[1][3] The locality consists of the following land (from north to south, then west to east):[10][9] As of 2020, it has an area of 26,671 square kilometres (10,298 sq mi).

[4] The locality's boundaries and name were gazetted on 4 April 2007.

Its name is derived from the Nicholson River which was named by the explorer Ludwig Leichhardt during his 1844/45 expedition after "Dr William Alleyne Nicholson of Bristol, England.

"[1][11] The 2016 Australian census which was conducted in August 2016 reports that Nicholson had a population of 60 people.

[2] Nicholson is located within the federal division of Lingiari, the territory electoral division of Barkly and the local government area of the Barkly Region.