Central Australia was a territory of Australia that existed from 1927 to 1931. It was formed from the split of the Northern Territory in 1927 alongside the territory of North Australia; the dividing line between the two was 20 degrees south latitude. The two territories were merged in 1931 to reform the Northern Territory.
Central Australia's seat was in Stuart, which is now known as Alice Springs.
The split occurred because interior minister George Pearce felt that the Northern Territory was too big to govern efficiently.
Whereas the Northern Territory had been governed by an Administrator, both North Australia and Central Australia were governed by "Government Residents". The Government Resident of Central Australia was paid 750 pounds annually while that of North Australia received 900 pounds.[1] John Cawood served as Resident of Central Australia from 1927 to 1929, while Victor Carrington served from 1929 to 1931.
Wood grown in the area fetched a high price in markets in South Australia.[2] The development in the area was said by a recent tourist of the area to be scarcely different from when James Stuart had first trekked across the area in 1862,[2] although it was expected that the automobile and railway would help spur development.[2]