Karama, Northern Territory

Last updated

Karama
Darwin,  Northern Territory
Karama-Shop.jpg
Karama Shopping Plaza
Darwin-Palmerston locator map.svg
Red pog.svg
Karama
Coordinates 12°24′03.85″S130°55′00.80″E / 12.4010694°S 130.9168889°E / -12.4010694; 130.9168889
Population4,944 (2016 census) [1]
 • Density2,350/km2 (6,100/sq mi)
Established1980s
Postcode(s) 0812
Area2.1 km2 (0.8 sq mi)
Location14.1 km (9 mi) from Darwin
LGA(s) City of Darwin
Territory electorate(s) Karama
Federal division(s) Solomon
Suburbs around Karama:
Leanyer
Malak Karama
Marrara Marrara Knuckey Lagoon

Karama is a northern suburb of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. It is located on the traditional Country and waterways of the Larrakia people. [2]

Contents

History

The suburb of Karama is named after an Aboriginal tribe.

Karama is an established residential area in Darwin's northern suburbs built in the period from the late 1970s to the early 1980s.

The suburb is predominantly made up of residents of low socioeconomic status, with many homes being government housing.

In 1964, Douglas Lockwood recommended that a number of tribal names be used for the suburbs of Darwin.

Present day

Some major features of the area include the Karama Primary School, Manunda Terrace Primary School, Holy Family Primary School, O'Loughlin Secondary College and Karama Shopping Plaza.

Karama Library is also located within the Karama Shopping Plaza, and is a service of Darwin City Council Libraries.

Brazil Crescent in Karama was named after Robert Brazil, a crewman (fireman) on the ill-fated SS Gothenburg, which sank off the north Queensland coast on 24 February 1875, with the loss of approximately 102 lives. Brazil was one of only 22 survivors and was awarded a medal for bravery and heroism for his efforts to save drowning passengers. [3]

Crime

Karama is a crime-ridden suburb. It is well known as one of Darwin's hotspots for property crime, crimes against the person and public order offences. [4]

Recent examples

2021

  • 3 March 2021: A 17-year-old male was stabbed by a 19-year-old male in the lower back. The victim was located by police with a 15-inch knife blade lodged in his back. [5]
  • March 2021: A 23-year-old man approached a three-year-old child from a Karama street as he played alone in his family's fenced-in yard. He called the child to the fence and then sexually assaulted him through the fence. He was arrested a short time later by police. He was subsequently given a three-year suspended sentence after being convicted of one count of attempted sexual intercourse without consent. [6]
  • 2 April 2021: A business inside Karama Shopping Plaza had to close their doors after a group of youths frightened staff members. [7]
  • 26 May 2021: A 20-year-old man died and a woman was seriously injured following two stabbing incidents in Karama. [8]
  • 31 October 2021: Two men were hospitalised after being attacked with pipes and edged weapons in Karama during a brawl. One man was charged with attempted murder over the incident, along with two others. [9]

2022

  • 16 January 2022: A woman in her 40s was found dead at a bush camp in Karama. Police treated the death as suspicious. [10]
  • 8 April 2022: A 16-year-old female was approached on the number 12 bus in Karama by three other teenaged girls unknown to her. The girls allegedly demanded a mobile phone and money. On being refused, they then allegedly began to assault the victim and stole her phone. [11]
  • 5 June 2022: NT Police pursued a stolen vehicle to Karama where they deployed a tyre deflation device, arresting four youths aged between 12 and 15 at the scene. [12]
  • 15 October 2022: Domestic assault - the victim was holding her two-year-old child when her partner allegedly assaulted her, causing her to fall to the ground and lose consciousness. The man continued to assault the woman before a witness intervened. [13]
  • 25 November 2022: A security guard at Karama Shopping Plaza was assaulted by an 18-year-old man with an edged weapon. [14]
  • 3 December 2022: A group of youths stole a number of cigarette packets at a Karama shop before stealing a Toyota Yaris from its owner with violence. The vehicle was used to commit a number of other offences in the Darwin area. [15]
  • 22 December 2022: A 16-year-old male attempted to enter a commercial business in Karma. While inside, the youth filled a cardboard box with spirit bottles however, when leaving the scene he dropped the box causing the bottles to smash. The youth armed himself with a bottle and confronted security guards before he was arrested. He was known to police for similar offending. [16]

2023

  • 11 February 2023: Three youths were at Karama Shopping Plaza around 12:30am where they approached an employee who was closing down a business, entered the store and then attempted to steal the company vehicle. A 15-year-old and a 17-year-old were subsequently arrested. [17]
  • 24 May 2023: A 31-year-old man was alleged to have caused a series of violent incidents in Karama. It is believed they were domestic in nature. Police were seeking the man's whereabouts. [18]
  • 25 July 2023: a 13-year-old and an 18-year-old were charged with traffic and property offences after their stolen motor vehicle collided with another vehicle in Kalymnos Drive Karama. [19]
  • 14 August 2023: Three people unlawfully entered a residential premesis in Brazil St and confronted the sleeping female occupant. She was assaulted with an edged weapon and sustained injuries to her lower body. The three offenders fled the scene. [20]
  • 16 November 2023: Around 7:15pm, police received reports that a man armed with an axe was threatening and attempting to assault people in the carpark of Karama Shopping Plaza. [21] Police attended the scene and located 2 men on Koolinda Crescent, Karama, believed to be involved in the incident. A search of the offender's bag located further weapons, including an axe. [22]
  • 22 November 2023: Whilst trying to arrest a 24 year old male, a police officer was spat in the face by the alleged offender. There was blood present in the spittle. [23]

Petition for extra policing

In June 2022 Karama residents began a change.org petition seeking a permanent police presence at Karama Shopping Plaza [24] citing:

I live in Karama. I have kids in middle school and high school. I work and so they need to catch bus to and from school. I'm terrified every day that something may happen to them whilst walking home from bus stops. They have to get off 2kms from home and walk rest of the way because I won't let them any where near Karama shopping complex. Something needs to be done about the crime in our suburb NOW

- Sarah Grego, 9 June 2022

Because it is impossible to go shopping without been asked for money or cigarettes. I witnessed youths running in and out of supermarket stealing and pushing shoppers. Really is a bad experience.

- Iurdes Pires, 6 June 2022

I’ve lived in Karama for nearly 40 years. It's sad to watch it turn from such a great place to live and grow up, to a literal war zone! The shops are a mess. There’s drunks and fights everywhere. The kids can’t play in the parks because of the drunken ‘visitors’

- Raquel Timney, 8 June 2022

In October that year however these calls were rejected by the Fyles Government with the Police Minister describing the proposal as ‘uneconomical and ineffective’. [25]

Public Housing

Public housing is a prominent feature of the suburb. 16.8% of residents are public housing tenants [26] compared to the Australian average of 3.8%. [27]

Adam Giles, a former Chief Minister of the Northern Territory acknowledged that in Karama, "rundown public housing complexes had been shown to have higher incidences of antisocial behaviour, vandalism and crime." [28]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darwin, Northern Territory</span> Capital city of Northern Territory, Australia

Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. With a population of 139,902 at the 2021 census, the city contains most of the sparsely populated Northern Territory's residents. It is the smallest, wettest, and most northerly of the Australian capital cities and serves as the Top End's regional centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Territory Police Force</span> Australian law enforcement agency

The Northern Territory Police Force is the police body that has legal jurisdiction over the Northern Territory of Australia. This police service has 1,607 police members made up of 83 senior sergeants, 228 sergeants, 912 constables, 220 auxiliaries, and 64 Aboriginal Community Police Officers. The rest of the positions are members of commissioned rank and inoperative positions. It also has a civilian staff working across the NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services.

Casuarina is one of the northern suburbs of Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is the traditional country and waterways of the Larrakia people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in the Northern Territory</span>

Crime in the Northern Territory is managed by the Northern Territory Police, the territory government's Department of the Attorney-General and Justice and Territory Families.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larrakeyah</span> Suburb of Darwin, Australia

Larrakeyah is an inner suburb of Darwin, the capital city of Australia's Northern Territory. It is the traditional country and waterways of the Larrakia people. It was one of the first parts of the city to be developed, and borders the Darwin Central Business District.

Charlestown Square is a large indoor/outdoor shopping centre in the suburb of Charlestown in the City of Lake Macquarie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Darwin</span> Local government area in the Northern Territory, Australia

The City of Darwin is a local government area of the Northern Territory, Australia. It includes the central business district of the capital, Darwin City, and represents two-thirds of its metropolitan population. Located on the traditional land and waterways of the Larrakia people, the city now covers an area of 111 square kilometres (43 sq mi) and, in June 2018, had a population of 84,613 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiwi, Northern Territory</span> Suburb of Darwin, the Northern Territory, Australia

Tiwi is a northern suburb of the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. The suburb is bounded by Trower Road, Henbury Avenue and a coastal strip, separating Casuarina Beach and Lee Point Beach. It is in the Local Government Area of City of Darwin. It is home to Dripstone Middle School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapid Creek, Northern Territory</span> Suburb of Darwin, the Northern Territory, Australia

Rapid Creek refers to both a creek in the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia and the name of a suburb north of the city, situated where the creek meets Darwin Harbour. It is the traditional country and waterways of the Larrakia people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nakara, Northern Territory</span> Suburb of Darwin, the Northern Territory, Australia

Nakara is a northern suburb of the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. The suburb is bounded by Trower Road, Ellengowen Drive and Dripstone Road. It is in the local government area of City of Darwin. The suburb is mostly residential. It is on the traditional Country and waterways of the Larrakia people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alawa, Northern Territory</span> Suburb of Darwin, the Northern Territory, Australia

Alawa is a northern suburb of the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. It is bounded by Trower and Dripstone Roads, Lakeside Drive and the Rapid Creek in the local government area of City of Darwin. It is the traditional country and waterways of the Larrakia people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Berrimah, Northern Territory</span> Suburb of Darwin, the Northern Territory, Australia

Berrimah is an eastern suburb in the city of Darwin, in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is on the traditional Country and waterways of the Larrakia people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jingili, Northern Territory</span> Suburb of Darwin, the Northern Territory, Australia

Jingili is a northern suburb of the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. It is the traditional country and waterways of the Larrakia people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lyons, Northern Territory</span> Suburb of Darwin, the Northern Territory, Australia

Lyons is a northern suburb of the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. It is the traditional lands and waterways of the Larrakia people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marrara, Northern Territory</span> Suburb of Darwin, the Northern Territory, Australia

Marrara is a northern suburb of the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. It is on the traditional Country and waterways of the Larrakia people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parap, Northern Territory</span> Suburb of Darwin, the Northern Territory, Australia

Parap is an inner suburb of the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. It is the traditional country and waterways of the Larrakia people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wulagi, Northern Territory</span> Suburb of Darwin, the Northern Territory, Australia

Wulagi is a Northern suburb of Darwin, Northern Territory, in the Northern Territory of Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bakewell, Northern Territory</span> Suburb of Darwin, the Northern Territory, Australia

Bakewell is an inner-city suburb of Palmerston, Australia. It is 24.9 km southeast of the Darwin CBD. Its local government area is the City of Palmerston. It is on the traditional Country and waterways of the Larrakia people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Territory Fire and Rescue Service</span>

Northern Territory Fire and Rescue Service, or NTFRS, is the primary provider of fire and rescue services throughout the 1.35 million square km Northern Territory of Australia. It is made up of 27 fire stations, 16 being staffed by volunteer brigade units, 5 being staffed 24 hours a day by career fire fighters, and the remainder by a mix of career and auxiliary fire fighters.

Zuccoli is a suburb in the City of Palmerston, Northern Territory, Australia, located to the south-west of Palmerston City. It is on the traditional Country and waterways of the Larrakia people. Its postal code is 0832. It was registered on the 3rd of April 2007.

References

  1. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Karama(State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2017. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  2. ↑ "The Larrakia People". Larrakia Nation. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  3. ↑ NT Government (2008). NT Place Names Register: Brazil Crescent. Retrieved online 2 February 2008.
  4. ↑ 21 October 2022 NT Independent - ‘Uneconomical and ineffective’: Police Minister rejects petition for permanent police presence in Karama. Retrieved online 20 March 2023.
  5. ↑ 4 March 2021 NT Independent Teen stabbed in Karama; allegedly intoxicated teen spit on police in busy night for cops. Retrieved online 20 March 2023.
  6. ↑ 18 October 2022 NT Independent Man who sexually assaulted toddler through fence in Karama front yard given suspended sentence. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  7. ↑ 6 April 2021 Townsville Bulletin Crime at Karama shops. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  8. ↑ 27 May 2021 ABC News Crime scenes established in Darwin suburb of Karama, as police investigate fatal stabbing. Retrieved online 20 March 2023.
  9. ↑ 1 November 2021 NT Independent Attempted murder charge following Karama street brawl that sent two to hospital. Retrieved online 20 March 2023.
  10. ↑ 17 January 2022 NT Independent Police investigating ‘suspicious’ death of woman in Karama. Retrieved online 20 March 2023.
  11. ↑ 10 April 2022 - NTPFES Newsroom - Call for witnesses – Aggravated robbery – Karama. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  12. ↑ 6 June 2022 NT Independent ‘Lucky no one was killed’: Police arrest eight youths after stolen cars used in crime spree. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  13. ↑ 17 October 2022 Mirage News Police make arrest – Domestic violence – Karama. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  14. ↑ 26 November 2022 NTPFES Newsroom - Arrest – Serious Harm – Karama. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  15. ↑ 5 December 2022 NTPFES Newsroom - Charges – Robbery – Karama. Retrieved online 20 March 2023.
  16. ↑ 23 December 2023 - NTPFES Newsroom - Arrest – Unlawful entry – Karama. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  17. ↑ 12 February 2023 NT Independent Man charged after allegedly threatening worker with knife, two teens also arrested in separate incident. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  18. ↑ 25 May 2023 - Mirage News - Police seek information on Domestic violence - Karama. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  19. ↑ 25 July 2023 - NTPFES Newsroom - Charges – Unlawful use of a motor vehicle – Karama. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  20. ↑ 14 August 2023 NTPFES Newsroom - Call for witnesses – Unlawful entry – Karama. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  21. ↑ 17 November 2023 - ABC News Man arrested for allegedly wielding an axe, injuring a police officer at Karama shopping centre. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  22. ↑ 17 November 2023 - Mirage News - Police make arrest - Officer injured - Karama. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  23. ↑ 23 November 2023 NTPFES Newsroom - Assault Police - Karama. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  24. ↑
    • Unable to link to ch.ange.org* Establish a permanent police presence at Karama Shopping Centre. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  25. ↑ 21 October 2022 NT Independent - ‘Uneconomical and ineffective’: Police Minister rejects petition for permanent police presence in Karama. Retrieved online 20 March 2023.
  26. ↑ Get Sold Price, Karama, NT 0812. Retrieved online 10 January 2024.
  27. ↑ 6 July 2022 - AHURi What is the right level of social housing for Australia? Retrieved online 10 January 2024.
  28. ↑ 14 June 2016 - Territory Stories - Housing rejuvenation due to start in Karama. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.