The District of Gungahlin is one of the original
eighteen districts of the Australian Capital
Territory used in land administration. The district
is subdivided into divisions (suburbs), sections
and blocks. Gungahlin is an Aboriginal word
meaning "little rocky hill".
As of 2013 Gungahlin comprised eleven
suburbs, including three currently under
construction and a further seven suburbs
planned.[citation needed] The town of
Gungahlin was part of the original 1957 plan
for future development in the ACT and in 1991
was officially launched as Canberra’s fourth
‘town’ by the ACT Chief Minister. At the time,
the population of Gungahlin was just 389
residents. At the 2011 census, the population of
the district was 46,971; and this figure is
expected to rise to 60,000 by the year 2016;
and to grow to 72,900 by 2021.

Within the district is Canberra's northernmost
town centre that is situated 10 kilometres (6.2
mi) north of Canberra city centre. The town
centre is one of five satellites of Canberra,
seated in Woden, Tuggeranong, Weston Creek
and Belconnen.