Central Australia
Central Australia, also known as the Alice Springs Region, is one of the five regions in the Northern Territory. The term Central Australia is used to describe an area centred on Alice Springs. It is sometimes referred to as Centralia; likewise the people of the area are sometimes called Centralians. The region is located in the southern part of the Northern Territory spanning from the west on Western Australia Border and to the east on the Queensland border.
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History [edit]
George Pearce, Minister for Home and Territories in the Federal Parliament in the 1920s, thought that the Northern Territory was too large to be adequately governed, and thus for a short time separate territories named North Australia and Central Australia existed.
Central Australia, like North Australia, had its own Government Resident and administration, based at The Residency, Alice Springs. The division was along the line of 20 degrees south, down to the South Australian border, and took effect on 1 February 1927 through the North Australia Act 1926. However the arrangement lasted for less than five years, and the separate territories were reincorporated into the Northern Territory on 12 June 1931.
Area [edit]
The main town in Central Australia is Alice Springs, however this area also includes all of the desert lands surrounding it. Whilst a few of these townships (such as Barrow Creek) are stations (ranches), the vast majority of them are indigenous Australian communities. The region covers an area of 546,046 km², which is 40% of the Northern Territory.
The following Local Government Areas (LGAs) make up the region:
- Town of Alice Springs (town)
- Central Desert Shire (shire)
- MacDonnell Shire (shire)
- Yulara (unincorporated town)
The centre of Australia [edit]
There is no official centre of Australia. The concept has intrigued various people from the time of early European exploration. Central Mount Stuart, for example, was so-named because it was believed to stand at the geographical centre of Australia. Today, different calculations give varying results but in general they agree on the area within 200 kilometres south of Alice Springs.
Population [edit]
The total population of Central Australia is estimated to be about 60,000. Alice Springs, the main urban area of Central Australia, is predominantly Anglo-Celtic Australian, with approximately 25% Aboriginal population; however, the surrounding communities which make up Central Australia are almost exclusively Aboriginal. Altogether, the population of the region is about 50% Aboriginal.
Climate [edit]
The region is very dry, receiving on average just 150 mm of rainfall annually.[1]
Local government [edit]
The Alice Springs Region contains 19 local government areas these include:
- Aherrenge Association Incorporated Council
- Alice Springs Town Council
- Anmatjere Community Council
- Aputula Housing Association Council
- Arcyonga Council Incorporated
- Aritarlpilta Community Council
- Ikuntji Community Council Incorporated
- Imanpa Community Counccil
- Jilkminggan Community Council
- Ltyentye Purte Community Council
- Ntaria Community Council
- Nyirripi Community Incorporated Council
- Tapatjatjaka Community Council
- Urapuntja Community Council
- Wallace Rockhole Community Council
- Walungurru incorporated Council
- Watiyawanu Community Council
- Yuelamu Community Incorporated Council
- Yuendumu Community Council
See also [edit]
- Eastern states of Australia
- North Australia
- Northern Australia
- Southern Australia
- The Residency, Alice Springs
References [edit]
- ^ Laity, Julie J. (2009). Deserts and Desert Environments. John Wiley & Sons. p. 43, 45. ISBN 1444300741. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
External links [edit]
- Alice Springs Region
- Alice Springs Film and Television
- "Centre of Australia, States and Territories". Education/Fab Facts. Geoscience Australia. 2004. Archived from the original on 2006-01-08. Retrieved 2006-02-13.
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