Herbert vs Hotham

Hotham and Herbert are two nearby areas in the Northern Territory with very different scales. Hotham is sparsely populated with only 6 people and a typical age of 59, which is far older than the national figure. In contrast, Herbert has 1,610 residents whose typical age is 38. Herbert is also more developed, with two schools and two intersections per square kilometre, while Hotham has no schools and no intersections.

These two areas have diverged in their makeup over time, most clearly seen in the age gap between them which has widened since 2011. Both places are alike in their lack of public transport, with neither area having any transport stops or routes. Herbert also has a much larger population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, with 124 residents compared to none in Hotham.