The Darwin, Palmerston and Litchfield Region (the Region) comprises the Local Government areas of the City of Darwin, City of Palmerston and Litchfield Council. As of 2021, the Australian Bureau of Statistics recorded the regional population as nearly 140,000, with nearly 10.5%, or nearly 15,000 people identifying as Aboriginal.

The Region is on Larrakia Country, home of the Saltwater People, the Traditional Custodians of the land.

There are six Town Communities in the Region including:

• One Mile Town Community – Aboriginal Development Foundation
• Knuckey Lagoon Town Community – Aboriginal Development Foundation
• 15 Mile Town Community – Aboriginal Development Foundation
• Bagot Town Community – Bagot Community Incorporated (administrators appointed)
• Kulaluk Town Community – Gwalwa Daraniki Association
• Minmirama Town Community – Gwalwa Daraniki Association

The Town Communities are under varying types of management and there are long standing connections that will be recognised through Local Decision Making (LDM) agreements.

The Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet (CM&C) has commenced collaborative engagement and partnerships between Northern Territory (NT) Government agencies and regional partners including Traditional Custodians and Town Community leaders.  Opportunities for greater community control under the NT Government’s LDM Framework will be identified, while taking into consideration the NT Government’s commitments under the National Partnership on Closing the Gap.

LDM negotiations are at varying stages and are primarily focussed on partnerships and empowerment through governance, compliance, financial sustainability and improved conditions for autonomy under a centralised governance and community-controlled service delivery model.

• Larrakia Land Trust – Crown Lessee of Town Communities, centralised governance and community-controlled service delivery model, suitable land development (subject to relevant approvals)
• Gwalwa Daraniki Association – Governance, compliance, capital flood mitigation and land remediation works (jointly funded by the Commonwealth Government), suitable land development (subject to relevant approvals), opportunity to upgrade existing road infrastructure

Negotiations involving the Larrakia Land Trust in relation to Town Communities is a preliminary step toward a potential Treaty.