_Australia

I was watching Dom Jolly's Happy Hour last night and they went to the NT, they were searching why people drink so much, and i couldn't believe how much they drunk...anyway a lot of the guys you saw in the pubs looked wasted and like they had killed a couple of people, and ive been reading lately on news.com.au of all these killing and things around the alice and in the NT, it is really that bad or is it as safe as anywhere else.

- i was planning on visiting the NT on my WHV, but i don't want to be killed!

louise4

hehe if you're not posting in six months we will send a search party

Amazulu

You are going to base decisions on a British comedy programme......

Best not to bother then.

Geordie George

True. Better to get things straight from the horses mouth, so to speak. I recommend an excellent Australian film set in the NT - should give you an idea 'bout the place - it's called Wolf Creek.

Bix

No point.
They never find anything

The Bloke

Darn, the Dingo has done it again!

sssstew

loved that program, very funny. the bit where they asked the aussie sat under the tree for directions made us laugh out loud.

LisaW31

Oh my god that film terrified me, didn't sleep for weeks!!!

saoghalbeag

Damn, I have LOVED Dom Jolly for years and recently moved to NT. Imagine it's very very funny.

Um, is it dangerous? I get the local paper every Friday and without fail there's always another couple of stabbings/bashings/brawls gone on during the week. There seems to be some local issue (this is Alice we're talking about) with "gangs of youths" confronting people on Friday and Saturday nights and basically roughing them up and (usually) stealing their alchohol.

I guess this can be avoided by not going out on Friday/Saturday nights but I've been told by long time locals not to go out after dark AT ALL (I'm female). I've been warned by locals to lock my car doors when driving afternoon/dark. Apparently there was a woman carjacked and molested/robbed at traffic lights a while back. A heap of people jumped her car.

There are people wandering aimlessly about at night (and all day as well). I suppose it's just a matter of taking the usual precautions - try not to look too much like a 'tourist' (and hence an easy target). Avoid walking alone at night. Leave the pub etc with a group (or socialise at your hostel. Most backpackers in town seem to have some sort of bar). Don't carry valuables around. And probably the most important - use one of those coloured non-plastic grocery bags to carry your booze - so they can't see what it is! I guess that's harder at nighttime after the pub, so stock up earlier (it's cheaper!)

Or take a taxi instead of walking, although they're bloody expensive here.

If I had not read the paper and had not been warned by locals I would not have imagined I was living in a dangerous place. When we first got here we wandered around without a care at night etc. I don't do it anymore though. I had to walk 100metres down the street to get a takeaway tonight and passed a group of young kids and got really nervous. They just said "Hi, how you doing?" and walked on, so there you go.

So many people come here and don't have any problems. Like I said, just be sensible and you should be fine. If you're heading to central Oz for Uluru it's a totally different scenario out there as it's all pretty much tied up in one big resort.

Hope this helps. Don't stay away. I've just moved from Brisbane and I'd be more concerned about travelling there at the moment!!

nigelb

We are planning to move to Alice, and are also aware of the issues at the moment. We have family there, and they repeat the sound advice given by Matildaskye....Basically be on your guard and watch your back, but definetly dont avoid the place, just because of what you hear or read in the papers.

Nigel

Vicky88

We lived in Alice Springs (Gillen) for 2 years (left in Nov 2005) and have to say in the 2 years we were there we never had an incident that left us concerned. That said, we did act with caution. There is no way I would wander around at night on my own.

There is a lot of violence in Alice, but much of it is indigenous on indigenous, you just have to know to stay out of it, as callous as that sounds.

It is probably the friendliest place I have ever lived, if you can't get a social life going in Alice there is probably no hope for you.