Removals to Darwin and the Northern Territory

Average removal time to Darwin and the Northern Territory

Sea freight to Darwin and the Northern Territory will normally take around 6-9 weeks for a full container load service (FCL) or 9-16 weeks for a shared container service.

Usually, it will take our professional packers 2-4 days to pack and load a container.

What is the cost of international removals to Darwin and the Northern Territory?

The cost of removals to Darwin and the Northern Territory will depend on whether you use air freight or sea freight for your move. Sea freight is the cheaper service, however, your goods will take longer to arrive. Air freight is the quickest service, however, it will take longer for your goods to arrive.

The costs of removal will also depend on the volume of goods you are looking to send overseas. To get an estimated quote for moving to Darwin and the Northern Territory, use our international removals cost calculator for a quick quote.

How to buy a property in Darwin and the Northern Territory

Darwin’s population did grow during the early stages of the pandemic as its Covid-free status meant it wasn’t locked down as much as its southern neighbours.  It’s also one of 3 Australian capitals tipped to defy the national downward property swing and maintain its current pricing.

Darwin’s mean house price at the end of January 2024 was $588,623, a 0.1% increase on December 2022.  Units were averaging $377,003, down -0.5% from the previous month.  Along with Perth, it remains the most affordable city in which to buy a house, and the cheapest to buy a unit.

As with the Australian property market in general, you can purchase privately or via auctions. You can view our Moving to Australia guide for property tips.

Pros and cons of living in Darwin and the Northern Territory

Darwin is a great place to live if you don’t mind hot humidity but want the benefits of living in a city without crowds. It offers a quiet, casual, laid-back lifestyle, no traffic jams, friendly (2-legged) residents, and is close to natural wonders like Kakadu National Park.

It’s also Australia’s smallest capital city with only around 150,000 people living there.  And it’s ‘youngest’ demographically with an average population age of just 35.  Additionally, it is the closest Australian capital city to Asia and Europe and is exceptionally multicultural.

Darwin has plenty of festivals, camping spots, fishing, and 4WD adventure spots.  Oh, and beaches BUT this is where we probably should mention one of the Northern Territory’s biggest cons.  It’s a prehistoric relic that managed to survive the K-T extinction event and goes by the scientific name Crocodylidae.  You would know it better by its common name – the crocodile – and it can be found lurking in many of the NT’s waterways, including the beaches!  Pay VERY close attention to the posted warning signs – they’re there for a reason.

Offsetting pro – most Darwin homes have a swimming pool (for obvious reasons), and there are also croc-free public swimming pools.

The steamy climate is another con if you don’t like humidity, and there are only two seasons – wet and dry.  Both are warm to hot.  Darwin is also closer to major Asian capital cities than it is to other Australian ones, which can be a drawback as well.

Where to live in Darwin?

Darwin is popular with young families and professionals so most areas have amenities to match – schools, recreational facilities, and shopping.

Many of the most popular suburbs are to the northwest of the CBD along Darwin Harbour and include suburbs like Fannie Bay, Parap, Nightcliff, Bayview and Rapid Creek.

Close to Darwin CBD, Stuart Park and Larrakeyah are both popular neighbourhoods.  Wulagi and Anula are popular northern suburbs.  Rosebery is an older southern suburb and Gunn is a popular eastern suburb.  They’re all good choices of where to live in Darwin.

Where to live in the Northern Territory?

If you don’t want to live in Darwin but would still like to be within easy driving distance, consider satellite city Palmerston (20kms south), Humpty Doo (40 km south) or Batchelor (98 km south).

Elsewhere in the NT regional hubs like Alice Springs (famous for being in the centre of Australia), Katherine, and Tennant Creek are also considerations.

Finding a job in the Northern Territory and Darwin

The largest sectors for employment in the NT are:

• Public Administration and Safety
• Healthcare and Social Assistance (nursing, aged care, and disability support, occupational therapists)
• Education and Training (all ages, Early Childhood, STEAM subjects – Special Education and Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math)
• IT Professionals (computer network and systems engineer)
• Trades (motor mechanic)
• Construction
• Tourism and Hospitality
• Retail
• Mining, Oil and Gas

Check if you qualify for the Subclass 187 Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme visa

Schools and education in Darwin and the Northern Territory

With a high standard of education, the following schools are amongst the most popular based on student numbers and NAPLAN scores:

• The Essington School
• Darwin Middle School
• Haileybury Rendall School
• O’Loughlin Catholic College
• Palmerston Christian School
• Good Shepherd Lutheran College
• Nightcliff Middle School
• MacKillop Catholic College
• Marrara Christian College
• Dripstone Middle School

Darwin only has one university (Charles Darwin University) but it is ranked #1 in Australia for postgraduate employment outcomes and in the top 2% globally.  The Canterbury Institute of Management also has a campus in Darwin.

Things to do in the Northern Territory

As Australia’s 3^rd largest state, there’s plenty to do in the NT.  Here are a few to whet your appetite:

• Darwin Waterfront Precinct
• Fannie Bay Gaol
• Nightcliff Jetty
• Christ Church Cathedral Darwin
• Burnett House
• Star Village
• USS Peary Memorial
• Saint Mary’s Cathedral
• Uluru (Ayers Rock)
• Kata Tjuta National Park (the Olgas)
• Kakadu National Park
• Litchfield National Park
• Devil’s Marbles
• Chambers Pillar
• King’s Canyon
• Sunset at Mindil Beach