NT

The Finocchiaro CLP Government has welcomed Tivan Ltd’s strategic acquisition of the Molyhil Tungsten–Molybdenum Project in Central Australia, reinforcing the Territory’s position as a key jurisdiction for critical minerals development. Tivan has announced the 100 per cent acquisition of the Molyhil Tungsten–Molybdenum Project, located 220 kilometres north-east of Alice Springs…

Bendigo Bank torches regional development with selective blacklist based on mining. Just like the fictional Tasmanian town of Mystery Bay, a star in its own right in the hit ABC TV series Bay of Fires, Queenstown, where much of the show was filmed, is being held back by mysterious forces. Locals have suspected for some time that the town was a “no-go” area for home lending but like many other disadvantages they face due to remoteness, it was believed geography was the likely cause.

For four days a year, pride in The Centre's art closes "the gap" as people, black and white, from near and far, stream in to Alice Springs for Desert Mob. They celebrate ancient stories kept alive on paper and canvas, on clay vessels or as sculptures made from metal, wire or grasses.

NIOA Santa Gertrudis GM Shannon Gardner rated the 2025 draft as "the best line of bulls we've had by far." Forty-two sons of $250,000 Yarrawonga Spartacus S316 (P) and $160,000 Riverina Roland Sanchez R88 (PP) headed up the 68 catalogued Classified S bulls.

A new drone test flight facility in the Northern Territory will give manufacturers the chance to test their technology in some of the most diverse terrain and extreme weather conditions in the world. The North Australia Centre for Autonomous Systems (NACAS), based out of Charles Darwin University (CDU), has launched its Airspace Integration Research Facility (AIR-F), the only purpose-designed and built Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) test flight facility based in northern Australia. 

Asta Hill, the top scorer in primary votes both for the mayoral and councillor local government polls, has triumphed in the preferential count and is the new Mayor of Alice Springs. Ms Hill received 4544 votes ahead of Eli Melky with 4488 votes.

Alex Nelson. This week marks the 34th anniversary of the official opening of the Commonwealth's Jock Nelson Centre in August 1991. This is the splendid Commonwealth building I suggested ought to be re-purposed as the permanent home of the Museum of Central Australia during my presentation at the Friends of the Strehlow Research Centre Symposium in April 2018.

Police say they are investigating a report of an alleged cattle theft north-east of Alice Springs. Sources contacting the Alice Springs News say the stock belongs to the Alcoota Aboriginal Cattle Company from the Engawala community who for 30 years have been able to graze and run a cattle enterprise on Alcoota Station.

It was a busy weekend for members of the Rotary Club of Nhill and the A&P Society with 107 cars and 350 crew from the Variety Bash visiting Nhill. The Rotary Club has been communicating and planning with event organisers for the past few months in readiness for the arrival of the 'Bash'.

NT Hearing Services has developed a cutting-edge tool that combines AI-powered geospatial mapping with analytics to track the prevalence of ear conditions and hearing loss across 93 communities and outstations in the NT.

Alex Nelson. The standout features of this year’s local government elections for Alice Springs are the imminent near wholesale replacement of all council members and the high number of candidates running for councillor. With 25 candidates, it overtakes the 1988 campaign with 24 nominations for alderman as the second-highest on record.

The major Central Australian oil and gas producer, Central Petroleum Limited, has ... reported a 28 per cent increase in second half revenues from the first half of the 2025 financial year. CEO Leon Devaney says this reflects the impact of new multi-year gas sale contracts.

Retiring Mayor Matt Paterson is coy about his second job, in addition to his $116,000 a year gig heading up the council. It’s conveniently just across the road from the civic centre, at the office of Amentum, a Pine Gap defence contractor. We texted him on December 16: “Do you work for Amentum? Just checking a rumour.” No answer. Last week we asked him again...

The Barkly Regional Council today issued a strong call to action, urging the Northern Territory Government, Infrastructure Australia, and all stakeholders to reinstate Tennant Creek as a core component of the Territory Energy Link (TEL) corridor. The Council asserts that bypassing Tennant Creek risks squandering decades of strategic planning and undermining critical regional development.

The comments today from the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) Acting CEO, Anthony Beven, are not only irresponsible, they are utterly absurd. To suggest that the Commonwealth should pull funding from the NT Police Force until a meeting takes place is reckless and inflammatory. These kinds of outbursts do nothing but create confusion and fear in remote communities who rely on police for safety and protection.

Territory Mangoes, NT beef, local barramundi and Kakadu plums are among the Northern Territory’s major exports – but once they’re on the plate, how many people ponder the origin of these products? A new PhD project at Charles Darwin University (CDU) will help the Northern Territory become synonymous with its food produce, providing much needed marketing support for food NT producers and manufacturers. 

Mike Gillam. Like the parade of Coober Pedy blower trucks, emus create wonderful silhouettes in a landscape of prevailing flatness ... One moves slightly, and there it is, up periscope, the largest male still accompanied by the adolescents of the previous year, confirms their emu identity.

Frank Baarda. Living in Yuendumu and having followed the Death in Custody saga, I was looking forward to the Coroner's report. I was not disappointed. A friend forwarded me the pdf, all 683 pages of it … In case you missed it, here are photos of the edged weapon and the stab-wound.

Local stock agent Steve Gaff says the price at the Alice Springs Show cattle sale was much the same as last year or a little better. The Donald Trump tariffs "had no effect at all," probably because the Australian market is affected in a different way – 10 per cent tariffs – compared to other countries.

Kieran Finnane. Two of Alice Springs’ leading artists, Pip McManus and Rod Moss, are sharing gallery space for two outstanding separate shows at the Araluen Arts Centre until August 17 ... Beyond their interesting differences, Pip McManus and Rod Moss share many points in common: their longevity here in Mparntwe Alice Springs and their maturity as artists, to start with.

The NT Government is providing a $10m loan to an interstate company for a walk in the Uluru National Park while other publicly funded tourism related projects in The Centre are on hold or merely planned. The conditions of the loan are not readily available. We have asked for them and will report them when and if details are provided by the government.

As part of the Finocchiaro CLP Government’s Rebuilding the Economy: NT Economy Strategy 2025, Minister for Trade, Business and Asian Relations Robyn Cahill will lead a delegation to Malaysia to strengthen government-to-government ties and promote new trade and investment opportunities for the Northern Territory.