

Homeschooling in the Dry Season
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
The Top Ender
Jun 92 min read


Innovation, Creativity and MemberLed Solutions
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
The Top Ender
Jun 92 min read


Welcome to the Dry
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
The Top Ender
May 153 min read


Giving Back, One Paw at a Time
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
The Top Ender
May 153 min read


Volunteer Firefighting & Defence
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
The Top Ender
May 122 min read


Life of a Defence Spouse
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
The Top Ender
May 54 min read


Inattentional blindness
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
The Top Ender
Mar 263 min read


Patient Homeschooling
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
The Top Ender
Mar 263 min read


Micro-Courage, Micro-Joy, and the Power of Quiet Steps
AUTHOR: Peta Johansen - Co-Founder of Magnify Her "Fear is information. Joy is strategy. Gratitude is grounding. Micro-steps are progress. And when women rise together, everything magnifies." Two years ago, I walked into the largest room I’d ever been - over 400 women from 40 countries at the Forbes 30/50 Women’s Summit in Abu Dhabi. Leaders, visionaries, and trailblazers surrounded me, and I felt that familiar knot in my throat and churn in my stomach. Who am I to be here?
The Top Ender
Mar 123 min read


Women of the Top End: The Heart of Darwin’s Hospitality
Support women. Support mothers. Be patient. Be kind. In Darwin, the hospitality industry isn’t just built on food; it’s built on women. Women who lead kitchens, run venues, raise families, juggle full-time jobs and still show up every day with strength, creativity and heart. As a mother-daughter business ourselves, we see it all up close. Every week we turn up for shoots with cameras, ideas and Abi’s little boy, Jaya, on her hip, and the way these women welcome him says every
The Top Ender
Feb 272 min read


Once You Op, You Can’t Stop!
It doesn’t matter what the question is; Op shopping is the answer! It’s the thrill of the hunt, the pure excitement of finding a like-new Mister Zimi dress for just $20 or a special edition Jumbuck Driza-Bone vest for my husband valued at $429, for only $50! Needing day care clothes? Op shop. Need to frock up for the Welcome Ball? Op shop. Kids wanting more books? Op shop. And luckily for us, there’s plenty of stores to choose from! Here’s a few to check out: KATHERINE Re
The Top Ender
Feb 172 min read


GLAMPING
As a wife and mother of two energetic boys, I had hoped to postpone the inevitable camping trip for just a little longer. However, my eldest had other plans, excitedly requesting a family getaway filled with bonfires, marshmallows, fishing and bush walks. Camping, in my mind, conjured images of sleepless nights, bugs, and discomfort. But seeing the joy on my children’s faces made it impossible to say no. So, I began my search, Googling the best camping options around Darwin.
The Top Ender
Feb 172 min read
