NORTHERN TERRITORY

TERRITORY SUMMARY

At June 2015, the estimated resident population of the Northern Territory (NT) was 244,300 people, which represented 1.0% of the total Australian population. The population increased by 940 people since June 2014. The NT's growth rate was 0.4%, which (along with Tasmania) was the lowest rate of growth of all states and territories.

POPULATION CHANGE IN GREATER DARWIN

At June 2015, the population of Greater Darwin was 142,300 people, which accounted for over half (58%) of the NT's total population. The population of Greater Darwin increased by 1.9% (2,600 people) in 2014-15, which was the second-fastest growth rate of all capital cities, behind Greater Melbourne (2.1%).

Greater Darwin consists of the SA3s of Darwin City, Darwin Suburbs, Litchfield and Palmerston. Of these SA3s, Litchfield recorded the largest growth in 2014-15, increasing by 1,200 people to reach 23,300. This SA3, which is predominately a rural residential area, is located on the outskirts of Darwin and Palmerston. Within Litchfield, the largest growth was in the SA2 of Howard Springs (up by 810 people) largely due to the opening of the new Darwin Correctional Centre.

The population of Darwin City SA3 grew by 550 people to reach 26,600. The fastest-growing SA2 within this SA3 was Darwin City (up by 9.5%), followed by Parap (5.0%).

Palmerston SA3's population increased by 910 people to reach 34,500. The majority of this growth occurred in the SA2 of Palmerston - South (up by 240 people), followed by Rosebery - Bellamack (170), both of which contain newly developed suburbs. Palmerston - South also recorded the fastest growth (22.4%) of all SA2s within the NT.

The Darwin Suburbs SA3, which is a mixture of residential and commercial/industrial land, decreased by 60 people. Within Darwin Suburbs, the SA2 of Berrimah had the largest and fastest decline, down by 370 people (14%), largely due to the decommissioning of the Berrimah Correctional Centre. The SA2 of Brinkin - Nakara had the largest growth (up by 230 people) due to the opening of a tertiary student accommodation facility. This was closely followed by the SA2 of Lyons (220) on the northern fringe of Darwin.

SA2s WITH LARGEST AND FASTEST POPULATION GROWTH(a), Northern Territory
	ERP at 30 June	Population Change
	2015p	2014r-2015p
SA2	no.	no.	%
LARGEST GROWTH
Howard Springs	5 700	810	16.6
Darwin City	6 100	530	9.5
Weddell	4 900	250	5.5
Palmerston - South	1 300	240	22.4
Brinkin - Nakara	3 600	230	6.7
FASTEST GROWTH
Palmerston - South	1 300	240	22.4
Howard Springs	5 700	810	16.6
Darwin City	6 100	530	9.5
Lyons	3 100	220	7.5
Brinkin - Nakara	3 600	230	6.7
(a) All population figures presented in this table are rounded. Estimates of population change are based on unrounded numbers.

POPULATION CHANGE IN THE REST OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

In the 12 months to 2015, the rest of the NT decreased by 1,700 people to 102,000.

The SA3 of East Arnhem, which covers the north-eastern Top End, recorded the largest decline (down by 1,800 people), while the SA3 of Katherine had the largest growth (140 people).

SA2s within the rest of the NT with the fastest growth were Thamarrurr on the south-west coast of the Top End, and Gulf on the south-east coast (both up by 2%). Gulf had the largest population increase of all SA2s outside of Greater Darwin, up by 100 people.

The SA2 of Nhulunbuy declined by 1,800 people (down by 46%) due to the curtailed production at the Rio Tinto Gove alumina refinery.


POPULATION DENSITY

At June 2015, 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 (45 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 2014 and 2015, the SA2s with the largest increases in population density were Darwin City (up by 170 people per sq km) and Parap (110).

CENTRE OF POPULATION

The centre of population for the NT at June 2015 was roughly 45 kilometres south-west of the town of Katherine. The centre moved 36 kilometres north-west in the ten years to 2015. This reflects strong population growth in Greater Darwin.

The centre of population for Greater Darwin at June 2015 was in the suburb of Berrimah, south of the Stuart Highway.