HEALTH SERVICES
Royal Darwin Hospital is the principal referral hospital for the Top End of Australia. It is recognised as an outstanding teaching hospital and provides a wide range of specialist services. For those wishing to have the choice of private hospital care the Darwin Private Hospital is a modern, well equipped facility that works very closely in cooperation with Royal Darwin Hospital, located adjacent.

Territory Health Services operates two main Community Care Centres in Casuarina and Palmerston.

Territory Health Services Oral Health Services provides free children's dental services through primary schools. These free dental services extend to priority groups such as infants, school children and to people who carry a Social Security health care card or equivalent. There are also many private dental services in Darwin.

A range of health services including after hours medical services are also provided by private general practitioners and specialists.

EMPLOYMENT
Darwin and the Northern Territory enjoys one of the lowest unemployment rates in Australia and employment opportunities are increasing in a wide range of areas due to the buoyant local economy. Darwin is a major administrative centre with Commonwealth, Territory and local governments together employing about 32 per cent of the total workforce. More than half the private sector is in wholesale or retail trading, and the expanding tourist industry.

HOUSING AND REAL ESTATE Housing in Darwin offers considerable choice and variety and most people take pride in their homes and gardens. Many homes are attractively landscaped for easy and relaxed outdoor living. Most accommodation has ceiling fans and many these days have airconditioners. However, more thought is being given to tropical house designs featuring strategically placed louvres, wide verandahs and carefully planned tree shade to help keep homes cool and catch the breezes. Generally speaking there is a good range of houses, units, townhouses and flats available for sale or rent, with a very reasonable choice in the city, the suburbs and at nearby Palmerston. Land in the higher price range is limited in the Darwin area. It is readily available in the lower price range in the Palmerston area.

TRANSPORT
Air
Darwin is well serviced by air transport with daily domestic flights to all Australian capital cities as well as daily international departures to South East Asia with onward connections to destinations around the world.
Road
Road transport also plays a major role in the region, with freight often connecting by rail at Alice Springs. Darwin is connected to all southern capitals by all-weather roads. Interstate bus services operate to all State capital cities.
Sea
Darwin is Australia's only major deep water port in the South East Asian region. It is just five days' sailing time from Singapore and Papua New Guinea and less to Indonesia. The harbour has three major wharves that are able to handle a vast range of ships and cargo types. A separate $8 million mooring basin is used by the fishing industry, small commercial vessels and pleasure craft.
Rail
The Ghan links Darwin with Alice Springs and Adelaide.
Bus
Public transport around the City of Darwin is provided by regular bus services taking in the suburbs, Casuarina and Palmerston and running at regular intervals seven days a week.
Cycling
Cycling in Darwin is popular as a means of recreation, exercise and commuting.
There are presently some 85km of off road cycleways, under the Darwin City Council's control throughout Darwin. This does not include the many on road facilities and the facilities maintained by the Northern Territory Government.

Information obtained from the Northern Territory Government and Darwin City Council