Darwin - what can you tell me about it?
Mar 13th 2010, 9:04 am
#1
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 345
Darwin - what can you tell me about it?
Partner is a pom and loves the heat (which I find odd considering he comes from England), I am a kiwi and just whatever is good for me.
Anyway, we moved to Sydney (from NZ) a year ago. Its all well and good, enjoying it blah blah blah. There are some downsides, its bloody expensive, trafic is ridiculous, the beaches are crowded - we can't really have the nice "laidback" lifestyle we are used to.
So, we have been thinking about moving up to Darwin and I have done a bit of research and it looks OK....the heat (mainly humidity) looks like it can get excessive but if you have air con and a pool who cares about that.
Darwin looks like it might fit our kinda style in regards to being a bit more laidback, and being able to take the dogs somewhere "deserted" (in NZ you can go down to the beach with them and there might often be noone else there), and going for a fish without having to drive 2 hours out of the city etc etc
But what about snakes and crocs and stuff - do you get those in your back yard and how often (I have two dogs, one who is tiny and I dont want being swallowed)?
Houses look pretty cheap for what you get - have looked at a few houses online (for renting at this stage) and seem to be able to get something with air con and a pool where pets are allowed for $500 or so but what are the good areas?
Is there a hospital? I am assuming there is but what sort of standard is the care?
Can you go swimming at the beaches or is that not a good idea?
What is the fishing (surfcasting) like?
Education - what are the schools like? We have a 10 year old daughter and have decided that once she starts high school, there is no moving so we want somewhere with decent schools once she starts.
Are there many things to do in or around Darwin?
Is the rental market like a bit competition like it is in Sydney?
Have you lived in Darwin before and where else have you lived? How doe sit compare?
Or...should we just f%67 off Darwin and go to Perth?
Anyway, we moved to Sydney (from NZ) a year ago. Its all well and good, enjoying it blah blah blah. There are some downsides, its bloody expensive, trafic is ridiculous, the beaches are crowded - we can't really have the nice "laidback" lifestyle we are used to.
So, we have been thinking about moving up to Darwin and I have done a bit of research and it looks OK....the heat (mainly humidity) looks like it can get excessive but if you have air con and a pool who cares about that.
Darwin looks like it might fit our kinda style in regards to being a bit more laidback, and being able to take the dogs somewhere "deserted" (in NZ you can go down to the beach with them and there might often be noone else there), and going for a fish without having to drive 2 hours out of the city etc etc
But what about snakes and crocs and stuff - do you get those in your back yard and how often (I have two dogs, one who is tiny and I dont want being swallowed)?
Houses look pretty cheap for what you get - have looked at a few houses online (for renting at this stage) and seem to be able to get something with air con and a pool where pets are allowed for $500 or so but what are the good areas?
Is there a hospital? I am assuming there is but what sort of standard is the care?
Can you go swimming at the beaches or is that not a good idea?
What is the fishing (surfcasting) like?
Education - what are the schools like? We have a 10 year old daughter and have decided that once she starts high school, there is no moving so we want somewhere with decent schools once she starts.
Are there many things to do in or around Darwin?
Is the rental market like a bit competition like it is in Sydney?
Have you lived in Darwin before and where else have you lived? How doe sit compare?
Or...should we just f%67 off Darwin and go to Perth?
Mar 13th 2010, 11:45 am
#2
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Joined: Apr 2006
Location: Ballarat
Posts: 7,005
Re: Darwin - what can you tell me about it?
Partner is a pom and loves the heat (which I find odd considering he comes from England), I am a kiwi and just whatever is good for me.
Anyway, we moved to Sydney (from NZ) a year ago. Its all well and good, enjoying it blah blah blah. There are some downsides, its bloody expensive, trafic is ridiculous, the beaches are crowded - we can't really have the nice "laidback" lifestyle we are used to.
So, we have been thinking about moving up to Darwin and I have done a bit of research and it looks OK....the heat (mainly humidity) looks like it can get excessive but if you have air con and a pool who cares about that.
Darwin looks like it might fit our kinda style in regards to being a bit more laidback, and being able to take the dogs somewhere "deserted" (in NZ you can go down to the beach with them and there might often be noone else there), and going for a fish without having to drive 2 hours out of the city etc etc
But what about snakes and crocs and stuff - do you get those in your back yard and how often (I have two dogs, one who is tiny and I dont want being swallowed)?
Houses look pretty cheap for what you get - have looked at a few houses online (for renting at this stage) and seem to be able to get something with air con and a pool where pets are allowed for $500 or so but what are the good areas?
Is there a hospital? I am assuming there is but what sort of standard is the care?
Can you go swimming at the beaches or is that not a good idea?
What is the fishing (surfcasting) like?
Education - what are the schools like? We have a 10 year old daughter and have decided that once she starts high school, there is no moving so we want somewhere with decent schools once she starts.
Are there many things to do in or around Darwin?
Is the rental market like a bit competition like it is in Sydney?
Have you lived in Darwin before and where else have you lived? How doe sit compare?
Or...should we just f%67 off Darwin and go to Perth?
Anyway, we moved to Sydney (from NZ) a year ago. Its all well and good, enjoying it blah blah blah. There are some downsides, its bloody expensive, trafic is ridiculous, the beaches are crowded - we can't really have the nice "laidback" lifestyle we are used to.
So, we have been thinking about moving up to Darwin and I have done a bit of research and it looks OK....the heat (mainly humidity) looks like it can get excessive but if you have air con and a pool who cares about that.
Darwin looks like it might fit our kinda style in regards to being a bit more laidback, and being able to take the dogs somewhere "deserted" (in NZ you can go down to the beach with them and there might often be noone else there), and going for a fish without having to drive 2 hours out of the city etc etc
But what about snakes and crocs and stuff - do you get those in your back yard and how often (I have two dogs, one who is tiny and I dont want being swallowed)?
Houses look pretty cheap for what you get - have looked at a few houses online (for renting at this stage) and seem to be able to get something with air con and a pool where pets are allowed for $500 or so but what are the good areas?
Is there a hospital? I am assuming there is but what sort of standard is the care?
Can you go swimming at the beaches or is that not a good idea?
What is the fishing (surfcasting) like?
Education - what are the schools like? We have a 10 year old daughter and have decided that once she starts high school, there is no moving so we want somewhere with decent schools once she starts.
Are there many things to do in or around Darwin?
Is the rental market like a bit competition like it is in Sydney?
Have you lived in Darwin before and where else have you lived? How doe sit compare?
Or...should we just f%67 off Darwin and go to Perth?
The one thing that has shocked me has been the price of properties. WE are lucky in that housing is covered more orless by my OH's employer.
Ive got freinds from geordie land who have lived in Darwin since Sept and they told me to think of London prices when it comes to buying anything.
there are plenty of things to do and places to visit in the top end.
the websites i have been using for research are
http//www.whatsondarwin.com/info/topten.html night life etc
http//www.theterritory.com.au/ living in darwin and further links of this
http//www.casuarinasquare.com.au/contents.aspx? shopping centre information
I hope the links work its been a while since ive copied stuff on a website
Mandy
Mar 13th 2010, 12:26 pm
#3
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 345
Re: Darwin - what can you tell me about it?
We arrive in Darwin in june, they have a private hospital and a public hospital, a university and plenty of schools , depending on what area you want to locate to will depend on the standard of schools there are, the same as many places really.
The one thing that has shocked me has been the price of properties. WE are lucky in that housing is covered more orless by my OH's employer.
Ive got freinds from geordie land who have lived in Darwin since Sept and they told me to think of London prices when it comes to buying anything.
there are plenty of things to do and places to visit in the top end.
the websites i have been using for research are
http//www.whatsondarwin.com/info/topten.html night life etc
http//www.theterritory.com.au/ living in darwin and further links of this
http//www.casuarinasquare.com.au/contents.aspx? shopping centre information
I hope the links work its been a while since ive copied stuff on a website
Mandy
The one thing that has shocked me has been the price of properties. WE are lucky in that housing is covered more orless by my OH's employer.
Ive got freinds from geordie land who have lived in Darwin since Sept and they told me to think of London prices when it comes to buying anything.
there are plenty of things to do and places to visit in the top end.
the websites i have been using for research are
http//www.whatsondarwin.com/info/topten.html night life etc
http//www.theterritory.com.au/ living in darwin and further links of this
http//www.casuarinasquare.com.au/contents.aspx? shopping centre information
I hope the links work its been a while since ive copied stuff on a website
Mandy
I thought house prices were quite cheap there personally, but then we live in Sydney and houses are ridiculously priced here. Case in point, the house we currently rent (3 and a half bedroom, decent yard, garage) costs us 550 a week...to buy we would be looking at a minumim of 800k and it needs a lot of work. The house across the road from us (just a regular 3 bed without a garage) sold for 1.1 million and a house on the next st over sold for 1.7mill, another house down the other end of our street (2bed, no offstreet parking, and a terraced house) sold for 800k. So it looks like we will never buy in Sydney, prices are just astronomical, unless you want to live in a crappy area (no thanks) but when looking at house prices in Darwin, it looks like we can get something nice (with a pool - if we move there a pool is a must have) for around 500k - much more reasonable lol. Granted I dont know the areas yet but I thought the house prices seemed cheaper, though I have seen a few people note it is really expensive there.
Anyway, I will have a look at your sites. Can I ask what site you use to look at houses?
Also, can you post me an update when you get there in June and tell me all about it lol
Mar 14th 2010, 6:02 am
#4
Just Joined
Joined: May 2009
Location: Darwin, Northern Territree
Posts: 9
Re: Darwin - what can you tell me about it?
Partner is a pom and loves the heat (which I find odd considering he comes from England), I am a kiwi and just whatever is good for me.
Anyway, we moved to Sydney (from NZ) a year ago. Its all well and good, enjoying it blah blah blah. There are some downsides, its bloody expensive, trafic is ridiculous, the beaches are crowded - we can't really have the nice "laidback" lifestyle we are used to.
So, we have been thinking about moving up to Darwin and I have done a bit of research and it looks OK....the heat (mainly humidity) looks like it can get excessive but if you have air con and a pool who cares about that.
Darwin looks like it might fit our kinda style in regards to being a bit more laidback, and being able to take the dogs somewhere "deserted" (in NZ you can go down to the beach with them and there might often be noone else there), and going for a fish without having to drive 2 hours out of the city etc etc
But what about snakes and crocs and stuff - do you get those in your back yard and how often (I have two dogs, one who is tiny and I dont want being swallowed)?
Houses look pretty cheap for what you get - have looked at a few houses online (for renting at this stage) and seem to be able to get something with air con and a pool where pets are allowed for $500 or so but what are the good areas?
Is there a hospital? I am assuming there is but what sort of standard is the care?
Can you go swimming at the beaches or is that not a good idea?
What is the fishing (surfcasting) like?
Education - what are the schools like? We have a 10 year old daughter and have decided that once she starts high school, there is no moving so we want somewhere with decent schools once she starts.
Are there many things to do in or around Darwin?
Is the rental market like a bit competition like it is in Sydney?
Have you lived in Darwin before and where else have you lived? How doe sit compare?
Or...should we just f%67 off Darwin and go to Perth?
Anyway, we moved to Sydney (from NZ) a year ago. Its all well and good, enjoying it blah blah blah. There are some downsides, its bloody expensive, trafic is ridiculous, the beaches are crowded - we can't really have the nice "laidback" lifestyle we are used to.
So, we have been thinking about moving up to Darwin and I have done a bit of research and it looks OK....the heat (mainly humidity) looks like it can get excessive but if you have air con and a pool who cares about that.
Darwin looks like it might fit our kinda style in regards to being a bit more laidback, and being able to take the dogs somewhere "deserted" (in NZ you can go down to the beach with them and there might often be noone else there), and going for a fish without having to drive 2 hours out of the city etc etc
But what about snakes and crocs and stuff - do you get those in your back yard and how often (I have two dogs, one who is tiny and I dont want being swallowed)?
Houses look pretty cheap for what you get - have looked at a few houses online (for renting at this stage) and seem to be able to get something with air con and a pool where pets are allowed for $500 or so but what are the good areas?
Is there a hospital? I am assuming there is but what sort of standard is the care?
Can you go swimming at the beaches or is that not a good idea?
What is the fishing (surfcasting) like?
Education - what are the schools like? We have a 10 year old daughter and have decided that once she starts high school, there is no moving so we want somewhere with decent schools once she starts.
Are there many things to do in or around Darwin?
Is the rental market like a bit competition like it is in Sydney?
Have you lived in Darwin before and where else have you lived? How doe sit compare?
Or...should we just f%67 off Darwin and go to Perth?
You can go swimming in the beach if you like, but there's quite a chance of getting stung by box-jellyfish with a much lesser chance of being eaten by a croc. Lots of pools around to cater for the lack of swimming in the sea.
Competition like? Hell yes. At every inspection there are like 10 groups or more of people looking around. http://www.domain.com.au/Search/buy/...rooms=3&page=1
Just note that Palmerston suburbs will tend to be cheaper than Darwin ones.
Snakes? Yes, very common in rural suburbs. A few around in the city, esp. the northern suburbs.
Fishing is very good around the region, why many come here.
Mar 15th 2010, 12:11 am
#5
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,991
Re: Darwin - what can you tell me about it?
Im going there in 3 weeks for a holiday - glad not been much mention of crocodiles cos im a bit dubious about the whole getting in the water thing!!
Mar 16th 2010, 8:35 am
#6
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Location: Darwin, Northern Territree
Posts: 9
Re: Darwin - what can you tell me about it?
Mar 16th 2010, 10:01 am
#7
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,991
Re: Darwin - what can you tell me about it?
Read this, from today. http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/201...81_ntnews.html
STUFF THAT!!!! I will be staying well away from the beach!!!
