NORTHERN TERRITORY


Territory summary

Population change in Greater Darwin

Population change in the remainder of the Northern Territory

Centre of population


TERRITORY SUMMARY

At June 2011, the estimated resident population of the Northern Territory (NT) was 231,300 people, which represented just 1% of the total Australian population. In the ten years from June 2001, the NT's population increased by 33,600 people, or 17%. This was the third fastest growth of all the states and territories, behind Western Australia (24%) and Queensland (23%).

POPULATION CHANGE IN GREATER DARWIN

In the ten years to June 2011, the population of Greater Darwin grew by 22,200 to 129,100 people. Population growth in Greater Darwin was nearly twice that in the remainder of the NT (11,300 people). Overall, Greater Darwin increased in population by 21%, giving it the third fastest growth of all the capital cities, behind Greater Perth (26%) and Greater Brisbane (25%).

Greater Darwin consists of the SA3s of Darwin City, Darwin Suburbs, Palmerston and Litchfield. Over the ten year period from 2001 to 2011, Palmerston recorded the largest growth (7,200 people) of these SA3s, to reach 29,200. Most of this population growth was in the SA2s of Rosebery - Bellamack (which contains newly-developed suburbs) and Palmerston - North (which includes the suburbs of Farrar and Gunn), both increasing by 3,000 people. One-third of the SA2s in Palmerston decreased in population over this period, with the largest decline occurring in Moulden (down 200 people).

The population of the SA3 of Darwin City grew by 6,700 people to 24,900 in the ten years to 2011. The majority of this growth occurred in the SA2s of Darwin City (up 3,000 people), Woolner - Bayview - Winnellie (1,800) and Stuart Park (1,300). Ludmilla - The Narrows, which includes the RAAF Base Darwin married quarters, recorded the largest decline in population (down 710 people) of all SA2s in the NT.

The Darwin Suburbs SA3, which is a mixture of residential and commercial/industrial land, increased by 3,900 people in the ten years to 2011. Within Darwin Suburbs, the SA2 of Lyons (a new suburb on the northern fringe of Darwin) had the largest increase (1,900 people), followed by Coconut Grove (620) and Nightcliff (470).

Litchfield's population at June 2011 was 19,600 people, an increase of 4,500 since June 2001. This SA3, which is predominately a rural residential area, is located on the outskirts of Darwin and Palmerston. The majority of the growth was in the SA2 of Humpty Doo (up 2,200 people), followed by Weddell (1,500) which includes the suburbs of Berry Springs, Lambells Lagoon and Noonamah.

POPULATION CHANGE IN THE REMAINDER OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

Between June 2001 and June 2011, the remainder of the NT experienced smaller population growth than Greater Darwin, increasing by 11,300 to 102,300 people.

All SA3s within the remainder of the NT increased in population in the ten years to 2011. Daly - Tiwi - West Arnhem recorded the largest growth (3,800 people), followed by East Arnhem (3,000), and Alice Springs (1,900), which covers the southern half of the territory.

Over the ten years from 2001 to 2011, the SA2 with the largest growth in the remainder of the NT was East Arnhem (2,100 people) in the north-east of the Top End, followed by the neighbouring West Arnhem (1,200), and Thamarrurr (1,000), on the south-west coast of the Top End. All six SA2s in the town of Alice Springs increased in population in the ten years to 2011, with Larapinta having the largest increase (610 people).

SA2s WITH LARGEST POPULATION GROWTH, Northern Territory
	ERP at 30 June		Population Change
	2001	2011pr	2001-2011pr
SA2	no.	no.	no.	%
Darwin City	2 100	5 100	3 000	142
Rosebery - Bellamack	940	3 900	3 000	316
Palmerston - North	1 400	4 300	3 000	218
Humpty Doo	6 000	8 200	2 200	36
East Arnhem	6 700	8 800	2 100	31

Only three SA2s in the remainder of the NT declined in population and these were all in the territory's south. The largest decline occurred in Petermann - Simpson, down 420 people.

CENTRE OF POPULATION

The centre of population for the NT at June 2011 was roughly 50 kilometres south of the town of Katherine. The centre moved 27.5 kilometres north in the ten years to 2011. This reflects strong population growth in Greater Darwin.

The centre of population for Greater Darwin at June 2011 was south of the Stuart Highway, in the suburb of Berrimah.