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Maddy with friends atop gorge river lookout
If you are thinking about moving to the NT – DO IT!
Maddy Hunt sitting outside

Maddy Hunt

Primary School Teacher, St Paul's Primary School

CDU is super flexible with the online learning options...I was able to go down for my 6 week placement in Alice Springs, which was an incredible experience.

The NT is such an exciting and diverse place and the community feel here is amazing.

Maddy Hunt moved from Melbourne to the Northern Territory close to three years ago with her partner and says she has loved every minute of working and studying in the NT.

On completing her studies at Charles Darwin University (CDU) Maddy secured work as a Primary School teacher at St Paul’s Primary School, Nightcliff.

“Being at CDU was convenient and flexible and the music program there was fantastic. Working at a local primary school in Darwin has been amazing. It takes me less than 10 minutes to drive there, all the staff are so lovely and supportive, it’s a small school which I like, and I have learnt a lot. The students themselves are interesting and very diverse – there are many different languages spoken and cultures/religions practiced. I am learning so much just from the students and their cultures, as well as from the staff who are from all over Australia. Everyone here has such an interesting story.”

Maddy says that if you are thinking of studying in the Northern Territory “CDU is super flexible with the online learning options, and if you are studying education, see if you can get a placement both in Darwin and one outside of Darwin. I was able to go down for my 6 week placement in Alice Springs, which was an incredible experience. The school was amazing and I made some great friends, some of which have moved to Darwin and are teaching in schools here now. Also, if you’re thinking about studying teaching, they are talking about paying students for placements, so this is a good incentive.”

Maddy and her partner have immersed themselves in the NT lifestyle. Maddy and her partner both enjoy playing AFL 9s, indoor beach volleyball and other social sports such as netball, darts and futsal. She says, “everyone here is always so welcoming and encouraging.”

Maddy Hunt with AFL team
Maddy in a roof top tent with friends

Maddy’s favourite activities include “markets on a weekend, camping, hiking, sunsets, foreshore dog walks and the social life. A sunset picnic at East Point or on Nightcliff Foreshore is hard to beat."

Maddy with partner in front of remote landscape
Maddy with friends atop gorge river lookout

Maddy loves adventure. Working as a ski instructor in Japan for 3 years, Maddy has a predisposition for adventure seeking. So for those thinking of moving to the NT she recommends buying a 4WD. “It is definitely worth it. We didn’t have one in our first year up here, and since buying one we have been able to see so much more of this beautiful country.”

“I would say the main thing keeping us here is we both love our jobs, and we love going camping in the dry season and adventuring out to places in our 4WD such as East Arnhem (Nhulunbuy), and Kakadu, Katherine and Litchfield.”

Tents and camping site at remote beach
Maddy on the sand with a friend at the beach