Aboriginal place names and dual naming
The Aboriginal Place Names and Dual Naming policy PDF (1.3 MB) outlines how Aboriginal names can be applied to places in the Northern Territory, as follows:
- Registration of recognised Aboriginal place names for geographic and topographic features where there is no officially registered name.
- Naming or dual naming of geographical or topographical features, if there is a registered or recorded name in place.
- Aboriginal names for new places (if appropriate) which can include:
- commemoration of the contributions or achievements of an Aboriginal person; or
- names that are used by and/or agreed by Aboriginal people to describe a particular area; or
- names that are derived from Aboriginal language words.
It is the Committee’s preference that requests to name new roads, suburbs, parks, infrastructure and buildings first consider an Aboriginal name and requestors engage and collaborate with relevant local Aboriginal organisations to identify if there is an appropriate Aboriginal name that can be used.
However, it may be appropriate and practical to apply non-Aboriginal place names in existing area (i.e. infill land developments or existing / staged subdivision) particularly where thematic naming has already been used.
Improving information about processes
In 2019, the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics (DIPL) hosted Aboriginal Place Names forums in Alice Springs, Katherine and Darwin to hear from the community about the opportunities and challenges for Aboriginal place naming in the NT.
Read the consultation's outcomes report PDF (1.0 MB).
DIPL is working to strengthen engagement processes for place naming, particularly for dual and Aboriginal place names. Feedback from the forums is being considered in the development of an Engagement Framework that will guide people making place names requests to understand who and how to engage relevant stakeholders.
What is a ‘dual name’?
In the NT, generally a dual name has two distinct parts separated by a solidus (/); one is an Aboriginal name and the other is a non-Aboriginal name, such as the name given and recorded by an explorer since English settlement.
Dual names are generally only applied to geographic and topographic features and some parks.
To avoid potential confusion for emergency services such as police, fire and ambulance and other service providers, dual naming is not supported for any place name that forms part of an address such as:
- roads
- suburbs
- localities
- towns/communities.
History of dual naming in the Territory
The NT was the first Australian jurisdiction and a world leader in officially incorporating dual naming in its naming practices and approving dual names for geographic features.
The most well-known example is Uluru / Ayers Rock.
Uluru / Ayers Rock
In 1873, Ayers Rock (and Mount Olga) were named by the South Australian Government (recorded in South Australian Parliamentary Paper 48 of 1873).
Since 1894, the names Uluru (and Kata Tjuta) in varying forms have been recorded, though not as widely as their English name equivalents.
On 15 December 1993, the first official dual named feature in the Northern Territory was registered - Ayers Rock / Uluru.
In 2002, following a request from the Regional Tourism Association in Alice Springs, the order of the dual names was officially changed to Uluru / Ayers Rock.
Read more about Uluru / Ayers Rock in the Place Names Register.
In the Northern Territory, Aboriginal languages have been used consistently over time in many communities and contexts.
Many continue as active living languages today. Aboriginal and dual naming provides an opportunity to:
- incorporate traditional Aboriginal language and culture into everyday communications
- increase the knowledge and understanding of the whole community about the connection of Aboriginal people with country.
The Committee is currently developing an Aboriginal and dual naming policy to improve existing processes and increase awareness of the opportunity to apply Aboriginal names to places, through approval of both standalone Aboriginal place names and dual names. This does not prevent Aboriginal or dual naming requests from being progressed in the meantime.
In 2019, the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics (DIPL) hosted Aboriginal Place Names forums in Alice Springs, Katherine and Darwin to hear from the community about the opportunities and challenges for Aboriginal place naming in the Northern Territory. Read the consultation's outcomes report PDF (1.0 MB).
Dual naming
Dual naming is way of recognising and showing respect for the names given to geographic and topographic features by different cultural and language groups. In the Northern Territory, generally a dual name has two distinct name parts (separated by a solidus (/)); one is the traditional Aboriginal name and the other is a European (or English) name, usually given and recorded by an explorer some time since European settlement.
The Committee recognises that there may be more than one Aboriginal name for a particular geographic feature and therefore seeks to maintain flexibility in how dual naming can be implemented in the Northern Territory context.
The dual name should be used in full in all official documents and publications, however in other publications either name part can be used individually. The order of the name parts is determined by the Minister following consultation with interested parties, and with consideration of the Place Names Committee’s recommendation.
The Principles for the Consistent Use of Place Names published by the Permanent Committee on Place Names includes Principles for the use of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Place Names and Dual Naming Depiction Principles. This is one of the documents that the Committee refers to when considering requests submitted to officially register a place name.
Dual names cannot generally be given to places other than geographic and topographic features and some parks. Dual naming is not supported for any place name that forms a part of an address such as roads, suburbs, localities, towns. This is to avoid potential confusion for emergency services such as police, fire and ambulance and other service providers.
More information on generic terms that are commonly used in the Northern Territory to describe geographic or topographic features can be found here.
The Northern Territory was the first Australian jurisdiction and a world leader in officially incorporating dual naming in its naming practices and approving dual names for geographic features. The most well-known example is Uluru or Ayers Rock.
Uluru / Ayers Rock
In 1873, Ayers Rock (and Mount Olga) were named by the South Australian Government (recorded in South Australian Parliamentary Paper 48 of 1873).
Since 1894, both Uluru (and Kata Tjuta) in varying forms have been recorded, though not as widely as their English name equivalents, named by the SA Government.
On 15 December 1993, this feature was the first officially dual named feature in the Northern Territory was registered - Ayers Rock / Uluru.
In 2002, following a request from the Regional Tourism Association in Alice Springs, on 6 November 2002 the order of the dual names was officially changed to Uluru / Ayers Rock. For further information on Uluru / Ayers Rock, visit the Place Names Register website.
