Moving to Darwin

[Quoll]

18 hours ago, Toots said:

@Canada2Australia a forum member lived and worked in Darwin.  He will be able to give you his opinion of life there.

@Huntersmummy had an interesting time there too - and with kids

[Marisawright]

Just now, Quoll said:

@Huntersmummy had an interesting time there too - and with kids

Ah yes, I was trying to remember her name

[Bobj]

Have been going to the Darwin for over 50 years and could quite easily live there...only in Mendil Beach, city wise. Love Durack and have caught barramundi in the golf course ponds! Girraween, Howard Springs, Berry Springs and Coolalinga are a bit far out but very liveable and have stayed at those places.

As for the high temps and humidity, air conditioning, it’s everywhere, as with all Australian cities.

Cheers, Bobj.

 

[Marisawright]

17 minutes ago, Bobj said:

Have been going to the Darwin for over 50 years and could quite easily live there...only in Mendil Beach, city wise. Love Durack and have caught barramundi in the golf course ponds! Girraween, Howard Springs, Berry Springs and Coolalinga are a bit far out but very liveable and have stayed at those places.

As for the high temps and humidity, air conditioning, it’s everywhere, as with all Australian cities.

Not Melbourne or Hobart.   And even in other cities, it's a matter of degree.     The distance from Darwin to Adelaide is further than the distance from London to Barcelona.  To claim there's not much difference in weather over that distance is nonsensical.  

I can't cope with humidity.   I can live very comfortably in Victoria or Tassie.  Even SA because the heat is dry.  Haven't been in Perth in high summer so can't comment.  I can even put up with Sydney heat for a while.  But a Darwin summer would make me physically ill. 

Edited April 26, 2021 by Marisawright

[Marisawright]

I do hope huntersmummy is OK because this was the last thread she posted:

https://www.pomsinoz.com/topic/201989-assaults-threats-and-family-law/

[Toots]

1 hour ago, Quoll said:

@Huntersmummy had an interesting time there too - and with kids

The poor lass hated the place.  I hope she is well out of it by now.  Loved her sense of humour no matter how dire her situation was in Darwin.

[Bobj]

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

Not Melbourne or Hobart.   And even in other cities, it's a matter of degree.     The distance from Darwin to Adelaide is further than the distance from London to Barcelona.  To claim there's not much difference in weather over that distance is nonsensical.  

I can't cope with humidity.   I can live very comfortably in Victoria or Tassie.  Even SA because the heat is dry.  Haven't been in Perth in high summer so can't comment.  I can even put up with Sydney heat for a while.  But a Darwin summer would make me physically ill. 

AIR CONDITIONING, dear girl, it is in all  the major cities...except for Melbourne and Hobart, apparently. Do they not have air conditioned shops and supermarkets? I seem to remember big shops in Melbourne having aircon and that was 1963, as for Hobart...
I have no idea why your comment to my post has mentioned distances as I never even  mentioned it. Anyway, thanks for the geography lesson.

 

Cheers, Bobj.

[Marisawright]

7 minutes ago, Bobj said:

AIR CONDITIONING, dear girl, it is in all  the major cities

Yes, it is.   But I very rarely need to use it in Melbourne and I wonder if Toots even has it.  

Air conditioning makes unpleasant heat bearable,  IF you don't mind being stuck indoors all the time.  Personally, I'd rather just not live in the unpleasant heat in the first place.

[Skani]

4 hours ago, Quoll said:

@Huntersmummy had an interesting time there too - and with kids

Ahhh....was trying to think of her name;  I knew it started with "H".     I really wonder where she is now:  things weren't looking happy last time she posted.

[Toots]

2 hours ago, Marisawright said:

Yes, it is.   But I very rarely need to use it in Melbourne and I wonder if Toots even has it.  

Air conditioning makes unpleasant heat bearable,  IF you don't mind being stuck indoors all the time.  Personally, I'd rather just not live in the unpleasant heat in the first place.

Air-con is in all the commercial buildings but we don't need it at home.  The weather just doesn't get hot enough here.  The odd day it might hit 30C, we just open the doors and get a nice breeze flowing through the house.  Summer just gone was very mild.  I think the hottest day was 27C.

[robins_jessica]

Thank you everyone for your comments.....all make sense. I knew Darwin was a bit out there, but seems possibly more so than we knew   All food for thought for sure. We want to have a few years of which would be a real experience for the girls and us, not have some kind of traumatic survival exercise (tongue in cheek) so we may go soft and go south, but then again we really are not the norm.  I'm still waiting to hear from Adelaide so I will update as and when we make any kind of decision.

[Bulya]

No amount of money could get me to live there.  Horrific weather eg humidity.  The best part about my two visits there was getting on the air-conditioned aircraft to fly south!

[DrDougster]

Wow! What a lot of ridiculous scare mongering about what can be a lovely place to live!

Darwin is certainly always hot and can be very humid but that's a given and the weather can be lovely. There are some tropical diseases that are more common than other areas but it's not like you're going to be living in a tent in wetlands for heaven's sake. Mosquitos aren't a big problem. I'd look at a nice house or apartment a bit North of the city in Nightcliff, Rapid Creek area. There's no traffic to speak of so you'll be into the town in 20minutes at "rush hour" anyway. It's a great gateway drug to Australia and a place I'd consider moving back to in later years of life.

[Blue Flu]

23 minutes ago, DrDougster said:

Wow! What a lot of ridiculous scare mongering about what can be a lovely place to live!

Darwin is certainly always hot and can be very humid but that's a given and the weather can be lovely. There are some tropical diseases that are more common than other areas but it's not like you're going to be living in a tent in wetlands for heaven's sake. Mosquitos aren't a big problem. I'd look at a nice house or apartment a bit North of the city in Nightcliff, Rapid Creek area. There's no traffic to speak of so you'll be into the town in 20minutes at "rush hour" anyway. It's a great gateway drug to Australia and a place I'd consider moving back to in later years of life.

Hardly scare mongering with such high crime rate. It's been awhile since I was living there, but little seems to have changed. The demographics point towards a very young population. Most I knew from my time there have left, but were not local born and bred. But Darwin certainly has some differing points in its favour for those wanting another aspect to Australia. While really enjoyed my time in NT mostly due to it being rather unique , I would more likely pick Cairns a place to retire (if wanted the retire in tropics than Darwin, but obviously a personal choice, but places have some social issues, just Darwin more so)

[Marisawright]

@robins_jessica, one more thing to look into:  child care.   It's very expensive in Australia and I don't think you'd be eligible for any assistance. 

I can't help wondering, is this a qualification that will be fully recognized in the UK when you return, and be of enough benefit to compensate for the loss of three years' income plus the costs involved? 

People do undertake what you're planning, but usually with a view to obtaining permanency at the end.  Since that's out of the question for you, it just becomes an extremely expensive adventure, which will drain most of your savings.  If you feel confident of dealing with the wilds of Darwin, have you looked into getting a teaching job in a developing country instead?  Such contracts pay relocation costs and sometimes even provide accommodation, plus a bonus on completion.  When we were in Africa, there were many teachers there with children. There are also opportunities in international schools around the globe, as well as exchange programs with Australian schools and others.  

Edited April 27, 2021 by Marisawright

[Blue Flu]

10 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

@robins_jessica, one more thing to look into:  child care.   It's very expensive in Australia and I don't think you'd be eligible for any assistance. 

I can't help wondering, is this a qualification that will be fully recognized in the UK when you return, and be of enough benefit to compensate for the loss of three years' income plus the costs involved? 

People do undertake what you're planning, but usually with a view to obtaining permanency at the end.  Since that's out of the question for you, it just becomes an extremely expensive adventure, which will drain most of your savings.  If you feel confident of dealing with the wilds of Darwin, have you looked into getting a teaching job in a developing country instead?  Such contracts pay relocation costs and sometimes even provide accommodation, plus a bonus on completion.  When we were in Africa, there were many teachers there with children. There are also opportunities in international schools around the globe, as well as exchange programs with Australian schools and others.  

Great suggestion. Actually I think if it is adventure being sought, relocation to a developing world country would be ideal. Depending on interests and preferences there are numerous choices . A Scottish friend done this in Ghana, finding it the probable most all round rewarding thing she ever done.  One can go less exotic of course up to the individual but it would certainly prove an adventure. Obviously saving the high costs associated with a place like Darwin, indeed much of Australia, at the same time. 

[DrDougster]

I think some people are confusing Walkabout Creek with Darwin here. 

[PFC1975]

Wow 

So much scaremongering written in this thread 

We moved from England now been in Darwin for 4 & half years. 
 

The crime rate it seems higher as what’s taken into account is Indigenous crime on Indigenous which 99% doesn’t affect most people 

of course it’s a situation that needs sorting out but that’s another long story for another day 

I and my family have had no crimes committed against us whilst here & hardly know any clues friends who have 

 

the crime you might get in Darwin is generally perceived as lower level or petty crime want for a better word. Unlike larger cities you very very rarely get shootings, stabbing s & serious assaults 

figures might show maybe more crime but a lot less hard or serious crime 

High unemployment complete rubbish so many jobs here it’s in fact one of the lowest unemployment rates 

for children & families it’s a fantastic place kids can be kids longer . Lots of stuff put on for free often 

Darwin has Haileybury school one of the best in Australia ( Awarded 1st in 2018)

the people are friendly it’s a very easy going relaxed lifestyle. 
 

The weather you get used to but no one mentioned for 6 months of the year it’s the best weather in Australia the dry season is glorious. 
The outback & bush on your doorstep 

 

 Now I can pinpoint the things not so good in Darwin but some of the comments like hell hole , crime ridden are just ridiculous 

 

Here is a prime example I worked here in Darwin for an Escooter company at one time . In 11 MONTHS  we had 6 Escooters stolen . In Adelaide they had 4 stolen EVERY DAY. Brisbane 6 stolen EVERY DAY

You can make a story out of anything crime is relative . People here are generally good people . I love Adelaide & Brisbane but let’s not scaremonger about Darwin so terrible comments 

Darwin was so successful it prompted the company to do Townsville, Hobart, Canberra, Ballarat etc etc 

if it was that bad I’m ex police & prison officer no way would I stay here with my family