of it to warrant mining. It was the only place in the Petermann Ranges found to contain any gold.[5][6]

References

  1. Geoscience Australia. "Foster Cliff Granite". Stratigraphic Units Database. Australian Government. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
  2. "Mantarur". Bushtel. Northern Territory Government. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
  3. "Butler Dome". Northern Territory Place Names Register. Government of the Northern Territory. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
  4. "Foster Cliff". Northern Territory Place Names Register. Government of the Northern Territory. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
  5. F. R. George (4 April 1906). Exploring and Prospecting: the George Party. Adelaide. p. 11. http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/5067294. 
  6. Journal of the American Geographical Society. Vol. 39. American Geographical Society of New York. 1907. p. 679.