2011: Brutus the 5.5m jumping croc makes national headlines after being snapped by NT News

THE NT News and NT Government are celebrating 42 years of self governance by revisiting some of our most memorable milestones. In 2011, media outlets snapped up the ‘Yes, it’s real’ NT News front page picture of Brutus, a massive 5.5m saltwater croc, jumping out of the Adelaide River in front of stunned tourists.

• 2009/10: Baxter the dog lucky to survive after eating owner’s lacy black G-string
• 2007/8: Film stars descend on Darwin to film Australia
• 2005/6: Cane toads make it to Darwin after first crossing the NT-QLD border in 1982
• 2004: Darwin locals bare bums as Ghan becomes first passenger train from Adelaide to Darwin

THE NT News and NT Government are celebrating 42 years of self governance by revisiting some of our most memorable milestones. In 2011 …

MEDIA outlets around the world snapped up the 2011 “Yes, it’s real” NT News front page picture of Brutus, a massive 5.5m saltwater crocodile, jumping out of the Adelaide River in front of stunned tourists.

The image was taken by NT News photographer Katrina Bridgeford and was beamed around the world.

That same year US president Barack Obama was given free croc insurance when he made a fleeting visit to the Territory.

Cyclone Carlos put a dampener on everyone’s spirits in 2011, dumping record levels of rain in the Top End – 1110.2mm at Darwin Airport.

February became the wettest month ever recorded.

Darwin also had the coldest June on record, with 42 nights below 20 degrees Celsius.

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Marking the end of an era, the number was finally up for NT licence plates this year, when they reached the end of the six-digit numerical style.

The new plates had a letters-numbers-letters combination, but drivers were relieved the “Outback Australia” slogan retained its spot on the NT plates.