Moving to Darwin

[Longy82]

So I just got transferred with work to Darwin so will be moving there in the next month or so.
It looks like the apartment I'm getting will only have car parking for 1 car which means the GT is going to have to live in a storage shed while the Triton will live at home.
Does anyone know of any good secure storage places up there and roughly how much I'm looking at??


Cheers,
Adrian

[joolz]

Everything is expensive up there! My brother lives in Palmerston and the average house is over $700k. So im guessing storage will be steep if you can find it.

[cheap]

Winnellie is the light industry section of Darwin and there would be storage available. Likewise Fanny Bay, Bagot rd. Much of Darwin looks and is dodgy

Importantly you want storage which is not only secure but also literally bomb proof (as in cyclone proof) keeping the GT high and dry. I would also keep a low profile storing the GT. FWIW I kept my Harley in an open carport adjacent to the house without drama, but we lived in what could be best described as a more upmarket and affluent part of Darwin.

What did you do wrong to score Darwin?

[Fordxelisty]

Storage depends on the term but 12 month term about 2700
Go bigger for more than a car and it goes up

Just get their insurance policy each year and advise your insurance it is in storage.
All buildings are to code but if a cat 5 comes over direct hit not much can be done there
Good spot up here. Came up with work and never left. 15 years now

[Longy82]

Thanks guys. I've never been up there so I'm going in blind.
A quick google search has only brought up about 3 storage places that seem legit.
Ustore-it had prices on the website and they were only listed at $245/month for a 6x3 unit. I'm paying $225/month in Perth for a 2x3 so the price looks fairly good to me!!

cheap - I'm a mad fisherman so I'm seeing the transfer as a huge positive......check back in 6 months and I might have a different opinion

[bungarra]

Originally Posted by Longy82

cheap - I'm a mad fisherman so I'm seeing the transfer as a huge positive......check back in 6 months and I might have a different opinion

Good fishing in the Arafura Try to get a fish in when work sends me up, depends on what equipment I have to bring up though.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by Longy82

I'm a mad fisherman so I'm seeing the transfer as a huge positive......check back in 6 months and I might have a different opinion

You lucky bugger, Darwin is OK if you like the humidity in summer.... If I can convince the wifey I go there tomorrow.

[Fordxelisty]

Originally Posted by Longy82

Thanks guys. I've never been up there so I'm going in blind.
A quick google search has only brought up about 3 storage places that seem legit.
Ustore-it had prices on the website and they were only listed at $245/month for a 6x3 unit. I'm paying $225/month in Perth for a 2x3 so the price looks fairly good to me!!

cheap - I'm a mad fisherman so I'm seeing the transfer as a huge positive......check back in 6 months and I might have a different opinion

Run off is about a month away depending on rain so good time for it. Jump on a couple of charters to start then chat to some people around your work and jump on board. Most are happy to share a seat for fuel money split.
Majority of long term resistances have 4 to 6 meter boats so plenty around
The blokes At Craig's fishing warehouse is a great start for local info on fish if boating is not good due to weather, tides etc.
There are about 50 people at my work and about 25 have boats (rural blokes mostly too) I don't have much time for fishing as my weekends are fixing or racing. Dirt Cheap circuit and drag racing here too. Bikes also

[Longy82]

Originally Posted by trublu

You lucky bugger, Darwin is OK if you like the humidity in summer.... If I can convince the wifey I go there tomorrow.

Mate I am perfectly fine with the humid weather. I'm originally from Nth Qld so have kinda been missing it ever since I left

[Longy82]

Originally Posted by Fordxelisty

Run off is about a month away depending on rain so good time for it. Jump on a couple of charters to start then chat to some people around your work and jump on board. Most are happy to share a seat for fuel money split.
Majority of long term resistances have 4 to 6 meter boats so plenty around
The blokes At Craig's fishing warehouse is a great start for local info on fish if boating is not good due to weather, tides etc.
There are about 50 people at my work and about 25 have boats (rural blokes mostly too) I don't have much time for fishing as my weekends are fixing or racing. Dirt Cheap circuit and drag racing here too. Bikes also

Thanks for the info mate. Not sure how long I'll be able to hold out from buying a boat myself. A mate of mine is a boat salesman up there so it could be a real danger!
Looking forward to making the move but not looking forward to shifting house again. 10 addresses in 10 years is starting to get a bit ridiculous haha

[4vdean]

Maybe a good idea to factor in a retune to suit vastly different atmospheric conditions up here, especially during the wet season.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by 4vdean

Maybe a good idea to factor in a retune to suit vastly different atmospheric conditions up here, especially during the wet season.

I can understand if the atmospheric conditions changed due to altitude but wet conditions, don't think so.

[Taily]

Originally Posted by trublu

I can understand if the atmospheric conditions changed due to altitude but wet conditions, don't think so.

You realise Darwin has a declared density altitude of around 3000' due to being both hot and wet? If running a few mods on his GT would be best getting something sorted as it'll be on the rich side of ideal in Darwin.

Miss the place, lived there for many years. Very different way of life. Shady Creek barrage should be firing soon if you don't have access to a boat. Or just jump on a ferry and head across the harbour...

[pottery beige]

Did a few years up Gove and loved every bit of it

Heres a vid of one of the mates catching a fishes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKHb6DCSm80

[CDR_078]

There's a workshop up there called Peckys, top operator and turns out some very tidy cars. I've just finished a year up there on Ichthys, what a nightmare of a job - the rain is just a pain in the **** after a while.

Suburbs to look at - Fannie Bay, Stuart Park, Lyons, Cullen Bay, Nightcliff, Rapid Creek
Suburbs to avoid - Anula, Leanyer, Moil, anywhere in Palmerston.

Make sure you get out to the Litchfield National Park, stunning

[phild12s131e]

Originally Posted by CDR_078

Suburbs to look at - Fannie Bay, Stuart Park, Lyons, Cullen Bay, Nightcliff, Rapid Creek
Suburbs to avoid - Anula, Leanyer, Moil, anywhere in Palmerston.

I do hope that you accidently left out the tongue-in-cheek smiley with that last bit. We were one of the very first residents of Palmerston way back in 1982, and still here and by choice. Have never understood the negative attitudes. The Darwin CBD, Casuarina & Palmerston triangle is such a small area that no more than 20 mins required to get to anywhere in it. Housing not really any different generally and shopping/entertainment available or easy to get to and a major new shopping centre planned that is supposed to equal Casuarina. Our real advantage is it's very quick access to outer Darwin. There are no social problems that exist here that aren't duplicated elsewhere, even in the other Suburbs mentioned.

Phil

[sexyxe]

If the car goes into storage be aware during the wet the humidity will wreck havoc on your interior and just car in general if not used often.

A retune is an idea worth entertaining. At 30-32degrees and 85% humidity as an average, it is slightly different to nth qld (depending how nth you mean) as anything sth of cairns isn't a fair comparison.

[cheap]

Going back 10+ years, my old employer told its employees in no uncertain terms to ensure our business was completed and we had ourselves out of Palmerston CBD by 16:45 every day. I seemed to be the same for all the public servants working in Palmerston too. If things have improved/changed that is good to hear.

[4vdean]

Im not a fan of palmerston having lived in darwin most of my life but it really isnt as bad as its made out to be, there are some dodgy streets in ok old suburbs but the new suburbs are as good as anywhere, it gets its reputation from starting out as a new satelite city with a high proportion of housing commission houses which is rapidly changing.

There are plenty of other dodgy places, parts of malak and karama come to mind as well as bieng in the wrong place at the wrong time eg. late night outside casuarina shopping centre and bus depot or walking alone drunk in the quieter parts of the city, just like any city really.

in the 40+ years ive lived here the most threatened ive ever been was not here it was on a train from gold coast to brisbane with a group of drugged out young angry idiots to deal with.

plenty of positives about living here for the motor head, 25 minutes out of the city 130km limit straight highways which you can really cruise on 140+ with no issues, true grand touring for our grand tourers, a top quality drag strip hosting doorslammer/funny car andra round this year, top quality road race circuit hosting v8s & superbike round & powercruise etc...........

[Taily]

Spot on. When we moved to Darwin from Alice with work in early '05, we originally moved to Stuart Park as it was handy for wife to walk to work (Bridge Toyota). That house sold and as we were renting at the time we rented another one in Wulagi up until the end of the wet in '06, right at the time of the beginning of the big push in house prices...

Went back for around 6 months work in mid '09 and stayed with a mate in Durack (Palmerston) and in all honesty never felt unsafe at anytime I was there. House prices had bolted on the other hand...

I'd second those talking about your interior getting trashed if you leave the car closed up. You'd need to get it out and drive it at least once a week for a while with the aircon drying the interior. Sounds weird but using (fresh) 500g rice bags (with a few pin holes in them so the rice doesn't fall out and change it once a week) as a moisture trap inside the car while it is sealed up in storage may help. I'm not sure there is any airconditioned storage up there but that would be an almost unaffordable luxury anyway...

I'd move there again in a heartbeat but have found the same work down here now I was doing up there for the same coin as I was getting up there. Makes it hard to move away from friends and family now. Very jealous of ya Adrian, you'll have a blast up there if you go in with the right attitude. Darwin is what you make of it, but I will mention that (having lived in both places for a while) Cairns is just that little bit cooler/less humid than Darwin is as there are no hills just behind the city to keep the cool air moving in over the town in Darwin.

[Longy82]

Thanks for all the info and tips guys. I'm trying to find a place that has got enough parking space to have both cars at home with me. I only take the GT for a run on the weekends but it'll be a real P.I.T.A if i have to go to a storage shed every Sunday to retrieve it. I hadnt considered the extra moisture wrecking the interior so maybe I'll be buying a few bags of Jasmine as suggested.

I might have a chat with Simon @ XFT and see who he recommends to do a re-tune cos I imagine the climate will be a factor.

I'll be working on Ichthys as well which will no doubt have it's challenges but having come off Gorgon here in WA I'm sure it cant be any worse!

[sexyxe]

If simon recommends it, peckys performance up here has a great reputation if you wanted a tune in location.

[phild12s131e]

Originally Posted by cheap

Going back 10+ years, my old employer told its employees in no uncertain terms to ensure our business was completed and we had ourselves out of Palmerston CBD by 16:45 every day. I seemed to be the same for all the public servants working in Palmerston too. If things have improved/changed that is good to hear.

Seriously???????
Not my experiences, but what would I know, after all we've only lived here for all of Palmerston's existance back to being the 3rd house occupied (and not Housing Commission). Here by choice and not moving anywhere, except for holidays.

[buggerlugs]

Kiss your liver goodbye !! Lived up there for 6 months, we even had Carlton Lights for smoko................mind you, that was 20 years ago........

[Longy82]

Well a spanner has just been thrown in the works. Had a visit by the coppers this evening to inform me that a FFC nabbed me doing 118km/h in a 60 zone. The GT is going to live in the impound for a month and I'll probably lose my licence for at least 6 months.

Morale of the story.....don't get too excited when your next to a vf clubsport at a set of lights.

Bonus is he was in the photo behind me so no doubt he'll be handing his over as well

[RTGT]

Originally Posted by Longy82

Well a spanner has just been thrown in the works. Had a visit by the coppers this evening to inform me that a FFC nabbed me doing 118km/h in a 60 zone. The GT is going to live in the impound for a month and I'll probably lose my licence for at least 6 months.

Morale of the story.....don't get too excited when your next to a vf clubsport at a set of lights.

Bonus is he was in the photo behind me so no doubt he'll be handing his over as well

I feel for you mate,
I got suspended for Six months five years ago. I was filmed by an unmarked Maloo ute accelerating from 100 - 150 on the M7 in Sydney @ 4am in the morning. The ute originally boxed me in behind a car doing 90-95 then backed off, I of course mashed the loud pedal and pulled out. The ute continued to try and get me to race which I didn't respond. I turned of the freeway and a couple of kms latter a marked patrol car was waiting for me.
The officer told me I was filmed by the unmarked ute ( with chev badges) accelerating to high speed. I explained what had happened & I wasn't hooning!, he responded we know & that's why we're not impounding your car.
Upshot was $1,800.00 fine & six months suspension.
I still have to remind my self of that painfull period of catching a bus to work! When some numpty in a SS or HSV wants me to give the current GT some berries!
I still go for it though upto & around the posted limit! But it's so hard to keep restrained!
All the best brother!
RTGT

[290GTP]

Originally Posted by Longy82

Morale of the story.....don't get too excited when your next to a vf clubsport at a set of lights.

Bonus is he was in the photo behind me so no doubt he'll be handing his over as well

At least you won.

[Longy82]

Originally Posted by 290GTP

At least you won.

Would have been something seriously wrong if I didn't!!