Newbie here...just found this site.
Five years in Oz now and after Sydney and Melbourne find myself living in the territory on a large rural block. Just back from the UK on a break and now missing tv, good beer, humour/spontaneity and marketing sophistication.

Anyone out there in Darwin?

Loose is the only one I know about.
Check up his profile.

will check him out...cheers

Just about to move to Darwin - will arrive on the 19th November 2004. Perhaps you could give us some info? Please!

There was someone else, had a rough time, was driving up with tiddlers, having left biggest son behind, can't remember name...

just did a search - Invictia - don't remember seeing anything from her since she left SA though.

There was someone else on here too recently who hated Darwin and wanted to move to NZ, can't think of her name......

Missing "Marketing sophistication"?

You need to get out more mate, how can anyone put marketing sophistication on a list of things they miss from the UK?

Apparently the marketing isn't sophisticated.

OK I give up, what the hell is marketing sophistication

In Darwin it's going to the fruit market witha t-shirt on

I'd like more info on Darwin, what's it like?

I'm a civil/structural drafter (drawing anything from petro-chem to apartment blocks), my wife is training to be a mental health nurse, we'll have say $250K, 3 kids.

Don't like cities, love coutryside, beaches, unspoilt places, wife loved weather in Singapore - is it similar to Darwin weather wise?

Darwin is a rapidly growing tropical city on the north coast of Australia in the Northern Territory. The climate is hot throughout the year, as it has something of a 'monsoon' climate. This means that in the rainy season it doesn't so much rain as pour and it is incredibly humid. If you're used to Singapore then you may be used to that type of climate.

It's been flattened once or twice by cyclones in recent years, but has been rebuilt into the modern city it is today. However, if you want beaches, there's an awful lot of places in Aus which are better, and don't have crocs, or more importantly, box jellyfish.

The countryside is mostly tropical savannah with gallery forest along the rivers and mangroves in sheltered parts of the coast. The world famous Kakadu National Park about 150 kilometres to the East.

If I'm honest, it's the last place in Aus I'd want to live, but I've met people who love it there. Probably a very good idea to visit the place first to see what you think before commiting, because of the climate etc.

Hope that helps a bit!

thanks Tony.

we're looking at Perth or QLD somewhere (brissie, townsville, cairns?) to be honest, just wondered what it was like oop north as it were!

visited MB to validate visas, didn't like it much, too dry.

Just a quick hello from Darwin. Insomnia kicking in big time 4am here, probably back up to about 30 degrees after a cracking storm last night. Build up to the wet season kickin in pretty hugely.

Very different to the rest of Oz up here, good and bad like anywhere in the world. Funny as though. Typical Darwin weekend? Well I've been invited fishin and pig hunting again. Think they'll settle for haddock and chips and some pork scratchings over a pint? Na me either.

People are friendly, weathers mental (the storms can be awesome), countryside is long stretches of pretty boring punctuated by jaw droppingly stunning. Kakadu Lickfield and Katherine are definately worth seeing.

Blighted by usual social problems, crime etc, but the local paper always has an interesting slant on events. (On the day of the general election I think they led with a story about a bloke falling off a lamp post p*ssed - more relevant to them up here than all that political nonsense I suppose).

Reet, suppose I should try hit the hay again. Night all.