The domainname.gov.au website provides information about the gov.au domain, including information on the domain policies that apply to the Australian Government and the state, territory and local governments, and links to gov.au domain name registration services.
This website is managed by the Australian Government Department of Finance.
This site has been developed and maintained to ensure it meets best practice in accessibility and usability. The website managers aim to protect your domain name data and personal information by applying the appropriate levels of privacy and security.
For enquiries and feedback about this website or registering and managing gov.au domain names, please visit the Contact Us section of this site.
This website is concerned specifically with the gov.au domain. More information about the .au domain and other Second Level Domains can be found on the auDA's website at .au Domains.
Who Should Use this Site?
Please note that not all Australian jurisdictions use domainname.gov.au for domain registration.
This site currently provides domain administration services for all Australian Government, Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australian, Victorian and Western Australian domain names.
This site does NOT provide domain administration services for the Northern Territory or Tasmania. Domain registrations are offered independently by these jurisdictions via the following contact details.
What is the gov.au Domain?
A domain name is simply a system for providing a memorable name for a particular computer and website on the Internet. The domain name you type into your browser is the ‘human’ representation of its 12 digit Internet address (sometimes called an IP address).
.au is the Top Level Domain (TLD) for Australia. Any site that ends with an .au is a site built specifically for Australians. Within the .au Top Level Domain there are a number of Second Level Domains (2LD) which each have a specific purpose. Examples of these are gov.au, com.au and org.au.
Gov.au is known as a “closed” domain, which means it is only available for use by a defined community of interest. In the case of gov.au, that community of interest is Australian, state and local government bodies. The gov.au domain Eligibility and Allocation Policy provide more information about who is eligible to apply for a gov.au domain name. Other closed domains include edu.au for educational institutions and org.au for charities and non-profit organisations.
How is the gov.au Domain Managed and Operated?
The Department of Finance (the gov.au 2LD Registrar) manages gov.au domains in consultation with auDA, the industry regulatory body, and state and territory governments. Please refer to the gov.au Domain Policy and Governance Framework for further information.
Domain registration and administration services are provided via service request forms available on the domainname.gov.au Home page.
Gov.au domain name data is passed on to the .au registry operator (Identity Digital Australia). The Registry maintains a “master list” of gov.au domain names, which is used to point internet users to the right websites based on the domain name they request.
How is the gov.au Domain Used?
Australian Government bodies will generally register domains directly within gov.au. For example, ato.gov.au is used by the Australian Tax Office and health.gov.au is used by the Australian Department of Health.
State and local Government bodies will generally register domain names specific to their state or territory. For example, qld.gov.au is used as a portal for the Queensland (QLD) Government as a whole, and health.qld.gov.au is used by the Queensland Government’s health department.
The Government Domain Policies and Domain Name Guidelines provide further detail about eligibility and naming practices.