How was the Northern Territory of Australia named?

Answer 1

The Northern Territory is one of two mainland Australian territories, and not a state. At Federation, the Northern Territory did not yet exist. From 1825 to 1863, the Northern Territory was part of New South Wales, and from 1863 to 1911 it was part of South Australia. This resulted from the successful 1862 expedition of John McDouall Stuart to find an overland route through the desert from Adelaide to the north.

On 1 January 1911, the Northern Territory was separated from South Australia and transferred to Commonwealth control. The Northern Territory does not have the full rights that a state has, but the territory is administered by the Commonwealth delegating powers to the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly. States can govern their area in their own constitutional right. So, it is called a territory because it is an area of Australia controlled by Australia and is not an actual state.

Answer 2

The Northern Territory is called the Northern Territory, because it is in the northern part of Australia and because it happens to be one of the two territories of Australia.

The Northern Territory covers the area once called (briefly) Northern Australia. This was never formalised, and the land was given to South Australia as its northern territory because of the success of an explorer named John McDouall Stuart, who represented South Australia. His successful exploration enabled the immensely important Overland Telegraph Line to be built from Adelaide through to the northern coast. The population was not large enough to warrant its own state government, so after it was transferred from South Australia to Commonwealth control, it remained a territory.

Answer 3

The Northern Territory was originally part of South Australia. On 1 January 1911, the Northern Territory was separated from South Australia and transferred to Commonwealth control. It was so named because it was a territory, controlled by the Commonwealth, and not a state in its own right, and because it was in the north.