How places are named

The Place Names Committee makes recommendations to the Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment for the naming, or altering of names of places in the Northern Territory (NT).

The minister is responsible for approving new names and changes to existing ‘registered’ names under the Place Names Act 1967.

Once the minister approves a name and it is included in the Place Names Register, it is known as a ‘registered’ name.

Get a printable copy of the place naming process PDF (176.5 KB).

Find out more about committee membership and meetings.

Types of places that can be named

Under the Place Names Act 1967 the following types of places can be named:

• a geographic or topographic feature (whether or not covered by water)
• a county, hundred, town, community, suburb or locality within a town or a site for a town
• a highway, road, street, lane, trail or thoroughfare that is open to or used by the public
• a park, garden, reserve, recreation or sporting ground that is open to or used by the public
• a public cemetery within the meaning of the Cemeteries Act 1952
• public infrastructure associated with transport facilities, medical institutions or nursing homes
• a place, structure or building that is or may be of public or historic interest.

Generally a place name will have 2 parts, a unique identifying name (sometimes called a specific term) and a generic term that describes the type of place.

Naming under other laws

There are some types of namings that do not occur under the Place Names Act 1967. These include:

• the naming of schools under the Education Act 2015
• the naming of electoral divisions under the Electoral Act 2004
• the naming of local government areas and wards under the Local Government Act 2008
• The naming of parks and reserves under the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1976
• the naming of places where Australian government legislation applies and has overriding application - eg Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 and Native Title Act 1993.

Read about how to request a place name.