It was first created in 1990, and is named after George Goyder, the South Australian surveyor responsible for carrying out the first freehold surveys in the area.

Goyder encompasses large rural areas south of Darwin, covering 9,770 km²,[clarification needed] and taking in the towns of Bees Creek, Cox Peninsula, Virginia, Marlows Lagoon and parts of Berry Springs and Humpty Doo.

However, in 2005, a string of factors caused a massive swing to the Labor Party—sparking memories of what had happened in the safe ALP seat of MacDonnell in 1997.

In addition, prominent Litchfield Shire President Mary Walshe ran as an independent, and while she did not poll anywhere well as she had hoped, she directed her preferences to Labor candidate Ted Warren.

Finally, this came against the backdrop of a very large swing to the ALP across the Territory, which also resulted in Opposition Leader Denis Burke losing his very safe seat of Brennan.