About the Place Names Register

Section 11B of the Place Names Act requires the Place Names Committee to establish a Register.

The Committee has determined the Register will be internet accessible and with the Department's co-operation has developed a comprehensive place names Register.

Other than names registered under the Act, the Register contains names appearing on current and historical maps and in historical publications.

The Register is continually being updated and new place names being added.

The Register has been developed using Web Feature Server (WFS) software. When a search is made of the Register, the result obtained is the data which is held in the Register at that time.

In the Northern Territory, Aboriginal languages have been used consistently and actively to the present day and remain living languages. For the most part Aboriginal place names in these areas are recently recorded and are linguistically correct for that language. Although an Australian English system of place names has been allocated across the Northern Territory, the Committee recognises that there may be one or many Aboriginal names (for a particular feature) which may be recorded.

Place names in the Register are divided into seven data or place names types and allocated one of six status values.

Depending upon the type of place, the Register will hold location, suburb/locality, gazettal, local government and historical and/or origin information on the name. The Committee has determined that the Register will only provide base information on the history and/or origin of a place name. More information can be obtained by checking the resources on our links page.