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Welcome to homeschooling in the Dry Season! Something that was raised with us recently was the thought that we would be limiting our children’s opportunities in life by continuing homeschooling beyond primary school. What I have learnt since we began this lifestyle is that there are many ways to achieve what you want to achieve in life. You can still go to university, you can still pursue any career you like, and still learn at home before doing so. There are Distance Edu

MakerSpace is an Army innovation initiative designed to strengthen the cognitive capability of Defence personnel through creativity, hands-on learning, and nontraditional problem solving. Delivered on base and free to attend for all members, MakerSpace empowers members to think differently, prototype rapidly, and develop practical solutions to real operational challenges. Located across nine sites nationally, MakerSpace provides a safe, welcoming, and member focused environme

Trigger Warning - This article discusses grief after death When someone dies suddenly, the shock can ripple through units, workplaces, families, and friendship circles, particularly when many of us are far from extended family supports, especially in the NT. As we sit with grief, the conversations we have with ourselves and with others is important. There is no “normal” way to grieve except the way each of us does it. Grief is universal, yet completely personal. You can los

In the lead up to the Darwin Fringe Festival, our very own Viv was lucky to meet up with Julia Wilson to talk about her journey into comedy and travelling the world doing what she loves. In 2010, Julia travelled to the Solomon Islands with the ADF to perform for our troops - we’re excited to share Julia’s story! How did you get into comedy? I was a bouncer and bodyguard for ten years - we’d all tell stories at staffies in the pub after the punters had left, about what had h

A Guide for Defence Families and Veterans Dr Lise Legault, MD, FRACGP If you've been feeling unlike yourself lately, you're not alone. In Australia, around 1.5 million women are navigating perimenopause or menopause at any given time. For defence families and veterans, where the demands of service, frequent relocations, deployments, and the transition to civilian life already take a toll, understanding this change can make a real difference. What is perimenopause and menopaus

If you’re new to Darwin, you’ll hear it everywhere - “Wait for the Dry.” And then suddenly… it arrives. The skies turn that perfect clear blue. The humidity backs off. The sunsets sharpen. The breeze rolls in off the water, and you remember why people fall in love with this place. The Dry Season isn’t just a change in weather; it’s a shift in energy. Locals come out of hibernation, markets are buzzing, decks are full, picnic rugs are back on the grass. The Waterfront hums and

I posted to the NT in 2022 - a new chapter and a fresh start. Being on my own, I quickly realised how lonely and isolating it could be, and I was determined to get a dog for companionship. However, I soon learned that work life can make full-time pet ownership difficult, particularly when frequent travel is involved. The accommodation I was living in also wasn’t suitable for animals on a long-term basis. That’s when I began looking into volunteering and fostering, a decision

Why did I choose to volunteer? Before I enlisted in the Infantry in 2016, I was unsuccessful on my first attempt based on an apparent lack of “life experience” - I was18-years-old and fresh out of high school and, in hindsight, they weren’t wrong. When I got home, I was defeated and crushed by the news. Not long after, I was sitting at the Horsley Park pub, and I noticed a bunch of local boys in yellow uniforms, spinning yarns about how “rough” the upcoming fire season w

Our family's journey in the Australian Defence Force has been both exciting and challenging. Like many young women, I met and married my soldier in my hometown of Townsville, and our first posting with a 6-month-old baby boy was to Seymour, Victoria. We were lucky that our posting was to Greytown (a non-corps posting), which basically meant a 7-4 work life. With no family support, I took myself to the local Defence Community Centre for playgroup where I met other defence wi

Cam Waters, born in Mildura, Victoria, is a top-tier Australian racing driver competing in the Supercars Championship with Tickford Racing, driving the No. 6 Monster Energy Ford Mustang. Cam kicked off his racing career in go-karts, collecting multiple national and state championships before graduating to Formula Vee in 2009. He moved into the Australian Formula Ford Championship in 2010, finishing sixth as the top rookie before taking the outright title in his sophomore camp

Driver Inattention and the Rider – Inattentional blindness It should come as no surprise to most of our readers, that motorcycles are harder to see than other types of more common road vehicles. SMIDSY – Sorry Mate I Didn’t See you – is a common term that relates to the drivers response to an accident that has occurred, which in the majority cases has left a rider injured on the road, awaiting the care of an ambulance and an extended hospital visit. For many riders that face

Recently I was discussing the notion that a lot of parents have regarding homeschooling; “I don’t have the patience to home school”. Whilst it’s a nice thought that they feel we must have amazing patience, it’s not entirely accurate. I don’t know of a single family who chose to homeschool because they’re patient. What a lot of us have found is that through choosing this path we don’t need as much patience as we did with traditional schooling! Our children are no longer stress