NORTHERN TERRITORY

TERRITORY SUMMARY

At June 2014, the estimated resident population of the Northern Territory (NT) was 245,100 people, which represented 1.0% of the total Australian population. The population increased by 2,500 people since June 2013. The NT's growth rate was 1.0%, which was the third-slowest after South Australia (0.9%) and Tasmania (0.3%).

POPULATION CHANGE IN GREATER DARWIN

At June 2014, the population of Greater Darwin was 140,400 people, which accounted for over half (57%) of the NT's total population. The population of Greater Darwin increased by 2.2% (3,000 people) in 2013-14, which was the second-fastest growth rate (along with Greater Melbourne) of all capital cities, behind Greater Perth (2.5%).

Greater Darwin consists of the SA3s of Darwin City, Darwin Suburbs, Litchfield and Palmerston. Of these SA3s, Palmerston recorded the largest growth in 2013-14, increasing by 1,700 people to reach 33,900. Within Palmerston, the largest growth was in the SA2s of Rosebery - Bellamack (up by 760 people) and Palmerston - South (520), both of which contain newly developed suburbs.

The Darwin Suburbs SA3, which is a mixture of residential and commercial/industrial land, increased by 600 people. Within Darwin Suburbs, the SA2 of Lyons on the northern fringe of Darwin had the largest increase, up by 380 people.

Litchfield's population increased by 570 people to reach 21,700. This SA3, which is predominately a rural residential area, is located on the outskirts of Darwin and Palmerston. The majority of this growth occurred in the SA2 of Virginia (up by 370 people) which contains a new urban development, followed by Humpty Doo (140).

The population of the Darwin City SA3 grew by 170 people to reach 26,300. The fastest-growing SA2 within this SA3 was Darwin City (up by 4.5%), followed by Parap (4.1%) and Larrakeyah (3.9%).

SA2s WITH LARGEST AND FASTEST POPULATION GROWTH(a), Northern Territory
	ERP at 30 June	Population Change
	2014p	2013r-2014p
SA2	no.	no.	%
LARGEST GROWTH
Rosebery - Bellamack	5 800	760	15.0
Palmerston - South	1 100	520	92.0
Lyons	2 900	380	14.9
Virginia	3 700	370	11.1
Darwin City	5 600	250	4.5
FASTEST GROWTH(b)
Rosebery - Bellamack	5 800	760	15.0
Lyons	2 900	380	14.9
Virginia	3 700	370	11.1
Darwin City	5 600	250	4.5
Parap	2 400	100	4.1
(a) All population figures presented in this table are rounded. Estimates of population change are based on unrounded numbers.
(b) Excludes SA2s with a population of less than 1,000 at June 2013.

POPULATION CHANGE IN THE REST OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

In the 12 months to 2014, the rest of the NT decreased by 500 people to 104,700.

The SA3 of East Arnhem, which covers the north-eastern Top End, recorded the largest decline (down by 590 people), while the SA3 of Katherine had the largest growth (130 people),

SA2s within the rest of the NT with the fastest growth were Thamarrurr on the south-west coast of the Top End (up by 1.8%), and Elsey (1.3%). Katherine had the largest population increase of all SA2s outside of Greater Darwin, up by 100 people.

The SA2 of Nhulunbuy declined by 570 people (down by 13%).


POPULATION DENSITY

At June 2014, the population density of the NT was 0.2 people per square kilometre (sq km), the lowest of any state or territory. Greater Darwin also had the lowest population density (44 people per sq km) of any Greater Capital City.

The SA2s within Greater Darwin with the highest population density were Nightcliff (3,000 people per sq km), Bakewell (2,900) and Wagaman (2,800).

Between 2013 and 2014, the SA2s with the largest increases in population density were Rosebery - Bellamack (up by 240 people per sq km) and Parap (90).

CENTRE OF POPULATION

The centre of population for the NT at June 2014 was roughly 45 kilometres south-west of the town of Katherine. The centre moved 36 kilometres north in the ten years to 2014. This reflects strong population growth in Greater Darwin.

The centre of population for Greater Darwin at June 2014 was in the suburb of Berrimah, south of the Stuart Highway.