Darwin

About

• Darwin is the capital of the Northern Territory, situated on the Timor Sea, with an estimated population of 145,916 residents.
• The city of Darwin was named after the naturalist Charles Darwin, when a crew member that worked on the port in 1839 decided to name the port in honour of Darwin and has since been known as “Port Darwin”.
• The Darwin population is made up of over 60 nationalities and 70 different ethnicities.
• Darwin is the northernmost, wettest and smallest of all Australian capital cities and is the regional centre for the Top End.
• Indigenous Australians; Aboriginals and Torres Straight Islanders make up 9.7% of the total Darwin population, more than any other Australian capital city.
• The city of Darwin has an energetic and youthful multicultural community, and residents are known to partake in festivals, food fiestas and other social and cultural performances and shows.
• Due to its proximity to South East Asia, Darwin is often referred to as the “Gateway to Asia”. Darwin is a great link between Australia and South-East Asian countries like Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam.
• Key industries in Darwin include mining, pastoralism, tourism, tropical horticulture and offshore oil and gas production.
• The port of Darwin is the main point of connection between Australia and South East Asia’s live cattle export market. It is a key economic link for trade between Australia and global supply chains and one of Australia’s primary cruise ship ports.
• Darwin has several accommodation facilities, and entertainment options, including a range of cafes, restaurants and nightlife.
• Darwin is connected by a North-South Transcontinental railway line to Adelaide and South Australia, as well as Alice Springs to the South.
• Darwin is home to popular national parks; Kakadu and Litchfield, and is home to a diverse wildlife population, from crocodiles, kangaroos, wallabies, parrots to snakes. Darwin has more crocodiles than anywhere else in the world.
• Darwin has several waterfalls, natural springs, beaches, walking trails and pristine river systems.

Culture

• Darwin is considered to be of the most culturally diverse cities in Australia, representing people from over 100 nationalities and 50 cultural and religious backgrounds.
• Darwin has several multicultural organizations that put-together cultural events, religious festivals and support and celebrate the city’s diversity.
• The city is rich in its collection of traditional and contemporary aboriginal art, and the stories and history they represent.
• The city is full of vibrant markets, an active music scene, theatres, performers and artists. Weekly markets are held in the suburbs of Parap, Nightcliff and Rapid Creek, featuring everything from arts and crafts, to clothing, plants, flowers, fresh fruits, organic vegetables and more.
• Between April and October each year, one of the top attractions in Darwin is the Mindil Beach sunset market, which runs from Thursdays to Sundays, and provides a range of entertainment options from bands to buskers, food and drinks, arts, crafts and gifts.
• Residents in Darwin actively participate and follow a range of sports from football, cricket, basketball, soccer, rugby, hockey to Zumba.
• If you are a fan of the outdoors, then Darwin offers great opportunities for swimming, walking, cycling, picnics and spectacular sunsets at Casuarina Beach, the Nightcliff Foreshore and the Esplanade.
• The Darwin Botanic gardens are a great place to view exotic tropical plants.
• The Darwin waterfront has frequent concerts, movie showings and a park and lagoon for swimming.
• Some of the major annual cultural events in Darwin include the Darwin Festival, Harmony Soiree, Greek Glenti, and Nightcliff Seabreeze, as well as a series of film festivals hosted by the Darwin Film Society.
• The Darwin festival, held over a period of 18 days in August, celebrates the multicultural aspects of the NT, and includes a series of events from dance, theatre, comedy, outdoor concerts, workshops, cabaret, film and visual arts.
• Breakthrough modern art and culture can be viewed in Darwin’s numerous contemporary galleries, from traditional paintings, to unique aboriginal art.
• The Darwin war museum is another great attraction in Darwin, from relics and exhibits that display the dangers and horror faced by Darwin during WW2 to the devastation of Cyclone Tracy, one of the worst natural disasters faced by the Northern Territory.

Climate

• Darwin experiencess a tropical climate and has two distinct seasons; The Dry Season and the Wet Season.
• The Dry season runs from May to October, and is accompanied by clear blue skies, plenty of sunshine, little humidity and low levels of rain. The nights tend to get slightly cooler and temperatures range from 21.6 – 31.8 degrees Celsius.
• November to April is known as the “Wet Season” and has a tropical summer climate. It is one of the best times to visit Darwin, as you will see plenty of greenery, enjoy a dip in one of the many waterfalls or secluded waterholes and experience the wonders of Darwin’s exotic wildlife. Humidity is higher during this season with frequent storms and monsoon rains. The average temperatures range from 24-32 degrees Celsius.
• The average annual rainfall is 1727.3 mm and January is usually the wettest month of the year.
• The driest month in Darwin is July and the warmest month is November.
• June and July are the coolest months, and temperatures range between 19-30 degrees Celsius during this time.
• During October and December, residents can witness magnificent lightning storms, which provide a great show for the locals who wait for it every year and watch from beachside restaurants and bars. It is also the beginning of the monsoon period when the weather starts becoming extremely humid.

University Education

Darwin Higher education institutes receive close to 1000 international students from over 55 countries each year. 58% of International students in Darwin are enrolled in higher education institutes in Darwin.

Many international students from South East Asian countries will find studying in Darwin attractive due to its proximity to their home countries as well as affordable air fares. The majority of International students in NT come from Nepal, India, China, Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam and Nigeria.

The primary education provider in Darwin is Charles Darwin University (CDU), an Australian public University, listed as one of the “elite global group of rising stars”. CDU is also consistently ranked by International students as Australia’s number one University for Learning and Living Experience.

CDU has a broad program offering for International students with over 75 nationally recognized programs on offer. It is known for its specialization in programs such as tropical and desert science, indigenous knowledge and indigenous health and Southeast Asian studies.

Most of the CDU Bachelor and Master programs also connect international students with industry internships, allowing students to develop their knowledge and skills and enhance their future career prospects. Graduates from Charles Darwin University have excellent career and employment opportunities, especially high demand jobs for skilled and qualified work in sectors such as business, engineering, IT, tourism, hospitality, education, health, communications and public services. CDU graduates are also eligible for migration to the Northern territory if you have studied for a minimum of two years at CDU.

Darwin has one of the highest employment rates and fastest growing economies in Australia, making it a top destination for students to find jobs. The NT economy has prospered due to its rich natural and mineral resources, agriculture and tourism.

Higher Education Institutions

• Charles Darwin University (CDU)

Finding Work as a student

International students in Darwin are allowed to work for up to 40 hours per fortnight while studying and work full-time during semester breaks.

Some of the channels used by students to gain employment are:

• Darwin social media pages
• Public noticeboards
• Assistance from University/College faculty
• Approaching managers/owners of businesses directly
• Popular Australian job sites
• Recruitment agencies: visit their websites for a list of featured jobs.
• Northern Territory Government Employment Opportunities website

Popular Australian job sites for Northern Territory jobs are:

• Seek
• CareerOne
• Adzuna
• Indeed
• SimplyHired
• Neuvoo
• Australian Government jobactive

Popular jobs within the NT Government include:

• Teaching
• Nursing
• Police
• Tourism

Industry Associations that carry NT job listings are:

• Master Builders NT
• CPA Australia
• Chamber of Commerce NY
• Australian Hotels Association (NT)
• Engineers Australia Northern Division
• Minerals council of Australia NT Division
• Property council of Australia NT Division

Northern territory newspapers that carry job vacancy ads:

• NT News
• Sunday Territorian
• The Darwin, Palmerston and Litchfield Sun Newspapers
• Tenant and District Times