Drivers of change in Darwins hinterland

Jan Salmon
Masters Candidate Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods Charles Darwin University

Research Aims
Analysis of development of Darwin and its hinterland Litchfield = hinterland Analysis of changes in land tenure Darwins development was different Rural residential was the key driver of development
Darwin Litchfield

Palmerston

20km

March 2012

Why did counter-urbanism occur?

Counter-urbanism
Migration of people into rural areas from the city (seachange/treechange) Holmes (2010) counterurbanism only occurred in Darwins tropical savannas low productive potential ... in pastoral lands urban population growth

March 2012

Theoretical Framework
Multifunctionality Production Consumption Protection

Protection
Conservation Parks

Modes of occupance

Production
Primary production Faming Mining

Consumption
Rural residential

March 2012

Method
ArcGIS of Northern Territory cadastral data base Archival documents Census data Face to face interviews of long term residents

March 2012

First survey
Goyder survey 1869
Town lots and plantation lots (320 acres) Small farmer was locked out

Sold to speculators but not occupied

March 2012

 1958 Cadastre

March 2012

Darwin 1958
Arrested growth Hinterland not altered

March 2012

Subdivisions 1950-1974
Extent of urban Darwin 1958

Mainly 2 ha lots Rural residential Development not contiguous with the city Aligned to road access

March 2012

Subdivisions 1950-1974
Compulsory acquisition 1946 All land within 144 square kilometers became leasehold Housing crisis
Shortage of materials Shortage of surveyed land Non-public servants had limited access to land

Counter-urbanism occurred

March 2012

Post Tracy
Opportunity to rebuild Darwin To remedy past planning mistakes Planned from Canberra and Melbourne Indifference to local housing needs Promoted an exodus into the hinterland

March 2012

Subdivisions 1975-1990
Again counter-urbanism

Emergence of horticulture
Conservation Aboriginal Land Rights Act
Aboriginal Land Rural Other Commonwwealth Conservation Future development Rural residential Water Management

March 2012

Conclusions
So why counter-urbanism in Darwin and not the other savannas? Absence of pastoral industry Absence of agriculture BUT subdivided freehold land

Commonwealths control of land

March 2012