Extract date: 10/01/2026
| Name | Northern Territory |
|---|---|
| Type Designation | State |
| Place Id | 10000 |
| Place Type | Feature |
| Status | Recorded |
| Date Registered | |
| Location (Datum GDA94) | |
| Latitude: -18° 27' S (Decimal degrees -18.453563) | |
| Longitude: 133° 29' E (Decimal degrees 133.497619) | |
| Locality / Suburb | |
| (None Found) | |
| Local Government Area | |
| History/Origin | The name Northern Territory is a straightforward geographical descriptor that reflects the region's position as the northernmost part of mainland Australia. Its official use dates back to 1863, when the area was annexed by South Australia from New South Wales and named the Northern Territory of South Australia. South Australia hoped to encourage development in the region, especially after George Woodroffe Goyder's 1869 survey, which paved the way for settlement and the founding of what would later become Darwin. In 1911, administrative control of the Northern Territory was transferred to the Commonwealth Government, and it was officially renamed the Northern Territory. A brief period of administrative division followed in 1927, when the area was split into North Australia and Central Australia, separated by the 20th parallel. However, this arrangement was short lived and, in 1931, the two territories were reunified under the original name. Unlike the other Australian states, which were typically named after British royalty or influential figures, the Northern Territory retained its utilitarian name - reflecting its status as a remote, sparsely populated frontier region. |
| Date | Gazettal | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| (None Found) |