Naming of places in the Northern Territory
Latest News
Search Place Names Register - quick link
Place Names Register changes: Changes have been made to searching the Register and record information. More information
Road naming in Aboriginal Communities: The Committee is looking at the formal naming of roads in all major Aboriginal Communities. More information
Wadeye: After comprehensive consultation with the Wadeye community all 30 roads have been formally named. More information
Darwin Middle Schools named : Sanderson, Nightcliff and Dripstone High Schools renamed to Middle Schools. More information
News Archive
All Place Names news
Place names and street addresses are the primary means by which people, services and features are located, used to describe where we live and work or where we are going.
Within the Northern Territory, the allocation of an official name to a place (be it a locality, suburb, town, community, road, residential park, cemetery, building or natural feature) is the responsibility of the Northern Territory Government under the Place Names Act which allows the Place Names Committee for the Northern Territory to make recommendations to the Minister for Planning and Lands for the naming of a place.
The Place Names Committee, prior to making a recommendation, seeks the views of the relevant local government Authority and/or the Aboriginal Land Council and where the place is on private land, the owner of that land.
As required by the Act, the Place Names Committee, in conjunction with the Department of Planning and Infrastructure, has established a searchable Place Names Register which contains known information on when a place was named, by whom and why. If you notice wrong information in the Register, the Place Names Committee seeks your feedback. A list of recently approved place names can be viewed here.
As the Northern Territory continues to grow, there is a need to name roads in new subdivisions. In recommending names for these roads, the Place Names Committee seeks to commemorate people who have contributed to the Territory’s development. If you know of some one who meets the criteria why not submit their name.
The administration of place names across the Northern Territory is based in Darwin. Contact us.
Are you a teacher, student or parent wishing to know more about place names?
The Northern Territory in conjunction with other State and Territory nomenclature boards have
developed an innovative internet based teaching pack for the sharing of information about geographic place names and to promote the significance of geographic place names in the community.
Enter the Lesson Pack here
