Australia move, Katherine NT

[mdp22]

Any Roksliders have info concerning Katherine, NT. Hunting, fishing, etc., look line fishing may be decent. Will be taking a position down there for a year assignment.

 

[northernalpine]

I passed through the area a few years before covid on the way up to Darwin. Pretty country up there, very remote, but it'll make for a great experience if you let it. Pick up a four wheel drive if you have a family or get a dual sport bike if you enjoy motorcycles and get out on the back roads. The locals there were friendly, tough, and will have the best insight on what to hunt, where, and what times of year. Fishing should be good, but assume every decent sized body of water up there has crocs and learn what the eastern brown (common brown), king brown, and taipan snakes look like (very common in the NT and very poisonous).

 

[mdp22]

I passed through the area a few years before covid on the way up to Darwin. Pretty country up there, very remote, but it'll make for a great experience if you let it. Pick up a four wheel drive if you have a family or get a dual sport bike if you enjoy motorcycles and get out on the back roads. The locals there were friendly, tough, and will have the best insight on what to hunt, where, and what times of year. Fishing should be good, but assume every decent sized body of water up there has crocs and learn what the eastern brown (common brown), king brown, and taipan snakes look like (very common in the NT and very poisonous).

Yeah, was talking with a friend and we were both stationed in the UK. No critters there can kill you but it seems every critter can kill you in Australia if you're not careful and smart.

 

[Mojave]

I did a posting at the US Embassy in Canberra, 3 years full of wishing I was hunting. I did manage to get a bit in, but it wasn't big game it was mostly foxes and kangaroos.

Join the local rifle club and learn to shoot F-Class. They should have club rifles, this will get you exposed to folks that share the same interest. They might let you own a rifle after you jump through a bunch of BS. They did not let me, but I was on diplomatic orders so I had different rules.

Most of the buffalo, banteng and sambar are on private land.

Lots of snakes. Big snakes.

 

[northernalpine]

Yeah, was talking with a friend and we were both stationed in the UK. No critters there can kill you but it seems every critter can kill you in Australia if you're not careful and smart.

Yeah. Australia is a curious place like that. Sharks on three sides of the continent, jellyfish on the other, throw in saltwater crocs in most northern coastal inlets, plus some large river systems and swamps, especially during the wet season, then add in some of the deadliest snakes, spiders, and scorpions. There's a lot to keep an eye out for, but the locals do fine and are probably one of the more jovial groups to hit the pub with.

If you have a sense of adventure, Australia is an incredible place to go ~ the outback, 4x4 scene, and pub culture down there is unlike anything you'll find on the planet.

 

[Jt89]

I'm an Aussie and lived in Darwin for 3 years, 2013 to 2016.
First, hunting in the northern territory. Can only be done on "Crown Land" or private land - Crown land areas are basically some small spots around Darwin. However, this is where things get a little easier. To procure yourself a firearms license, you need a "Genuine reason" - any of the following:

• sports shooting
• recreational shooting and hunting
• primary production
• vertebrate pest animal control
• business or employment
• occupational requirements
• animal welfare
• firearm collection
• museum display
• inheritance.

Recreational shooting and hunting is the key. You apply for, and receive, a crown land hunting permit. Now you have a genuine reason to have a license and guns.
After that, its a matter of trying to find yourself private land to hunt on. I never bothered while I lived there, as I was working a lot and spending too much time racing dirtbikes.

Fishing - Barramundi are the target sport fish. In the Northern territory fishing circles, if you say you caught a 1 meter barramundi you have officially landed a 'real' fish, a trophy, bragging rights. Nobody cares if you caught a 75cm Barra - everyone has done that. In the north american scale, I'm talking 40 inches and 40 pounds of fish. They also taste fairly good if taken from saltwater, bled and filleted when fresh.

Finally, if you like dirtbikes, offroading, camping in general etc the NT is amazing. Coming from Queensland, the difference in liberties in the bush was night and day. Lets just say in QLD its very much frowned upon to ride and wheel offroad in a lot of areas, camping is mostly done in designated campsites and hiking on formed trails. In the Northern territory, its as wild and remote as you like.


Ask me anything you like, I'll do my best to answer. Hope you can handle heat and humidity mate - throw away all your jackets. You'll be living in shorts, flip flops and a light long sleeve shirt to keep the sun off your back.

 

[mdp22]

I'm an Aussie and lived in Darwin for 3 years, 2013 to 2016.
First, hunting in the northern territory. Can only be done on "Crown Land" or private land - Crown land areas are basically some small spots around Darwin. However, this is where things get a little easier. To procure yourself a firearms license, you need a "Genuine reason" - any of the following:

• sports shooting
• recreational shooting and hunting
• primary production
• vertebrate pest animal control
• business or employment
• occupational requirements
• animal welfare
• firearm collection
• museum display
• inheritance.

Recreational shooting and hunting is the key. You apply for, and receive, a crown land hunting permit. Now you have a genuine reason to have a license and guns.
After that, its a matter of trying to find yourself private land to hunt on. I never bothered while I lived there, as I was working a lot and spending too much time racing dirtbikes.

Fishing - Barramundi are the target sport fish. In the Northern territory fishing circles, if you say you caught a 1 meter barramundi you have officially landed a 'real' fish, a trophy, bragging rights. Nobody cares if you caught a 75cm Barra - everyone has done that. In the north american scale, I'm talking 40 inches and 40 pounds of fish. They also taste fairly good if taken from saltwater, bled and filleted when fresh.

Finally, if you like dirtbikes, offroading, camping in general etc the NT is amazing. Coming from Queensland, the difference in liberties in the bush was night and day. Lets just say in QLD its very much frowned upon to ride and wheel offroad in a lot of areas, camping is mostly done in designated campsites and hiking on formed trails. In the Northern territory, its as wild and remote as you like.


Ask me anything you like, I'll do my best to answer. Hope you can handle heat and humidity mate - throw away all your jackets. You'll be living in shorts, flip flops and a light long sleeve shirt to keep the sun off your back.

Thanks for the info. I'll plan on bringing my hiking/camping gear and some fishing gear. Lived on the Gulf Coast of Florida for three years, hot and humid is not my favorite climate but can deal with it. Hopefully I can get a 4x4 for my vehicle to explore a little.

 

[Mojave]

I bought a 1997 Cherokee with solid front and rear axles and hit all over Victoria and NSW. I think I gave $5000. This was in 2010.

Ask your sponsor if anyone is leaving and what vehicles they are selling. I could not ship a left hand drive American 4x4 on my orders.

I had it in my mind I was going to buy a Defender 130 or a LandCruiser pickup or a Nissan Patrol. Just get that out of your mind. The ones that people sale are mostly ruined, and in that country they are really ruined. I was quote 100,000 AUD for a Landcruiser that was a 2005 model with 180,000 km on it.

Take a look in Darwin and Alice. It might be worth flying to Sydney, Newcastle, Wagga, or somewhere else to buy one.