Extract date: 07/06/2026
| Name | Charles Darwin University (Education and Community Precinct Campus) |
|---|---|
| Type Designation | University |
| Place Id | 20259293 |
| Place Type | Infrastructure |
| Status | Assigned |
| Date Registered | |
| Location (Datum GDA94) | |
| Latitude: -12° 27' S (Decimal degrees -12.46008) | |
| Longitude: 130° 50' E (Decimal degrees 130.84169) | |
| Locality / Suburb | |
| Darwin City | |
| Local Government Area | |
| Darwin City Council | |
| Alternate Names | |
| Danala | |
| History/Origin | Charles Darwin University (CDU), established in 2003, has its roots in the 1970s with the founding of the Darwin Community College in 1974. This institution marked the beginning of post secondary education in the Northern Territory, offering vocational and technical training to meet the region's educational needs. In 1985, the college evolved into the Darwin Institute of Technology, expanding its offerings to include higher education programs. The University College of the Northern Territory, established in 1985, further contributed to the region's academic landscape by providing degree programs in collaboration with the University of Queensland. The significant transformation occurred in 1989 when the Northern Territory University (NTU) was formed through the merger of the Darwin Institute of Technology, the University College of the Northern Territory, Centralian College of Alice Springs and Katherine Rural College. This consolidation aimed to enhance the quality and accessibility of higher education in the Territory. In 2003, NTU merged with the Menzies School of Health Research, leading to the formation of Charles Darwin University. The new name was chosen to honour Charles Darwin, the renowned English naturalist, and to strengthen the university's identity and global recognition. The Education and Community Precinct campus - also known as Danala - opened in October 2024. Danala is a Larrakia language word meaning dillybag, and was chosen to represent a place to house knowledge. The university's name reflects its location in Darwin, Northern Territory, a city named after Charles Darwin himself. The city was named in 1839 by British explorer John Clements Wickham, who named Port Darwin after his former shipmate on the HMS Beagle, Charles Darwin. Sources: Charles Darwin University. (n.d.). History of CDU. Retrieved from https://www.cdu.edu.au/about-cdu/history-cdu Wikipedia contributors. (2025, June 25). Charles Darwin University. Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Darwin_University ABC News. (2003, April 9). NT Uni renamed Charles Darwin University. Retrieved from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2003-04-09/nt-uni-renamed-charles-darwin-university/1833326 |
| Date | Gazettal | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 05/11/2003 | NTG G44 |