Peta Yujnovich
Peta Yujnovich Registrar and Director - NTCAT
Just do it! There is no other place in Australia that you can have the same opportunities to elevate / accelerate your career, enter the property market and travel affordably.
The move wasn’t hard, it was an adventure.
Born and raised on the Sunshine Coast, Peta Yujnovich went on to study law at the Queensland University of Technology.
As a practicing lawyer in Queensland for 20 years, it wasn't until recently (2023) that Peta and her family decided it was time to escape the hectic lifestyle of the Sunshine Coast, that often saw Peta spend hours commuting to work, for a move to the Top End.
'We sold up everything in Qld. Quit our jobs and moved our son and 4 French bulldogs to the NT.
Both my husband and I have now been working for NT Government (NTG) for 2 years and have not looked back! Working in the NT has been great for me. I was fortunate to be able to secure a role prior to moving, and have hit the ground running. I have found the team I work with to be welcoming and very supportive.
The NT is very multicultural, and we have team members at Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT) from many different places around Australia and the world.
I enjoy working with this diverse group of people who bring fresh perspectives, ideas, and culture.'
Peta's husband, who works in Corrections, and her 12-year-old son are passionate BMX riders and they quickly became part of the Jingili BMX Club with Peta recently taking on the role of Treasurer sharing - it has been a great way to meet other parents and feel part of the local community.'
Peta also volunteers at the local Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and enjoys helping at their shelter in Berrimah caring for cats and dogs.
In December 2025, Peta and her family celebrated two years of living in the Northern Territory.
On moving to the NT they purchased a house in the suburb of Wulagi and have since renovated and plan to stay there while their son completes his schooling at Essington.
When asked what keeps her in the Top End, Peta shared:
- loving her job and the people she works with
- the slower, more relaxed paced lifestyle affording her more time with family and friends
- the affordability of housing
- the strong sense of community and the ease at which friends can be made (there are so many new people to the NT and they are always looking to make new connections)
- The proximity to Asia and affordable flights has meant much more travel for her family (Peta and family travel to Bali to surf at least every 3 months)
- Excellent schooling for her son at Essington
The move wasn't hard, it just took planning. Once they decided to move they made a big checklist of what needed to happen to make the move work, and followed it. They visited Darwin 3 times before moving and spent this time finding the location they wanted to live and then found a house. They also checked out schools for their son and started applying for jobs. Once they had a home, a school and jobs, they packed their stuff into a shipping container and sent it up! They then all piled into the car with their 4 French bulldogs and drove from Qld to the NT.
Peta reiterates the move wasn’t hard, it was an adventure.
When she was living in QLD she was working as a lawyer in a private law firm. Working long days, often leaving home at 6am and not getting home until after 7pm.
Moving to the NT and working for the Northern Territory Government has completely changed her career. Peta now enjoys a much better work-life balance and has moved into an area of the legal profession that would have been difficult to pursue in any other state.
Peta has been able to act up into the role of the Director of Justice Services managing the Courts and Tribunals in the NT sharing - I could never of imagined having that opportunity and experience 5 years ago.'
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