Top End

The Top End stretches from Wadeye in the west to Nhulunbuy in the east and includes the major centres of Darwin, Palmerston and Katherine. Incredibly diverse, the region has a wide range of primary and secondary industries, including mining, tourism, fishing, oil and gas production, horticulture, creative industries and retail.

Growth initiatives in the Top End include establishing Darwin as a centre for oil and gas activities including operation, maintenance and workforce development. To meet the demands of a growing population, the government will continue its high level of public spending on infrastructure, such as schools, roads and ports.

More land has also been released to meet the demand for industry and housing – including building an entirely new city at Weddell, south of Palmerston.

Darwin and Palmerston

Darwin is the capital of the Northern Territory and the seat of Parliament, while nearby Palmerston is one of Australia’s fastest growing cities. Together, they are a powerhouse for the development of the Territory.

Growth statistics for greater Darwin and palmerston

                                               2021                         2030
Population                            154,000                     177000
                                                 up 34%                       up 55%

Working Age Population 106,000 119000
up 27% up 43%

School age population 31,000 35,000
up 27% up 43%

To make the most of this growth the government has used a growth model to determine where we need to improve infrastructure and services for the future:

What we’ll need in Darwin and Palmerston by 2021:

Education facilities for an extra 7000 students
430 extra teachers
Land release to meet the needs of an extra 39,000 people
172 extra police
293 extra nurses
54 extra doctors

What is being done:

Building 4 new suburbs
A Growth Planning Unit established to prepare for growth
Selection of Weddell as the next Territory city
New middle school and primary school for Palmerston
Recruiting on top of the extra 311 police already added to our Police Force
Building a Superclinic at Palmerston – the first stage already opened
Tiger Brennan Drive extension

The New City of Weddell

Weddell has been chosen as the site for the Territory’s next city. The site south of Palmerston will be home to approximately 40,000 people. It’s the next logical step in accommodating the expanding population of the Darwin and Palmerston region.

About Weddell:

2000 hectares
13000 blocks of land
Estimated $3 billion private investment
$740 million development costs
Affordable housing
Village shopping
Commercial centres
Parks and open spaces

Top End Map

A4 printable version (PDF, 600kb)

Katherine

The Katherine region covers an extensive area – 336 674 square kilometres – which incorporates Katherine township, Elsy, Victoria River and the Gulf area. This represents approximately 25% of the Northern Territory’s land mass

The township of Katherine is well serviced with an airport, shopping centre, hospital and many cultural and recreational facilities. Katherine is a major road junction, linking the Territory to West Australia and South Australia.

Growth initiatives include:

Katherine to be a regional hub for Top End tourism, transport, agriculture, mining and government services.
Major infrastructure programs to improve the region’s roads, including the diversion of heavy vehicles from Katherine town centre and overtaking lanes between Katherine and Darwin

Investment in better education, including better schools, launch of Primary Schools for the 21st Century, and jobs training.

More land to be released for new residential lots

Improved health-care services, including after-hours helicopter retrieval service for medical emergencies.

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