Hayley

=__NORTHERN TERRITORY __=

**Aboriginal History **
It is most likely the Aboriginals moved to the north of Australia in small groups and thirty-five thousand came to the Northern Territory. Aboriginal people never stayed in the same area for too long because they didn’t want to hunt out all the food like plants and animals. The Aboriginals believed that their spiritual ancestors made the land and that they are still here today in their spirit forms. If the Aboriginals damaged the land it would destroy the Aboriginal welfare and the general health of the community. The Aboriginals met people from other countries long before the British discovered the land.The first European contact was in 1623 by a Dutch trading ship called the 'Arnhem' which sailed the coast which is now known as Arnhem Land.

**European Settlement**
====The first records of European sailors sailing into 'Australian' waters occured around 1606, and includes their observations of the land known as //Terra Australis Incognita// (unknown southern land). The first ship and crew to chart the Australian coast and meet with Aboriginal people was the //Duyfken// captained by Dutchman, Willem Janszoon. Between 1606 and 1770, an estimated 54 European ships from a range of nations made contact. Many of these were merchant ships from the Dutch East Indies Company and included the ships of Abel Tasman. Tasman charted parts of the north, west and south coasts of Australia which was then known as New Holland. ==== In 1770, Englishman Lieutenant James Cook charted the Australian east coast in his ship HM Barque Endeavor. Cook claimed the east coast under instruction from King Gorge lll of England on 22 August 1770 at Possession Island, naming eastern Australia 'New South Wales'. The coast of Australia, featuring Tasmania as a separate island, was mapped in detail by the English sailors and navigators. The surveyors didn't really worry about the northern part of Australia, because they must have thought it was not good for use. Eventually the Europeans wanted the land for more territory and so the British could trade. Port Darwin, which later became known as Darwin, was named after a man called Charles Darwin, who had sailed on the Beagle on a n earlier voyage.

**The Northern Territory today**
The Goverment of the Northern Territory legislates (makes laws) on all matters affecting the Northern Territory, except in those areas specifically reserved for the Federal Goverment. The Northern Territory is incorporated into 17 local government areas including 11 shires and 5 municipalities they are responsible for things such as city planning, road infrastructure and waste management. Council revenue comes mostly from property taxes and government grants. The Head of State in Australia is Queen Elizabeth ll. There are many people who believe that the Head of State should be an Australian.These people also believe that Australia should become a republic. The small population of the Northern Territory (estimated at 173,878 in 1995) means that the police force would be relatively small also. In 1993 there were 682 members of the force. The police force in Northern Territory believes that most effective policing is possible when the community is involved.
 * Goverment**
 * The Head of State[[image:nt_work.gif width="300" height="404" align="right"]]**
 * Law and Order -** **The Police**

Half the population of the Territory lives in Darwin. 215,000 people live in Northern Territory. The first bomb to land on Australian soil was dropped by the Japanese, the bomb landed in Darwin 19th February 1942. The first television transmission to Alice Springs was in 1972. The Territory flag features the three official Northern Territory colours - black, white and ochre - as well as the state floral emblem. Sturt's Desert Rose is the floral emblem of the Northern Territory. The Wedege-tailed Eagle is the animal emblem of the Northern Territory.
 * Facts**

Charles Perkins** is an Aboriginal rights activist. He was born 16th June 1936 at Alice Springs Telegraph Station Aboriginal Reserve (he is now 73 years old). He was removed from Telegraph Station Aboriginal Reserve when he was 10 years old. Charles' mother was Arrente and his father Kakadoon.
 * Famous Northern Territorians

Darwin 66,843 Alice Springs 25,090 Katherine 8,800 Palmerston 12,237 Darwin rural area 13,833 Nhulunbuy (Gove) 3, 923 Tennant Creek 3,140[|ayres1.jpg][|ayres1.jpg]
 * Major centres Population**

To get from Bendigo in Victoria to Alice Springs in Northern Territory in a car it takes 1 day and 2 hours by so thats about 2,158km. To get from Bendigo in Victoria to Alice Springs in Northern Territory walking it takes 17 days and 14 hours so thats about 2,100km.
 * Directions**

Wikipedia [] Gott, R 1997, //Northern Territory,// Reed Library, Melbourne. Morrissey, D 1984, //Northern Territory//, Macmillan Company, Melbourne. Google images Google images [|asgap.org.au/g-stu.html]
 * Refernces**