What do you love about where you live?

We came to the Northern Territory in 1975, worked in two Aboriginal communities and then it Nhulunbuy before coming to Darwin at the beginning of 1987.

We have been living in Darwin for 36 years.

The thing I most love about Darwin, Is its history. I really would have loved to have lived in Darwin in past times when it was quiet, rustic, and a community in which people cared for each other and where people came first.

Neither would I mind revisiting from a living viewpoint the history of this place in the first decade or possibly 15 years after we arrived. Darwin was quiet, safe, relatively crime-free, and had an intimacy among locals and genuine care for each other.

I don’t like living in Darwin at present, although we’re not going to be shifting I’m going anywhere. Darwin has become very tourist oriented with people wanting to make big dollars and get rich. So much of what the government does and what our council does is directed toward tourists rather than toward long-term residence.

The city and its suburbs have become very oriented toward defence and defence force buildup. Much infrastructure is being built to promote defence activities. Defence training exercises are held regularly for increasingly longer periods. Forces are increasing numbers coming from overseas to participate in training exercises. The place is being built out and the open space we enjoyed has largely gone.

Crime has reached epidemic proportions. There is no way I would buy a new car, particularly not a Hilux. So many vehicles are stolen, domestic violence has increased, and assaults on people and the damaging of property have become commonplace.

Our shopping centres are not safe places because of behaviour and everything is being forgiven and causes looked at for why those who perpetrated crimes, particularly youthful offenders, can be excused.

Since coming to Darwin in 1987, I have witnessed the building of two new jails (each one increasing in size) and juvenile detention centres. The third detention centre is being built. Some people urging the government to extend the jail for adults. Our correctional facilities are bursting at the seams; our police force is underdone in terms of numbers and some cases it seems increasingly hesitant about their powers, lest they offend against the rights of those breaching the law.

The streets and parks of older suburban areas have become very rundown and Maintenance seems to be sporadic.

A great deal has gone into the establishment of new suburbs and Housing on claims, but I rather suspect that how buildings have been put up might will mean unless the life expectancy then is held for older and more substantial structures.

The place is being built upon and built upon and built upon and could be said to be blowing up like a balloon. I wonder sometimes whether eventually this frenetic growth will collapse in Woodley and we will realise that maintenance and care for what we had and what has been neglected should have been given a higher priority than is the case.

So in conclusion what I like most about the place in which I live is a reflection upon its history when things in my opinion A far better than they are now.

But, comparing what was to what the world now offers, is anywhere any good?