Northern Territory borders

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In 1788, Governor Phillip claimed the continent of Australia as far west as the 135th meridian east longitude (135° east) in accordance with his commission.{{cite web | url = http://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/item.asp?dID=35 | title = Governor Phillip's Instructions 25 April 1787 (UK) | work = Documenting a Democracy | publisher = National Archives of Australia | access-date = 2006-05-28 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060615195616/http://foundingdocs.gov.au/item.asp?dID=35 | archive-date = 15 June 2006 }} (26 January 1788 – Map)

On 16 July 1825, the western boundary of New South Wales was relocated to the line of 129° east to take in the new settlement at Melville Island.{{cite book | last = Taylor

| first = Peter | year = 1990 | title = The Atlas of Australian History | publisher = Child & Associates Publishing Pty Ltd | location = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | isbn = 0-86777-429-0 | pages = 118–9 | chapter = Chapter 10: Government and the States}} (16 July 1825 – Map). From 1825 to 1829 129° east was the NSW border.

Following the settlement of the Swan River Colony in 1829 (2 May 1829 – Map), its eastern boundary was declared to be 129° east, coinciding with the western boundary of New South Wales at the time.{{cite web | url = http://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/resources/transcripts/wa5i_doc_1831.pdf | title = Transcript of Commission appointing Stirling Governor and Commander-in-Chief 4 March 1831 (UK) | work = Documenting a Democracy | publisher = National Archives of Australia | access-date = 2006-05-28 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120206211244/http://foundingdocs.gov.au/resources/transcripts/wa5i_doc_1831.pdf | archive-date = 6 February 2012 | url-status = live }}

The colony of Western Australia (WA) was commissioned in March 1831.{{cite web | url = http://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/item.asp?dID=94 | title = Commission appointing Stirling Governor and Commander-in-Chief 4 March 1831 (UK) | work = Documenting a Democracy | publisher = National Archives of Australia | access-date = 2006-05-28 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080207042047/http://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/item.asp?dID=94 | archive-date = 7 February 2008 }}

From 1829 to 1832, the SRC/NSW border was at 129° east.

The name of the Swan River Colony was changed to Western Australia in 1832 (6 February 1832 – Map).Territorial evolution of Australia – 6 February 1832

From 1832 to 1846, 129° east was the WA/NSW border.

South Australia became a colony in 1836 and until 1846 would be surrounded on land by New South Wales (NSW), with South Australia extending west to the 132° east longitude. (132° east) and north to 26° south (28 December 1836 – Map).Territorial evolution of Australia – 28 December 1836

From 1836 to 1846 129° east was the WA/NSW border. 132° east was the SA/NSW border as were 26° south and 141° east.

In 1846 the colony of North Australia (NA) was proclaimed by Letters Patent, which was all of New South Wales north of 26° south (17 February 1846 – Map).Territorial evolution of Australia – 17 February 1846

From 1846 to 1847 129° east was the WA/NSW border and the WA/NA border. 132° east was the SA/NSW border, while 26° south became the SA/NA border and 141° east remained the SA/NSW border.

In 1847 the colony of North Australia was revoked and reincorporated into New South Wales. (15 April 1847 – Map), so South Australia was once again surrounded by New South Wales on all land borders.Territorial evolution of Australia – 15 April 1847

From 1847 to 1860 129° east was once again the WA/NSW border.

From 1847 132° east was again the SA/NSW border, and 26° south was also the SA/NSW border. 141° east would remain the SA/NSW border until 1851.

In 1851 South Australia's eastern border changed again when the colony of Victoria was proclaimed (1 July 1851 – Map).Territorial evolution of Australia – 1 July 1851

From 1851 141° east would change to include both the SA/NSW border and the SA/VIC border.

In 1859 The colony of Queensland is proclaimed by Letters Patent, with its western border set at 141° east{{cite web | url=https://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/item-sdid-47.html | title=Letters Patent erecting Colony of Queensland 6 June 1859 (UK) | publisher=Museum of Australian Democracy | access-date=24 October 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107015816/https://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/item-sdid-47.html | archive-date=7 November 2017 | url-status=live }} (6 June 1859 – Map).

From 1859 141° east would change to include the

SA/QLD border, the SA/NSW border and the SA/VIC border.

In 1860 the western border of South Australia changed from 132° east to 129° east (1860 – MAP).Territorial evolution of Australia – 1860

From this time on South Australia's western border was also the West Australian border.

From 1860 129° east became

the SA/WA border from south of 26° south & the WA/NSW border north of 26° south.

In 1862 Queensland's western border north of 26° south) was moved to 139° east (1862).Territorial evolution of Australia – 1862

From 1862 26° south became shared as the SA/NSW border and the SA/QLD border between 139° east and 141° east.

In 1863 that part of New South Wales to the north of South Australia was annexed to South Australia by Letters Patent{{cite web | url=https://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/item-did-49.html | title=Letters Patent annexing the Northern Territory to South Australia, 1863 | publisher=Museum of Australian Democracy | access-date=24 October 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107005903/https://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/item-did-49.html | archive-date=7 November 2017 | url-status=live }} as "the Northern Territory of South Australia", which was shortened{{according to whom|date=May 2019}} to "the Northern Territory" (6 July 1863 – Map).

From 1863 to 1911 129° east was the WA/NToSA border north of 26° south & the WA/SA border south of 26° south. 26° south became the SA/NToSA border.

In 1911 the Northern Territory was split off from South Australia to be administered by the Commonwealth. (1 January 1911 – Map).Territorial evolution of Australia – 1 January 1911

From 1911 to 1927 129° east was the WA/NT border north of 26° south & the WA/SA border to the south. 26° south became the SA/NT border.

In 1927 the Northern Territory was split into two territories, North Australia and Central Australia, with the border set at the 20° south. (1 March 1927 – Map).Territorial evolution of Australia – 1 March 1927

From 1927 26° south became the SA/CA border.

In 1931 North Australia and Central Australia were reunited as the Northern Territory

(12 June 1931 – Map).Territorial evolution of Australia – 12 June 1931

From 1931 26° south once again became the SA/NT border.

Marking the Northern Territory borders on the ground has a fascinating history.

''See [[Western Australia border#WA/NT_border_marking_history|

NT/WA border marking history]]''

{{See|Queensland borders#Surveying the Queensland-Northern Territory border}}

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{{main|Surveyor Generals Corner}}

The West Australian border with the Northern Territory and South Australia, which has been marked on the ground, is not as straight as it looks, with the WA/NT and WA/SA borders being displaced by approximately 127 m, due to early survey errors within the limits of technology available in the 1920s.

The 127-metre section that runs east–west along the 26° south is part of the border between Western Australia and the Northern Territory. In June 1968, two monuments were erected to mark each end of this 127-metre sideways section; the easternmost of these monuments, being where all three borders meet, was named Surveyor Generals Corner.{{cite web|url=http://www.ga.gov.au/education/facts/dimensions/borders.htm |title=State and Territory Borders |date=11 September 2007 |publisher=Geoscience Australia |access-date=2008-07-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060102184417/http://www.ga.gov.au/education/facts/dimensions/borders.htm |archive-date=2 January 2006 }}

{{main|Poeppel Corner}}

Also known as Poeppels Corner in Queensland, at latitude 26° S and longitude 138° E, this is a corner of state boundaries, where the state of Queensland meets South Australia and the Northern Territory.

{{Auscorner}}

• Greenwich Time Signal

{{reflist}}

• https://web.archive.org/web/20100618072942/http://www.ga.gov.au/education/geoscience-basics/dimensions/state-territory-borders.jsp

• {{cite web

| title = 1921 WA-NT Border Determinations

| publisher = Kununurra Historical Society Inc. (KHS), Kununurra, Western Australia

| year = 2011

| url = http://www.kununurra.org.au/research/1921-wa-nt-border-determinations

| access-date = 10 January 2012}} – This description of the 1921 Kimberley WA/NT border determinations, involving SA Government Astronomer Dodwell, and SA Surveyors Hambidge and Maddern, along with the WA Government Astronomer, Curlewis, mixes a news article with diary entries from M.P. Durack and photographs from the KHS Hambidge Collection. The KHS museum in Kununurra has a permanent display and archival material collected about the WA/NT border & the WA/SA border from which some of the research on this page has been based.

Category:Borders of Australia

Category:Borders of South Australia

Category:Borders of New South Wales

Category:Borders of the Northern Territory

Category:Borders of Queensland

Category:Borders of Western Australia

Category:History of South Australia

Category:History of New South Wales

Category:History of the Northern Territory

Category:History of Queensland

Category:History of Western Australia

Category:Geography of the Northern Territory