Territory Goodbyes: From the Ocean to the Outback

From the Top End to the desert, the population of Australia's Northern Territory is touched by those who are coming and going. No matter where you live in the Territory, chances are you have either moved to Australia's remote north or centre from somewhere else or are bidding goodbye to a friend or colleague. Some are born here. Combined with the influx of newcomers, this generates one of the flavours of the Territory. 

Standing on the shore of Darwin, you can see the light reflecting off the blue water. The city is growing at a rate of 2.6% per year; it is one of the quickest growing regions of Australia. Both historically and recently, many of its population have said goodbye to other places and traded their previous homes for life in the Territory. 

The ocean hems the city to its north and brings with it the flavour of the tropics: pleasant temperatures in the Dry and pounding cyclones in the Wet. Darwin's isolated beginnings as a settlement on the far-flung frontier of northern Australia was a precursor to the thriving community it is now. It is unique in that 9.7% of its people are Indigenous - the highest percentage of any Australian capital. If you say goodbye to Darwin and travel south you hit the desert - another region where different backgrounds intersect.

Hard to forget: view from Cullen Bay, Darwin, Northern Territory

Remote communities are scattered across the vast desert interior of the Territory. They cradle the oldest continuous culture on the planet, people who have a legacy that predates any immigrant. Many of them are small settlements supporting tight-knit families. The 2016 Census found that 76.6% of the Territory's Indigenous population lived in remote locations. They make up an important part of the Territory's population. 

Alice Springs, the largest town in the Central Desert, is home to people from a plethora of different places. More than a few are drawn to Alice by the opportunities for work and a sense of adventure. These ethnic groups coexist together, bound by the isolation of their unique location. Their ties to other cities are strong, and when it is their time, many leave Alice for life in another destination.

'Goodbye' is a common word in the Territory. People pass through and onwards. It is an accepted part of life. However, it is questionable as to whether you can ever really forget the ocean or the desert; no matter how far away you move, the days or years you spent in this amazing place remain with you.