Gday...

1931  -     The territories of North Australia and Central Australia are reunited as the Northern Territory. 

The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, bordered by the states of Western Australia, Queensland and South Australia. From 1825 to 1863, the Northern Territory was part of New South Wales. In 1863, control of the Northern Territory was handed to South Australia as a result of the successful 1862 expedition of John McDouall Stuart to find an overland route through the desert from Adelaide to the north. In 1911, a decade after Federation, the Northern Territory was transferred to Commonwealth control.

During the 1920s, George Pearce, Federal Minister for Home and Territories, campaigned for the separation of the Northern Territory into two smaller territories, on the grounds that it was too large to be properly governed. Thus, in 1926, the 'Northern Australia Act' separated the Northern Territory into North Australia and Central Australia, with the division at the 20th parallel of South latitude. Darwin was to be capital of North Australia and Alice Springs capital of Central Australia.

Although separation took effect in February 1927, within four years the Act was repealed. On 12 June 1931, North Australia and Central Australia were reunited as the Northern Territory.

1948  -     Donald Bradman scores 138 in the First Test at Trent Bridge.

2003  -     Optus launches the C1 satellite, the largest Australian hybrid communications and military satellite ever launched. 

The Optus and Defence C1 satellite is a joint initiative between Australian communications provider Optus and the Australian Department of Defence. Launched on 12 June 2003 from French Guiana on an Ariane 5G rocket, it is the largest hybrid communications and military satellite launched, to date.

Costing A$500 million, the C1 has an expected life span of 15 years. The satellite carries 16 antennas which provide 18 beams across Australia, New Zealand and East Asia, in addition to global beams which cover from India to Hawaii. The C1 satellite is positioned in orbit at 156 degrees east longitude, and is controlled from Optus's Sydney earth station.

Cheers - John