This article is part of the series History of Australia

States and Territories

New South Wales

Victoria

Queensland

Western Australia

South Australia

Tasmania

Australian Capital Territory

Northern Territory

The history of the Northern Territory began over 40,000 years ago when Indigenous Australians settled the region. The coast of the Territory was first seen by Europeans in the 17th century, and the British were the first to attempt to settle the coastal regions of the Territory in the 19th century; however no attempt was successful until the establishment of a settlement at Port Darwin in 1869. Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... The history of Australia began when humans first migrated to the Australian continent from the north, at least 40,000-45,000 years before present. ... // Foundation and growth Governor Lachlan Macquarie In 1770 Captain James Cook sailed along the east coast of Australia, the first European to do so. ... This article describes the history of Victoria. ... Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the northeast part of the continent. ... The human history of Western Australia started when Australias first inhabitants arrived on the northwest coast about 55,000 years ago. ... This article details the history of South Australia from the first human activity in the region to the 20th century. ... The history of Tasmania begins in prehistory where it is believed that the island was joined to the mainland until the end of the most recent ice age approximately 10 000 years ago. ... The History of the Australian Capital Territory details the Australian Capital Territorys development from before white settlement to Canberras planning by the Chicago architect Walter Burley Griffin and subsequent development to the present day. ... The Indigenous Australians are the first inhabitants of the Australian continent and its nearby islands, continuing their presence during European settlement. ... Central Darwin, circa 1986 Darwin is the capital of the Northern Territory, and is a city of 109,419 people (2001 census) on Australias far north-western coastline. ...

European coastal exploration

The first recorded sighting of the Northern Territory coastline was by Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon aboard the ship Duyfken in 1623. Abel Tasman and numerous French navigators also charted the coast, naming many prominent features. British Admiral Philip Parker King also made surveys of the coast. Willem Jansz (c. ... Duyfken Duyfken (little dove in English) was a small Dutch ship that sailed from the Indonesian island of Banda in 1606 in search of gold and trade opportunities on Nova Guinea (now Papua New Guinea). ... Portrait of Tasman |Batavia]]) with two small ships, the Heemskerck and the Zeehaen, first to Mauritius, and from there sailed east at a higher latitude than the Dutch had done before. ... Admiral Philip Parker King, F.R.S. (13 December 1793-1856) was an early explorer of the Australian coast. ...

European exploration and settlement

Following the European settlement of Australian in 1788, four unsuccessful attempts were made to settle coastal areas of the Northern Territory prior to the establishment of Darwin. On September 30, 1824 British Captain James Gordon Bremer established Fort Dundas on Melville Island as a part of the Colony of New South Wales. Fort Dundas was the first settlement in Northern Australia, however poor relations with the Tiwi, cyclones, and other difficulties of tropical living led to the Fort being abandoned in 1828. A second settlement was established on the Cobourg Peninsula at Raffles Bay on June 18, 1827. Fort Wellington was founded by Captain James Stirling, however it was also abandoned in 1829. Darwin is the territorial capital and most populous city of the Northern Territory. ... Melville Island lies off the coast of Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. ... Motto: Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine) Other Australian states and territories Capital Sydney Premier Bob Carr (ALP) Governor HE Professor Marie Bashir Area 809,444 km² (5th)  - Land 800,642 km²  - Water 8,802 km² (1. ... Tiwi, Albay is a municipality in the province of Albay, Philippines. ... Radar image of a tropical cyclone in the northern hemisphere. ... The Cobourg Peninsula is located 350km east of Darwin in the Northern Territory, Australia. ... Admiral Sir James Stirling Admiral Sir James Stirling (January 28, 1791–April 23, 1865) was the first Governor of Western Australia (1828–38) and on his own initiative signed Britains first limited treaty with Japan in 1854. ...

The British made a third attempt in 1838, establishing Fort Victoria at Port Essington October 27, 1838. Bremer was in command of the new settlement, in July 1839 the HMS Beagle and her crew visited the settlement. Bremer left the settlement in 1839 and following his departure conditions in the settlement deteriorated. Explorer Ludwig Leichhardt travelled from Moreton Bay, overland to Port Essington. An unsuccessful migration scheme was tried, and the first Catholic priest Father Angelo Confalonieri in the area arrived in 1846, however the settlement disbanded on December 1, 1849. Port Essington is an inlet and historic site located on the Cobourg Peninsula in the Gurig National Park in Australias Northern Territory. ... HMS Beagle (centre) from an 1841 watercolour by Owen Stanley, painted during the third voyage while surveying Australia. ... Portrait of Ludwig Leichhardt Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt (October 23, 1813 - 1848?) was a Prussian explorer and naturalist of Sorb descent. ...

In 1863 the Northern Territory was annexed by South Australia by Letters patent. Following annexation of the Territory by South Australia a fourth attempt at settlement occurred in 1864. Escape Cliffs, about 75 kilometres from present day Darwin, in 1864. Colonel Boyle Travis Finniss was responsible for the settlement, there were numerous confrontations with the local Marananggu Aborigines, and when he was recalled to Adelaide in 1867 the settlement disbanded. The South Australian government also tried to find sites for additional settlements, sending explorer John McKinlay to search in the region of the Adelaide River, however he had no success. Motto: United for the Common Wealth Nickname: Festival State Other Australian states and territories Capital Adelaide Government Governor Premier Const. ... Letters Patent by Queen Victoria creating the office of Governor-General of Australia Letters patent are a type of legal document which is an open letter issued by a monarch or government granting a right, monopoly, title, or status to someone or some entity such as a corporation. ... Motto: United for the Common Wealth Nickname: Festival State Other Australian states and territories Capital Adelaide Government Governor Premier Const. ... Darwin is the territorial capital and most populous city of the Northern Territory. ... 1867 (MDCCCLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Adelaide River is the name of more than one place in Australia: Adelaide River, the river Adelaide River, the township This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Letters Patent annexing the Northern Territory to South Australia, 1863

Finally, on February 5, 1869, George Goyder, the Surveyor-General of South Australia, established a small settlement of 135 men and women at Port Darwin. Goyder named the settlement Palmerston, after the British Prime Minister Lord Palmerston. In 1870, the first poles for the Overland Telegraph were erected in Darwin connecting Australia to the rest of the World. The construction of the Overland Telegraph led to more exploration of the interior of the Territory and the discovery of gold at Pine Creek in the 1880s further boosted the young colony's development. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1152x1017, 441 KB)Letters Patent, annexing the Northern Territory to South Australia, 1863 This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1152x1017, 441 KB)Letters Patent, annexing the Northern Territory to South Australia, 1863 This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author... George Goyder (George Woodroffe Goyder; born June 24, 1826, London, England; died November 2, 1898, Echunga, South Australia) was an outstanding surveyor in South Australia during the latter half of the nineteenth century. ... Central Darwin, circa 1986 Darwin is the capital of the Northern Territory, and is a city of 109,419 people (2001 census) on Australias far north-western coastline. ... The Right Honourable Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (October 20, 1784 - October 18, 1865) was a British statesman who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid 19th century. ... The Australian Overland Telegraph Line was completed in 1872 linking Australia with the rest of the world. ... Pine Creek is a town in the Katherine region of the Northern Territory, Australia. ... // Events and Trends Technology Development and commercial production of electric lighting Development and commercial production of gasoline-powered automobile by Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler and Maybach First commercial production and sales of phonographs and phonograph recordings. ...

Twentieth century

On 1 January 1911, a decade after federation, the Northern Territory was separated from South Australia and transferred to Commonwealth control by the Northern Territory Acceptance Act 1910. The Northern Territory (Administration) Act provided that there shall be an Administrator appointed by the Governor-General to administer the Territory on behalf of the Australian Government, subject to any instructions given to him by the appropriate Minister from time to time.Á January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ...

For a brief time between 1926 and 1931 the Northern Territory was divided into North Australia and Central Australia at the 20th parallel of South latitude. See A Brief History of the Administration in the Northern Territory Soon after this time, parts of the Northern Territory were considered in the Kimberley Scheme as a possible site for the establishment of a Jewish Homeland, understandably considered the "Unpromised Land".

During World War II, most of the Top End was placed under military government. This is the only time since Federation that an Australian state or territory has been under military control. After the war, control for the entire area was handed back to the Commonwealth. Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others. ...

Indigenous Land Rights

Indigenous Australians had struggled for rights to fair wages and land. An important event in this struggle was the strike and walk off by the Gurindji people at Wave Hill, cattle station in 1966. The Commonwealth Government of Gough Whitlam set up the Woodward Royal Commission in February 1973 set to inquire into how land rights might be achieved in the Northern Territory. Justice Woodward's first report in July 1973 recommended that a Central Land Council and a Northern Land Council be established in order to present to him the views of Aboriginal people. In response to the report of the Royal Commission a Land Rights Bill was drafted, but the Whitlam Government was dismissed before it was passed. The Indigenous Australians are the first inhabitants of the Australian continent and its nearby islands, continuing their presence during European settlement. ... Shows location of Gurindji (blue, near top left) in the Northern Territory The Gurindji Strike lasted from 1966 to 1975 at Wave Hill cattle station in the Northern Territory of Australia. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC (born 11 July 1916), known as Gough Whitlam (pronounced Goff), Australian politician and 21st Prime Minister of Australia, was the only Australian Prime Minister to be dismissed by the Governor-General. ... In countries that are Commonwealth Realms a Royal Commission is a major government inquiry into an issue. ... The Central Land Council is in the southern half of the Northern Territory of Australia. ... The Northern Land Council (NLC) is in the Top End of the Northern Territory of Australia. ...

The Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 was eventually passed by the Fraser Government on 16 December 1976 and began operation on Australia Day, that is 26 January 1977. The Aboriginal Land Rights Act was signed by the Govenor-General of Australia 16 December, 1976. ... John Malcolm Fraser AC, CH (born 21 May 1930), Australian politician and 22nd Prime Minister of Australia, came to power in the circumstances of the dismissal of the Whitlam government. ... December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1976 calendar). ... Australia Day is Australias official national day, January 26. ... January 26 is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ...

Self-government

In 1978 the Territory was granted responsible government, with a Legislative Assembly headed by a Chief Minister. 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ... This article is about the term as used within the Commonwealth of Nations; there is also an Legislative Assembly in Oregon and there used to be a Legislative Assembly in France during the French Revolution. ...

Recent history

The Northern Territory was briefly one of the few places in the world with legal voluntary euthanasia, until the Federal Parliament overturned the legislation. Before the overriding legislation was enacted, three people had been voluntarily euthanasised by Dr Philip Nitschke. Philip Nitschke (b. ...

References

• National Archives of Australia. Northern Territory documents