66-477: Wadeye ( / ˈ w ɒ d eɪ ə , ˈ w ɒ d ɛər / WOD -ay-ə, WOD -air ) is a town in Australia's Northern Territory (NT). It was formerly known (and is still often referred to) as Port Keats , a name originating from Port Keats Mission, which operated from 1935 (originally at a different location, known as Wertnek Nganayi ) until 1978. In the last few years, Port Keats was run as an Aboriginal reserve by
132-564: A Central Land Council and a Northern Land Council be established to present to him the views of Aboriginal people. A Land Rights Bill was drafted, and the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 was passed by the Fraser government on 16 December 1976 and began operation on 26 January 1977). The Northern Territory Council for Aboriginal Rights was disestablished in 1976. In 1974, from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day, Darwin
198-577: A place where young people can live safely, after houses had been rebuilt. The population has fluctuated around 2000 people in the past, before the 2022 riots. In the 2016 census , 2280 residents were counted. In 2021 , there were 1,924 people (408 families). Wadeye is one of the biggest Indigenous communities in the NT. The people are drawn from seven language groups, with the main language spoken being Murrinh-patha . Other languages include Marri-Ngarr , Marri-Tjavin , Magata-ge , and Djamindjung . The town
264-678: A residential school, until 1975. In the 1970s, the Northern Territory Government took over control, operating as an Aboriginal reserve , before it was passed to the Kardu Numida Council in 1978, when the community's name was changed to Wadeye. In April 2022, ongoing disputes among family groups flared into mass unrest . Violence escalated between the 22 family groups over the incident, resulting in around 37 homes being extensively damaged by fire in arson attacks, and 125 of Wadeye's 288 properties needing repairs, according to
330-537: Is a moribund Australian Aboriginal language spoken along the northwest coast of the Northern Territory . Marti Ke ( Magati Ke , Matige , Magadige , Mati Ke , also Magati-ge, Magati Gair) lies in the same language category. It is or was spoken by the Mati Ke people. As of 2020 it is included in a language revival project which aims to preserve critically endangered languages. The language has been spoken in
396-548: Is about 100, and there are 50 second language users. As the language is almost non-existent to date, linguists have been working on collecting information and recording the voices of the remaining speakers. As of 2020 , Mati Ke is one of 20 languages prioritised as part of the Priority Languages Support Project, being undertaken by First Languages Australia and funded by the Department of Communications and
462-403: Is believed that most Territorians, regardless of their general views on statehood, were reluctant to adopt the particular offer that was made. The chief minister is the head of government of a self-governing territory (the head of a state government is a premier ). The chief minister is appointed by the administrator , who in normal circumstances appoints the leader of whichever party holds
528-525: Is concentrated in coastal regions and along the Stuart Highway . Besides the capital of Darwin, the major settlements are (in order of size) Palmerston , Alice Springs , Katherine , Nhulunbuy and Tennant Creek . Residents of the Northern Territory are often known as "Territorians". Humans have lived in the present area of the Northern Territory since at least 48,400 to 68,700 years ago. From
594-454: Is divided into seventeen local government areas : two cities, three municipalities, nine regions, and three shires. Shire, city and town councils are responsible for functions delegated by the Northern Territory parliament, such as road infrastructure and waste management. Council revenue comes mostly from property taxes and government grants. Aboriginal land councils in the Northern Territory are groups of Aboriginal landowners, set up under
660-621: Is mostly unsealed via the Port Keats/ Daly River Road . Wadeye is accessible by road only during the dry season; in the wet season many river crossings are impassable, with access being possible only by light aircraft or coastal barge. Wadeye is serviced by several organisations including government and non-government organisations. There is a Catholic school operated by Our Lady of the Sacred Heart that provides education to students from transition through to year 12. In 2020, despite
726-400: Is recorded a few times a year. The region receives less than 250 mm (9.8 in) of rain per year. The highest temperature recorded in the territory was 48.3 °C (118.9 °F) at Finke on 1 and 2 January 1960. The lowest temperature was −7.5 °C (18.5 °F) at Alice Springs on 17 July 1976. The Northern Territory Parliament is one of the three unicameral parliaments in
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#1733094101201792-667: Is remote, situated on the western edge of the Daly River Reserve about 230 kilometres (140 mi) by air south-west of Darwin . The Fitzmaurice River more or less forms its southern boundary. It lies close to the Hyland Bay and Moyle Floodplain Important Bird Area , identified as such by BirdLife International because of its importance for large numbers of waterbirds . Wadeye has a sealed airstrip, Port Keats Airfield , with regular passenger flights to Darwin. Road access
858-482: Is very little rainfall between May and September. In the coolest months of June and July, the daily minimum temperature may dip as low as 14 °C (57 °F), but very rarely lower, and frost has never been recorded. The wet season is associated with tropical cyclones and monsoon rains. The majority of rainfall occurs between December and March (the southern hemisphere summer), when thunderstorms are common and afternoon relative humidity averages over 70% during
924-523: The Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976 . The two historically dominant political parties in the Northern Territory are the conservative Country Liberal Party which governed the Territory from 1974 to 2001, from 2012 to 2016 and Since 2024, and the social-democratic Australian Labor Party which governed the Territory from 2001 to 2012 and from 2016 to 2024. Minor parties that are also active in
990-551: The 20th parallel of South latitude . Soon after this time, parts of the Northern Territory were considered in the Kimberley Plan as a possible site for the establishment of a Jewish Homeland , understandably considered the " Unpromised Land ". During the early 20th century, the southern part of the Territory was considered the "last frontier" of Australian settlement, where 'sympathetic whites' hoped that Aboriginal traditions would continue to be practised. Conflicts arose due to
1056-564: The COVID-19 pandemic , seven students completed high school in Wadeye. It was the first time since 2007 that anyone had completed the final year. There is a clinic operated by the Northern Territory Government that provides primary health care and emergency care services for the community. Clients requiring care that is not able to be managed in the community are transferred to Royal Darwin Hospital via
1122-510: The Daly and Fitzmaurice Rivers . In 1938 it moved 14 km (8.7 mi) inland to the community's present location, owing to lack of water supply. Dormitories were established, in which Aboriginal boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 17 lived, away from their families and culture, along with a school. The Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart looked after the girls, and the Missionaries of
1188-474: The Northern Territory , Wadeye , along Timor Sea, coast south from Moyle River estuary to Port Keats, southwest of Darwin . According to the Language Database, as of 2005 Mati Ke language had a population of three (Patrick Nudjulu, Johnny Chula, Agatha Perdjert). Mati Ke speakers have primarily switched to use of English and the flourishing Aboriginal language Murrinh-Patha . The ethnic population
1254-478: The Northern Territory Government , before being renamed Wadeye when control was passed to the Kardu Numida Council. At the 2021 census , Wadeye had a population of 1924. Wadeye is one of the biggest Indigenous communities in the NT. Aboriginal Australians inhabited the area long before white settlement. The township was originally founded as a Roman Catholic mission station by Father Richard Docherty in 1935 at Werntek Nganayi (Old Mission), located between
1320-557: The Northern Territory Government . Hundreds of residents were forced from their homes. On 19 April, a 33-year-old man died in hospital, after he had been allegedly attacked by an 18-year-old man. The teen was charged with manslaughter . The victim's death was caused by a metal bar that had pierced his skull, causing a brain bleed . In May 2023 the teen, now 19, was sentenced by the Northern Territory Supreme Court to seven years' prison for manslaughter. He had been one of
1386-471: The 11th-largest country subdivision in the world . It is sparsely populated, with a population of only 249,000 as of December 2021 – fewer than half as many people as in Tasmania . The largest population centre is the capital city of Darwin , having about 52.6% of the Territory's population. The largest inland settlement is Alice Springs with a population of about 25,000 people. The archaeological history of
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#17330941012011452-613: The 17th or 18th century CE onwards, traders from Sulawesi established extensive seasonal trade links with the Indigenous peoples of Kimberley region , the modern-day Northern Territory, and Arnhem Land . They collected trepang ( sea cucumber ) for Chinese markets and introduced several goods and technologies to the Indigenous peoples. There is significant evidence of contact with Makassan fishers in examples of Indigenous Australian rock art and bark painting of northern Australia, with
1518-550: The 1947 election was 4,443. The Northern Territory was split into five electorates: Darwin, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Batchelor, and Stuart. While this assembly exercises powers similar to those of the parliaments of the states of Australia, it does so by legislated devolution of powers from the Commonwealth Government , rather than by any constitutional right. As such, the Commonwealth Government retains
1584-537: The 1960s the Catholic Mission was buying artworks from local artists at the mission store. Bark painting soon became a small mission-run cottage industry. Following in the tradition of Nym Bundak is Richard 'Skunky' Parmbuk.. As any other regions in the Top End , Wadeye has a tropical savanna climate ( Aw ) with distinct wet and dry seasons. The dry season normally occurs from about May to October. The temperature of
1650-532: The 1980s, conservation-oriented areas in the Northern Territory such as Kakadu National Park and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for their mix of natural heritage and Aboriginal culture. During 1995–96 the Northern Territory was briefly one of the few places in the world with legal voluntary euthanasia , until the Federal Parliament overturned
1716-818: The Arts . The project aims to "identify and document critically-endangered languages — those languages for which little or no documentation exists, where no recordings have previously been made, but where there are living speakers". The vocabulary is limited, therefore the relations and positioning of the words matter to make sense of the construction according to the situation. It is a polysynthetic language. niwinj 3DU yi that gudingi-derrkurr-fingi-gawunh 3DU . SBJ . DI . R . IPFV -sharpen-now- 3DU . SBJ . SIT . R niwinj yi gudingi-derrkurr-fingi-gawunh 3DU that 3DU.SBJ.DI.R.IPFV-sharpen-now-3DU.SBJ.SIT.R 'Those two fellas are sharpening their knives now.' Marringarr also contains ergativity , which
1782-605: The Central Australian region and Kakadu National Park in the north. Each of these sites are sacred to the local Aboriginal people and which have become major International tourist attractions and recognised UNESCO World Heritage sites . The northern portion of the Territory is principally tropical savannas , composed of several distinct ecoregions – Arnhem Land tropical savanna , Carpentaria tropical savanna , Kimberley tropical savanna , Victoria Plains tropical savanna , and Mitchell Grass Downs . The southern portion of
1848-566: The Makassan perahu a prominent feature. With the coming of the British, there were four early attempts to settle the harsh environment of the northern coast, of which three failed in starvation and despair. The land now occupied by the Northern Territory was part of colonial New South Wales from 1825 to 1863, except for a brief time from February to December 1846, when it was part of the short-lived colony of North Australia . The Northern Territory
1914-462: The Marshall River, Arthur Creek, Camel Creek and Bore Creek flowing into it. The Northern Territory has two distinctive climate zones. The northern end, including Darwin, has a tropical climate with high humidity and two seasons, the wet (October to April) and dry season (May to September). During the dry season nearly every day is warm and sunny, and afternoon humidity averages around 30%. There
1980-793: The NT include the Northern Territory Greens , the Shooters and Fishers Party and various others. It is common for independent politicians to win elections. The CLP's rule was once so tight, that a former minister once said the CLP had a "'rightful inheritance of being the party that runs this place'". The Northern Territory is the only branch of the Australian Greens to have never had any parliamentary representation as of 2024. As fewer parties and candidates contest Northern Territory general elections than they do Australian federal elections in
2046-482: The Northern Territory may have begun more than 60,000 years ago when humans first settled this region of the Sahul Continent. From at least the 18th century, Makassan traders began a relationship with the indigenous people of the Northern Territory around the trading of trepang . The coast of the Territory was first seen by Europeans in the 17th century. The British were the first Europeans to attempt to settle
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2112-449: The Northern Territory, the CLP, Labor and independents usually have a higher vote share at territory elections than at federal elections in the Northern Territory due to the absence of right-wing minor parties such as Pauline Hanson's One Nation and the fact that the Greens do not run in every seat at territory elections. The population of the Northern Territory at the 2011 Australian census
2178-513: The Sacred Heart the boys. Apart from accommodation and education, the missionaries also provided medical care and religious instruction . The school was closed between 1941 and 1946 due to the Second World War. A report on the mission written by a government inspector in 1951 included the following statement on mission policy, which had been provided to him by the superintendent. The mission dormitories at Port Keats Mission later operated as
2244-774: The Senate. As of May 2022, resulting from the 2022 federal election , Marion Scrymgour from the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in Lingiari and Luke Gosling from the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in Solomon serve in the House of Representatives, and Malarndirri McCarthy from the ALP and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price from the Country Liberal Party serve in the Senate. The Northern Territory
2310-481: The TDC. Wadeye is also the site of a temporary ADF Radar site that is used during exercises conducted in the Top End . In November 2023, the town's swimming pool reopened after being closed for five years. Residents see the reopening as a positive for the town with the pool providing as safer place to swim than nearby crocodile infested creeks. Nym Bunduk was the first painter in Wadeye who had international interest. He
2376-548: The Territory is covered in deserts and xeric shrublands , including the Great Sandy-Tanami desert , Simpson Desert , and Central Ranges xeric scrub . There are also an extensive series of river systems in the Territory. These rivers include: the Alligator Rivers , Daly River , Finke River , McArthur River , Roper River , Todd River and Victoria River . The Hay River is a river south-west of Alice Springs, with
2442-508: The Territory was granted Self Government with a Legislative Assembly headed by a Chief Minister . The Administrator of the Northern Territory is another important position in the government and they act as the King's representative in the Territory and a part of their role is appointing the Chief Minister. The Territory also publishes official notices in its own Government Gazette . In
2508-476: The Top End Medical Retrieval Service operated by CareFlight. The development corporation for the community is Thammarurr Development Corporation (TDC), which represents the local 21 clan groups, providing funding, governance and leadership around issues surrounding community development related to health, housing, education and country. There is a well stocked shop and a take-away operated by
2574-664: The average non-Indigenous Australian. There are Aboriginal communities in many parts of the territory, the largest ones being the Pitjantjatjara near Uluru / Ayers Rock , the Arrernte near Alice Springs, the Luritja between those two, the Warlpiri further north, and the Yolngu in eastern Arnhem Land . Marringarr language The Maringarr language ( Marri Ngarr , Marenggar , Maringa )
2640-406: The coastal regions. After three failed attempts to establish a settlement (1824–1828, 1838–1849, and 1864–1866), success was achieved in 1869 with the establishment of a settlement at Port Darwin . The economy is based largely on mining and petroleum, which during 2018–2019 contributed 23% of the gross state product , or $ 5.68 billion, accounting for 92.4% of exports. The Territory's population
2706-758: The country. Based on the Westminster System , it consists of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly which was created in 1974, replacing the Northern Territory Legislative Council . It also produces the Northern Territory of Australia Government Gazette . The Northern Territory Legislative Council was the partly elected governing body from 1947 until its replacement by the fully elected Northern Territory Legislative Assembly in 1974. The total enrolment for
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2772-444: The desire to help them in times of hunger and the fear of "pauperizing" them and reducing their incentives to work. In the 1928 Coniston massacre , punitive expeditions were carried out by white colonists led by Northern Territory Police constable William George Murray in response to the murder of a dingo hunter, resulting in the deaths of dozens to hundreds of people of the Warlpiri , Anmatyerre , and Kaytetye groups. This
2838-474: The dry season can drop below 10 °C (50 °F) during the coolest months between May and August, and it can peak above 40 °C (104 °F) in the build up months between September and November. The wet season is generally associated with monsoon rains and tropical cyclones . Most of the rainfall occurs from December to March (southern hemisphere summer), when thunderstorms are not very uncommon and afternoon relative humidity averages over 70 percent during
2904-511: The first high-school graduates in over 10 years in Wadeye, and was emerging as a leader. After the violence, many of the residents fled the area and resettled elsewhere, with some camping in the bush and some moving to Darwin. However leaders started working on peacekeeping initiatives, and a year later, over 150 men and women gathered for a traditional initiation ceremony for young men. Traditional owners , assisted by Northern Territory Police , are working on re-establishing peace and making Wadeye
2970-518: The governor-general on the appointment of the administrator, but by convention consults first with the Territory government. The current administrator is Hugh Heggie who commenced his three-year term on 31 January 2023; he had previously served as the Northern Territory’s Chief Health Officer . The Northern Territory is represented in the federal parliament by two members in the House of Representatives and two members in
3036-506: The legislation . Before the over-riding legislation was enacted, four people used the law supported by Dr Philip Nitschke . There are many very small settlements scattered across the Territory, but the larger population centres are located on the single paved road that links Darwin to southern Australia, the Stuart Highway , known to locals simply as "the track". The Territory is home to many spectacular natural rock formations, including Uluru / Ayers Rock and Kata Tjuta / The Olgas in
3102-555: The majority of seats in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly. The current chief minister is Lia Finocchiaro of the Country Liberal Party . The CLP defeated Territory Labor to win office on 24 August 2024. The Northern Territory became self-governing on 1 July 1978 under its own administrator appointed by the Governor-General of Australia . The federal government, not the NT government, advises
3168-402: The name "Northern Territory" was unsatisfactory. The names "Kingsland" (after King George V and to correspond with Queensland ), "Centralia" and "Territoria" were proposed with Kingsland becoming the preferred choice in 1913. However, the name change never went ahead. For a brief time between 1927 and 1931 the Northern Territory was divided into North Australia and Central Australia at
3234-555: The resource scarcity and the fragility of the cattle industry and the area was rife with Indigenous 'bush bandits' who speared cattle for food for want of employment by ranchers. This was exacerbated by a drought between 1925 and 1929 that led to the deaths of 85 per cent of the children at the Hermannsburg Mission in Central Australia. In the meantime, white attitudes towards Aboriginal people were paternalistic, torn between
3300-533: The right to legislate for the territory, including the power to override legislation passed by the Legislative Assembly. The Monarch is represented by the Administrator of the Northern Territory , who performs a role similar to that of a state governor . Twenty-five members of the Legislative Assembly are elected to four-year terms from single-member electorates . Numerous times since self government
3366-503: The smallest proportion (5.7%) aged 65 and over. The median age of residents of the Northern Territory is 31 years, six years younger than the national median age. Indigenous Australians make up 30.3% of population and own some 49% of the land. The life expectancy of Aboriginal Australians is well below that of non-Indigenous Australians in the Northern Territory, a fact that is mirrored elsewhere in Australia. ABS statistics suggest that Indigenous Australians die about 11 years earlier than
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#17330941012013432-629: The south ( 26th parallel south ), and Queensland to the east ( 138th meridian east ). To the north, the Northern Territory looks out to the Timor Sea , the Arafura Sea and the Gulf of Carpentaria , including Western New Guinea and various other islands of the Indonesian archipelago. The NT covers 1,347,791 square kilometres (520,385 sq mi), making it the third-largest Australian federal division, and
3498-498: The terms of entry to full statehood. The Northern Territory was offered three senators, rather than the twelve guaranteed to original states (because of the difference in populations, equal numbers of Senate seats would mean a Territorian's vote for a senator would have been worth more than 30 such votes in New South Wales or Victoria ). Alongside what was cited as an arrogant approach adopted by then chief minister Shane Stone , it
3564-605: The territory, port delays and rapid economic development led to uncertainty in port and regional infrastructure development. As a result of the Commission of Enquiry established by the Administrator, port working arrangements were changed, berth investment deferred and a port masterplan prepared. Extension of rail transport was then not considered because of low freight volumes. Indigenous Australians had struggled for rights to fair wages and land. An important event in this struggle
3630-414: The wettest months. Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT ; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory ) is an Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regions of Australia . The Northern Territory shares its borders with Western Australia to the west ( 129th meridian east ), South Australia to
3696-526: The wettest months. On average more than 1,570 mm (62 in) of rain falls in the north. Rainfall is highest in north-west coastal areas, where rainfall averages from 1,800 to 2,100 mm (71 to 83 in). The central region is the desert centre of the country, which includes Alice Springs and Uluru (Ayers Rock), and is semi-arid with little rain usually falling during the hottest months from October to March. Seasons are more distinct in central Australia, with very hot summers and cool winters. Frost
3762-418: Was 211,945, a 10 per cent increase from the 2006 census. The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated a June 2015 resident population of 244,300, taking into account residents overseas or interstate. The territory's population represents 1% of the total population of Australia. The Northern Territory's population is the youngest in Australia and has the largest proportion (23.2%) under 15 years of age and
3828-410: Was asked by Bill Stanner , an anthropologist who had come with Richard Docherty in 1935, to produce pieces explaining traditional law, which he made after he saw a map produced by Stanner. He produced many bark paintings of the dreaming which informed Stanner's research. In the 1958 George Chaloupka commissioned 64 paintings by local artists including Nym Bunduk, Charlie Mardigan and Charlie Brinken. By
3894-438: Was devastated by tropical Cyclone Tracy . Cyclone Tracy killed 71 people, caused A$ 837 million in damage (approximately A$ 6.85 billion as of 2018 ) and destroyed more than 70 per cent of Darwin's buildings, including 80 per cent of houses. Tracy left more than 41,000 out of the 47,000 inhabitants of the city homeless. The city was rebuilt with much-improved construction codes and is a modern, landscaped metropolis today. In 1978
3960-401: Was established so that by 1911 there were 513,000 cattle. Victoria River Downs Station , 686 kilometres (426 mi) west of Darwin, was at one time the largest cattle station in the world. Gold was found at Grove Hill in 1872 and at Pine Creek (in 1871), Brocks Creek, Burundi, and copper was found at Daly River . On 1 January 1911, a decade after Federation , the Northern Territory
4026-468: Was granted there has been agitation for full statehood within the region. A referendum of voters in the Northern Territory was held on the issue in 1998, which resulted in a 'no' vote. This was a shock to both the Northern Territory and Commonwealth governments, as opinion polls showed most Territorians supported statehood. But under the Australian Constitution, the federal government may set
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#17330941012014092-576: Was one of many massacres of Aboriginal people in the region. For more information see: List of massacres of Indigenous Australians . During World War II, most of the Top End was placed under military government. This is the only time since Federation that part of an Australian state or territory has been under military control. After the war, control for the entire area was handed back to the Commonwealth. The Bombing of Darwin occurred on 19 February 1942. It
4158-603: Was part of South Australia from 1863 to 1911 and, under their administration the Overland Telegraph Line was constructed between 1870 and 1872. From its establishment in 1869 the Port of Darwin was the major Territory supply for many decades. A railway was built between Palmerston and Pine Creek between 1883 and 1889 as part of the North Australia Railway . The economic pattern of cattle raising and mining
4224-495: Was separated from South Australia, alongside the Australian Capital Territory from NSW, and transferred to federal control. Alfred Deakin opined at this time "[t]o me the question has been not so much commercial as national, first, second, third and last. Either we must accomplish the peopling of the northern territory or submit to its transfer to some other nation." In late 1912 there was growing sentiment that
4290-660: Was the strike and walk off by the Gurindji people at Wave Hill Cattle Station in 1966. The Northern Territory Council for Aboriginal Rights (NTCAR) supported the strikers and provided publicity. The Federal government of Gough Whitlam set up the Woodward Royal Commission in February 1973, to enquire into how land rights might be achieved in the Northern Territory. Justice Woodward 's first report in July 1973 recommended that
4356-400: Was the largest single attack ever mounted by a foreign power on Australia. Evidence of Darwin's World War II history is found at a variety of preserved sites in and around the city, including ammunition bunkers, airstrips, oil tunnels and museums. The port was damaged in the 1942 Japanese air raids. It was subsequently restored. In the late 1960s improved roads in adjoining States linking with
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