Darwin housing and schools advice

[Guest pdels]

I have provisionally been offered a job in Darwin and am waiting for confirmation of that and then obviously the visa process to take place but would be grateful if anyone can give some advice about a few things.

 

I've seen a number of posts about the climate and cost of living in Darwin, with the new job we should be ok based on what others have said about salary needed to survive up there, and obviously no point talking about the climate...it is what it is and if we go there we have to accept that and adjust to it!!

 

Things I would be really grateful to hear about is around "good" and "bad" areas to live and schools. We have 3 kids who are in years 6 and 5 so obviously decent schools are a priority. I have done some research and looked at houses and Darwin in general but it's hard to know much about different areas purely based on internet research.

 

So can anybody give some advice on areas to avoid and areas that are good for a young family, and any advice regarding the schools in Darwin?

 

Also we have been looking at Palmerston and out as far as Humpty Doo, so any info appreciated.

 

PS if there are any Darwin residents that don't mind having their brains picked as we start our plans, I'd be really grateful for any contacts on here that we can message about specifics!

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Although we don't live in Darwin we have visited a few times and also looked round the suburbs with an intention of buying. The first time we went you just really had Palmerston, now in Palmerston Council area you have lots of new suburbs that have sprung up. Some suburbs to look at are Farrar, Gray, Bakewell and Gunner. There are some nice acreage properties in Howard Springs and Humpty Doo.

We were told to avoid Casuarina at all costs, not sure if this is true, we did go to the shopping mall there which was great.

Good luck

Kate

[Guest Julz]

Hi Pdels,

 

I have lived in Darwin with my husband and 3 young children for a year now. We live in the suburb of Lyons, which is a brand new suburb next to the hospital and in close proximity to nearby amenities. The suburb itself is lovely but is very expensive to rent or buy. Suburbs next to us are Leanyer, Wanguri, Nakara, Tiwi which are all very nice and all next to Casuarina and I've never heard a bad word about them. A few areas you DO NOT want to live is anywhere near Bagot or Stuart Park (near Darwin city) or Gunn and Grey in Palmerston, I've heard a few horror stories about each of these places.

 

There are lots of private and public schools in the area, usually one primery per suburb and I know there is a middle school close by to where I live. Please be warned though the schooling is very different to the UK!

 

As for cost of living, we are a one income family but do get our rent subsidised which helps a lot. If you are coming over on a permanent resident visa you will be entitled to Centrelinks Family Assistance and Rent Assistance which is based on your income and number of childen you have and it really helps towards the cost of things.

 

Please remember that you will also have to pay for:

 

- doctors appointments ($70 a time), there is a few bulk billing docs here but I don't rate them

- prescriptions for you and your family

- dental treatment, which is horrendously expensive

 

I think food is pretty expensive and you also have the added cost of sun sreeen, mozzi repellant, cockroach/ant baits, burning coils for outside, all of which you WILL need to buy regularly. Fuel on the other hand is relatively cheap.

 

As for the weather, well all I can say is make sure you have modern air conditioning units in the house you rent/buy. We've acclimitised quite well now and air con only on for a few hours a day but the humidity is exhausting and not very comfortable to live in.

 

If there is anything else you want to know, just shout.

 

Julie

[reddebz]

This is really helpful. Me and my husband and our 20 month old son have started the visa process to get over to Darwin to live nearer to family. Im nervous about sending my son to preschool over there as I barely know what to do over here let alone over there! They dont seem to have Ofsted over there so how do I know which one to chose? Also, Im hoping mums wont be in a clique over there as I need to make friends to avoid insanity! How have you found it making friends?

We have been over there in the wet season and I found it hard to cope with, we are going back over ofr a holiday next July in the dry season so look forward to that and assume I will get used to the humidity when I have to - how do the kids cope?

[Guest Julz]

Reddebz - we chose one of the closest schools to us, I looked at 2 schools in close proximity to where we lived and then let my daughter choose which school (pre-school at that time) she preferred. Choose whatever pre-school you prefer!

 

As for making friends, my younger two were both 3 when we moved over and found it pretty easy to make friends mostly from playgroups. I must admit the first few visits to playgroup here were a struggle and I found it pretty uncomfortable but give it time. Also you will meet with other mums when your little one goes to pre-school. To be honest though most of my close friends are poms, one of which I knew from where we lived before.

 

The humidity - I think the kids cope with it better than me, they never moan about being too hot or sweaty and we learned quickly that they can't sleep with air con on as they develop croup, so they sleep only in underpants with the ceiling fan on, and sleep pretty well. The storms can be very scary for the kids though, my daughter last wet season was in with us nearly every night because of the heavy rain and thunder, I hate to think what a cyclone will sound lilke.

 

Anything else let me know.

[Guest pdels]

Thanks for the advice Julz, we have had a formal job offer now so the visa process is starting and the real planning begins!! Helpful to have some idea of areas to avoid, will no doubt have many more questions to ask over coming weeks!!

[Guest Julz]

Hi,

 

Most of the suburbs are really nice, places I would avoid though are:

 

- Stuart Park

- Bagot (and anywhere near there)

- Gunn (Palmerston)

- Gray (Palmerston)

 

Suburbs I can recommend are:

 

- Darwin city - mostly apartments

- Lyons (I live there but expensive for private rent)

- Tiwi

- Brinkin

- Wanguri

- Leanyer

- Jingili

- Cullen Bay (v expensive for private rent)

- Rosebery (Palmerston)

- Durack (Palmerston)

 

To be honest it is SHOCKINGLY expensive to rent in and around Darwin, we pay around $1,200 a month for a 4 bed, dble garage, no pool house and that is subsidised rent with my husbands employer. My friend used to pay $800 a week for a 4 bed house, dbl garage, with pool on the same estate.

 

You can look on http://www.realestate.com.au/rent/in-lyons%2c+nt+0810%3b+/list-1?source=location-search which will give you an idea of properties and rental costs in the area.

 

Anything else you want to know just shout.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Julie

[Guest pdels]

Hi,

 

Most of the suburbs are really nice, places I would avoid though are:

 

- Stuart Park

- Bagot (and anywhere near there)

- Gunn (Palmerston)

- Gray (Palmerston)

 

Suburbs I can recommend are:

 

- Darwin city - mostly apartments

- Lyons (I live there but expensive for private rent)

- Tiwi

- Brinkin

- Wanguri

- Leanyer

- Jingili

- Cullen Bay (v expensive for private rent)

- Rosebery (Palmerston)

- Durack (Palmerston)

 

To be honest it is SHOCKINGLY expensive to rent in and around Darwin, we pay around $1,200 a month for a 4 bed, dble garage, no pool house and that is subsidised rent with my husbands employer. My friend used to pay $800 a week for a 4 bed house, dbl garage, with pool on the same estate.

 

You can look on Real Estate & Property For Rent in Lyons, NT 0810 (Page 1) - realestate.com.au which will give you an idea of properties and rental costs in the area.

 

Anything else you want to know just shout.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Julie

Hi Julie

Thanks for the info re areas to live in (especially those to avoid!!). There are some specific questions I hope you might be able to help with....we have got leather settees, with the humidity are there any problems or drawbacks with this type of furniture? Also, bearing in mind the humidity is it worth taking a tumble dryer? (That question feels stupid about a place where it is so hot but I have heard so much about the wet season and humidity just wondered if there was any use for them at all!!)

 

Finally, with school years...I understand that the longest school holiday ends in January, is this the start of the school year, ie when kids end year 5 for example and move up to year 6 etc? Our eldest started year 6 this summer and not sure what school year she would start in

 

As ever, any info appreciated

 

Regards

Paul and family

[Guest Julz]

Hello Paul,

 

Don't worry about leather settees, we brought ours with us also and as long as you keep it clean there will be no mould, I do mine thoroughly once a week and it's fine. Just make sure the packers wrap it up properly when coming over because our friends was covered in mould when she got hers. I've heard of womens leather shoes and bags going mouldy but I've never had a problem, there are things you can hang in your wordrobe which absorbs the moisture.

 

Yes bring your tumble drier. We have only used ours a handful of times in the past year but it is handy. As for the wet season, don't think it's wet for the whole time, it will only rain for say an hour a day or through the night, nothing major, you can still hang your washing our when the sun is shining and it will dry. The times you will need it though if there is a tropical low lying over the top end which brings rain and wind, we had it for about 3 days constant last year, it was lovely to get some cool air.

 

Yes the start of the school year is the end of January and pupils move up a year at this time. The terms are broken up quite evenly throughout the year, usually 10-12 wks between each term and either a week or 2 weeks max holiday after each term. The school year ends this year on 10th December and they don't go back until around 29th January.

 

One thing I will say Paul, Australia is very very far away, Darwin is very remote, very hot and has lots of flies, ants, mozzies, cockroaches, snakes, spiders, crocs, etc. the list is endless. Please be very sure about your move over here and if possible leave enough money in the bank to move you home just in case it doesn't work out, the grass aint always greener! I'm only telling you this because I have met so many poms over here who are so unhappy.

 

As for my family, we will move to Brisbane next year until my husbands completes his 3 year contract with his employer then we are going home. My husband and children are Oz citizens but we've both agreed we don't want to grow old here, home is where the heart is.

 

Julie

[Guest pdels]

Hi Julie

Thanks for the reply and for the info re settees etc!! Also appreciate the comments about needing to make sure it's right to make the move...I think it's good for people to make sure there is a reality check, it's easy to get carried away with the excitement I guess and not think about the cons as well as the pros!!

Paul

[Guest claireneil2]

We live in Wagaman which is the next suburb to Casuarina and there aren't problems here. We have been told to avoid going out at night, but we have never seen or heard anything. The suburb seems fine to us. We have lived here for over a year and the humidity takes alot of getting used to, but we would much rather be in darwin than the UK!!!!1

[Guest koscielskia]

Hi,

 

I have recently moved to Darwin and start work this Monday, I know this isn't directly related to this forum but I am wondering if there are any British expatriates clubs or something for socilising or chatting over things? I am curently living in the middle of the city on McLachlan street.

 

Thanks in advance for any information,

 

Alex

[Guest thistles and gum trees]

Hi - we have lived in Darwin for 2 years. Most of what has been said is pretty true.

Good suburbs I would recommend would be:

 

CULLEN BAY

FANNIE BAY

LARRAKEYAH

PARAP

BAYVIEW

TIWI

BRINKIN

LYONS

 

ok places to be would be:

WAGAMAN

NIGHTCLIFF

JINGILI

WANGURI

ANULA

ALAWA

MOIL

MALAK

STUART PARK

 

suburbs to avoid would be:

MILLNER

COCONUT GROVE

BAGOT

MANUNDA TERRACE

KARAMA

and some PALMERSTON AREAS

 

Thats just my opinion - so don't want to offend anyone

 

As for schools there is a mix really. If you are looking for high academics in comparison to the UK you may be a little dissapointed.

 

Some state primary schools are much better than others.

Larrakeyah, Parap, Tiwi, Stuart Park and Leanyer have good reputations

St Marys catholic school also has very good things said about it.

 

High schools and middle schools are personal.

My kids started at state middle school and high school but it wasnt for them. They were very large and although offered good facilities, they found the behaviour and language quite different then they had been used to in the UK. They moved into the Private school sector and are very happy at their current school.

I have one child in primary, one in middle school and one in high school (all in one school). They love their school, teachers and friends and that makes the Darwin experience completely worthwhile.

 

 

The private schools in Darwin are Kormilda College (Anglican/Uniting), Marrara Christian College (Christian), St Johns College (Catholic), O Loughlin College (Catholic), Good Shepherd College (Lutheran) and Essington School (independant). My children go to Marrara which we love. Choose the option that suits your family most. Visit every school you are interested in. Each school offers something different for your own family dynamics. We chose our school because of the belief system and christian education and encouragement of the teachers but every family is different and you should look at what works best for your children.

 

Hope this helps.