Shire of Litchfield
Encyclopedia
The Litchfield Municipality is a Local Government Area located in the Northern Territory
of Australia
on the eastern and southeastern outskirts of the Darwin
-Palmerston
urban area. The municipality covers an area of 2914.3 square kilometres (1,125.2 sq mi), and was created by the Northern Territory government
on 6 September 1985.
people. The arrival of European
settlers dates from 1864. Litchfield is named after Frederick Henry Litchfield
who with William Patrick Auld was a member of an early survey and settlement party and who explored areas of the Northern Territory from Escape Cliffs on the Timor Sea
to the Daly River. Some growth took place during the 1870s and 1880s, after the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line
. There was more substantial growth during the post-war years, especially during the 1970s.
The Litchfield Shire was proclaimed by an Act of the NT Parliament on 6 September 1985. On 7 December 1985 an election was held to elect the first Council composed of a Shire President and four Councillors each representing a ward - North, South, East and Central.
This first elected body formulated a series of objectives under which Council was to operate. The objectives were based upon the provision of services in what is traditionally known as the 3R's ( Roads, Rubbish and Recreation) and on the principle of contracting out the provision of these services. The level of services under these functions were to be commensurate with a philosophy of low rates.
In 2008 Litchfield Shire became a Municipality under the new Local Government Act 2008, which saw changes in the structure of Local Government across the Northern Territory.
On 1 July 2008 Litchfield Councils responsibilities also included management of the Thorak Regional Cemetery.
The Litchfield Municipality is bounded by the Adelaide River
to the east, Van Diemen Gulf and the Coomalie Community Government Council
in the south and the City of Darwin
and City of Palmerston
to the northwest. The Stuart
and Arnhem
Highways run through the Litchfield Municipality. Most of the Municipality is rural or rural-residential in character.
* amended localities
# newly created localities
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on the eastern and southeastern outskirts of the Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
-Palmerston
Palmerston, Northern Territory
Palmerston is a planned satellite city of Darwin, the capital and largest city in Australia's Northern Territory. Palmerston is situated near Darwin Harbour and has an urban population of 23,614 on the 2006 Census night and making it the second largest city in the territory...
urban area. The municipality covers an area of 2914.3 square kilometres (1,125.2 sq mi), and was created by the Northern Territory government
Government of the Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is governed according to the principles of the Westminster system, a form of parliamentary government based on the model of the United Kingdom...
on 6 September 1985.
History
The original inhabitants of the Litchfield area were the Larakia, Woolner and Djowei AboriginalIndigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
people. The arrival of European
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
settlers dates from 1864. Litchfield is named after Frederick Henry Litchfield
Frederick Henry Litchfield
Frederick Henry Litchfield , pastoralist, gold miner, explorer, usually known as Fred, is a South Australian prominently associated with the early exploration of the Northern Territory, and more particularly with the discovery of gold there.-Early life:Litchfield was born in Ghazipur, British...
who with William Patrick Auld was a member of an early survey and settlement party and who explored areas of the Northern Territory from Escape Cliffs on the Timor Sea
Timor Sea
The Timor Sea is a relatively shallow sea bounded to the north by the island of Timor, to the east by the Arafura Sea, to the south by Australia and to the west by the Indian Ocean....
to the Daly River. Some growth took place during the 1870s and 1880s, after the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line
Australian Overland Telegraph Line
The Australian Overland Telegraph Line was a 3200 km telegraph line that connected Darwin with Port Augusta in South Australia. Completed in 1872 the Overland Telegraph Line allowed fast communication between Australia and the rest of the world. An additional section was added in 1877 with the...
. There was more substantial growth during the post-war years, especially during the 1970s.
The Litchfield Shire was proclaimed by an Act of the NT Parliament on 6 September 1985. On 7 December 1985 an election was held to elect the first Council composed of a Shire President and four Councillors each representing a ward - North, South, East and Central.
This first elected body formulated a series of objectives under which Council was to operate. The objectives were based upon the provision of services in what is traditionally known as the 3R's ( Roads, Rubbish and Recreation) and on the principle of contracting out the provision of these services. The level of services under these functions were to be commensurate with a philosophy of low rates.
In 2008 Litchfield Shire became a Municipality under the new Local Government Act 2008, which saw changes in the structure of Local Government across the Northern Territory.
On 1 July 2008 Litchfield Councils responsibilities also included management of the Thorak Regional Cemetery.
Geography
Adelaide River
Adelaide River is a river in the Northern Territory of Australia. It starts in Litchfield National Park and flows generally northwards to Clarence Strait, being crossed by both the Stuart Highway and the Arnhem Highway...
to the east, Van Diemen Gulf and the Coomalie Community Government Council
Coomalie
The Coomalie Shire is a Local Government Area in the Northern Territory, situated south of Darwin and Palmerston. The council governs an area of 1,500km² and has a estimated population of 1,295.-History:...
in the south and the City of Darwin
City of Darwin
The City of Darwin is a Local Government Area of the Northern Territory, Australia. It includes the central business district of the capital, Darwin, and represents two-thirds of its metropolitan population. The City covers an area of 112 km² and has a estimated population of 75,908...
and City of Palmerston
City of Palmerston
The City of Palmerston is a Local Government Area of the Northern Territory. It contains the suburbs of Darwin's satellite city, Palmerston, and is situated between the outer industrial areas of Darwin and the rural areas of Howard Springs. The City covers an area of 56.3 km² and has a...
to the northwest. The Stuart
Stuart Highway
The Stuart Highway is one of Australia's major highways. It is a segment of Australia's Highway 1 extending from Darwin, Northern Territory, in the north, via Tennant Creek and Alice Springs, to Port Augusta, South Australia, in the south—a distance of...
and Arnhem
Arnhem Highway
The Arnhem Highway is a 230 kilometre highway in the Northern Territory of Australia. It links the mining town of Jabiru, in Kakadu National Park, to the Stuart Highway 35 kilometres south of Darwin....
Highways run through the Litchfield Municipality. Most of the Municipality is rural or rural-residential in character.
Localities
Localities within the boundary of the Municipality include:| Outer Darwin | Western Rural | Eastern Rural |
|---|---|---|
|
Berry Springs, Northern Territory Berry Springs is an outer suburban area in Darwin. The name "Berry Springs" derived from "Berry Creek", named by Goyder in 1870, after his Chief Draftsman, Edwin S Berry.... Blackmore, Northern Territory Blackmore is an outer rural locality in Darwin. It is adjacent to the Blackmore River.-External links:... * Channel Island, Northern Territory Channel Island is a suburb of Darwin, in the territory of Northern Territory, Australia. It locates in the local government area of Litchfield. Channel Island Power Station locates in the island.-History:... Darwin River, Northern Territory Darwin River is an outer suburban area in Darwin. The name of the locality derived from the Darwin River which flows through the locality.-External links:... Fly Creek, Northern Territory -External links:... Livingstone, Northern Territory Livingstone is an outer rural locality Darwin. The name "Livingstone" derived from the war-time airstrip which was named after John D Livingstone, Jnr. On 4 April 1942, Livingstone was wounded during action over Darwin, but flew to the newly completed 34 mile airstrip where he crash landed, but... Southport, Northern Territory Southport is an outer rural locality in Darwin. It is based on the Town of Southport.-External links:... Tumbling Waters, Northern Territory Tumbling Waters is an outer rural location in Darwin. The name of the locality derived from the town which was named after the rapids "Tumbling Waters" where R C Burton discovered gold in 1869.-External links:... |
Acacia Hills, Northern Territory Acacia Hills is an outer rural locality of Darwin. It is 60km South of the Darwin CBD. Its Local Government Area is the Litchfield Municipality. The suburb is mostly a rural area, just north of Adelaide River. The suburbs name comes from the acacia shrub in the area.-External... Black Jungle, Northern Territory Black Jungle is an outer rural location in Darwin. The name of the locality derived from "Black Jungle" which first appeared on a plan of the "Umpity Doo Homestead" block, Agricultural Lease No 28 in 1910.-External links:... Gunn Point, Northern Territory Gunn Point is an outer rural locality in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. The name of the locality derived from Gunn Point, the point or peninsula of land on the coast between the mouths of the Howard and Adelaide Rivers.-External links:... # Herbert, Northern Territory Herbert is an outer rural locality of Darwin. It is 44km South - east of Darwin. Its Local Government Area is the Litchfield Municipality. The suburb is mostly a rural area. It is situated in the vicinity of Benham and Benjamin Lagoons. It was previously considered as part of Humpty Doo.-External... Hughes, Northern Territory Hughes is an outer rural locality of Darwin. The name of the locality derived from the war-time airfield which was named after W A Hughes.-External links:... Lambells Lagoon, Northern Territory Lambells Lagoon is an outer suburban area in Darwin. It is 47km East of the Darwin CBD. Its Local Government Area is the Litchfield Municipality. The suburb is mostly a rural area, on the fringe of Metropolitan Darwin.-External links:... Lloyd Creek, Northern Territory Lloyd Creek is an outer rural locality of Darwin. It is one of two creeks in the area which were named by the Finniss Party in 1864/5.-External links:... Manton, Northern Territory Manton is an outer rural locality of Darwin. The name of the locality is derived from Manton Dam.-External links:... Middle Point, Northern Territory Middle Point is an outer suburban area in Darwin. The name of the locality technically derived from its name from the ridge of fertile upland country jutting out as a "middle point" into the open plain country on the edge of the coastal plains of the Adelaide River.-External links:... Murrumujuk, Northern Territory Murrumujuk is an outer rural locality of Darwin. It is on the coast of Shoal Bay, south of Gunn Point. The area has been provisionally set aside for a residential subdivision. Murrumujuk is of aboriginal origin.-External links:... * |
* amended localities
# newly created localities
Population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1986 | 7,410 |
| 1991 | 9,746 |
| 1996 | 13,858 |
| 2001 | 16,086 |
| 2006 | 17,461 |
Council Presidents
- John Maley (1985–1996)
- Gerry WoodGerry WoodGerard Vincent "Gerry" Wood is an Australian politician. A former mayor of the Northern Territory shire of Litchfield, he has been an independent member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly since 2001, representing the electorate of Nelson....
(1996–2001) - Mary Walshe (2001–current)