Celebrating 70 years of Water Resources

The Territory has its own water story: 1955-2025

For 70 years, the Northern Territory has been studying, managing and protecting its water resources.

From the first monitoring bores drilled in the 1950s to today’s satellite mapping and climate analysis, every decade has built on the last to better understand how water supports life, culture and growth across the Territory.

This 70-year milestone celebrates the people, projects and partnerships that have shaped our knowledge of Territory water - past, present and future.

Commemorative posters

Explore our series of commemorative posters celebrating 70 years of Water Resources, featuring key people, projects and discoveries from each decade.

Download the commemorative posters PDF (25.4 MB).

Highlights from each decade

1950s: In 1955, the Water Use Branch was formed in Darwin on Cavanagh Street, tasked with surveying the Northern Territory’s largely unexplored water resources.

1960s: In 1961, the Northern Territory introduced the Water Supplies Development Ordinance, appointing the director of the Water Resources Branch as the commissioner of water development.

1970s: The 1970s saw major upheaval for the Water Resources Division, from a fire at the Winnellie microbiology lab to record flooding and Cyclone Tracy.

1980s: In the early 1980s, a water control district was declared around Alice Springs to manage groundwater use, while in Darwin’s rural area commercial mango farming sparked the first public campaigns to protect water resources.

1990s: In 1992, the Water Act 1992 reshaped NT water management. Passed by the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly, it paved the way for ‘NT water’, a strategic plan for managing the Territory’s water resources, which was released for community comment.

2000s: Drilling in the 2000s was driven largely by practical needs, including supplying water for communities, backing new horticultural farms around Katherine, supporting mines, and delivering secure bores for remote regions such as Kings Canyon.

2010s: Water Resources had a water planning focus, declaring 5 water allocation plans in the decade, incorporating community voices and values into future plans.

2020s: In 2023, the division proudly launched the Territory water plan, the NT’s first whole‑of‑government strategy to secure water for all Territorians into the future.

The Water Resources Division throughout the years

Take a visual journey through time, from black and white photos of rivers, dams, and camps in the bush to today’s high-tech monitoring and modelling in the field.