Health Care and Medical Jobs in the The Top End
Unspoiled national parks, breathtaking waterfalls and ancient Aboriginal culture, the Top End is home to some of the Northern Territory's most stunning landscapes
Situated on the very edge of the Northern Territory, the Top End (including Darwin and Palmerston cities and their surrounds) is home to over 140,000 people, 100 nationalities and 50 social, cultural and religious communities, making this coastal community one of the friendliest and most culturally diverse areas in Australia.
The Top End region incorporates the north/north-east section of the Territory including the Tiwi Islands. It encompasses 6 townships which include Batchelor, Jabiru and Adelaide River. The region also consists of 17 communities including Wadeye and Maningrida, four town camps and 138 outstations.
Darwin, Palmerston and surrounds
The Larrakia people are the traditional owners of the Darwin Region, from Cox Peninsular in the West, to Gunn Point in the North, Adelaide River in the East and down to the Manton Dam towards the South. The Larrakia people have a deep, spiritual connection with the land and sea, within the Top End.
Unspoiled national parks and breathtaking waterfalls, the Top End is home to some of the Northern Territory's most stunning landscapes.
A tropical oasis, the Top End is renowned for its tropical weather, spectacular sunsets, great fishing spots, and laid-back lifestyle, and includes unique Australian landmarks such as the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park and Litchfield National Park, and coastal Tiwi Islands.
You can spend the afternoon at Casuarina Square or Gateway Shopping Centres, spend your Sunday at the Mindil Beach Markets or watch the sunset from Cullen Bay. If you want to get out of town, take the family to one of the many iconic national parks and swimming holes such as Howard Springs Nature Park or Berry Springs.
Covering nearly 20,000 square kilometres, Kakadu National Park is full of old-worldly rock art, monsoon forests and exotic wildlife. And located only 3 hours from Darwin, Kakadu is ideal for solo hikers, adventurous couples or travelling families.
Experience the spectacular views from the top of a Kakadu escarpment. Or cruise on the idyllic Yellow Water Billabong and observe crocodiles, birds and mammals in their natural habitat.
Kakadu National Park has more than 5,000 Aboriginal rock art sites, all created by the Bininj/Mungguy people. At over 65,000 years old, this artwork is some of the oldest Aboriginal art in the world.
Take a short 90-minute drive south of Darwin to Litchfield National Park - the Northern Territory’s best-kept secret.
Surrounded by picturesque waterfalls, waterholes and tropical monsoonal vine forests, visitors can take a refreshing swim or hike through the bushland. Take a photo with some of the biggest termite mounds in the Top End or 4WD your way to Surprise Creek Falls.
If you’re planning on camping, be sure to check availability ahead of your travels to secure your spot.
Located just 80 kilometres north of Darwin, the Tiwi Islands - known to locals as the ‘Island of Smiles’ - is a unique haven of Aboriginal art culture, fishing lodges and breathtaking coastal landscapes.
The Tiwi Islands are made up of two islands, Bathurst and Melville. The islands are home to a large Aboriginal community that hosts the best cultural and wildlife tours in the state. They are, after all, famous for their traditional lifestyle, delicate artworks and vibrant fabrics and textiles.
How to get there
You can travel to the Territory’s Top End by:
Darwin has a modern airport close to the city. Darwin International Airport is a hub for many airlines, with international services (to Bali, Singapore, Dili, China and the UK) and connecting flights to Australian state capitals.
The Stuart Highway connects Darwin to South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia. A great way to see Australia however, it is best to plan your drive in advance noting some distance between fuel stops and accommodation options.
The Darwin Railway Station is located on Berrimah Road at East Arm, right next to the port. This passenger terminal is where you can experience The Ghan - one of the world's most luxurious and memorable train journeys.
Culture
The Top End has a culturally diverse Aboriginal population, consisting of a number of Aboriginal communities and language groups that are situated along some of the most picturesque coast lines, inland waterways and escarpment country.
The Top End’s also boasts a rich history of multiculturalism which is shaped by Aboriginal people, newly arrived migrants from all parts of the world, as well as established multicultural communities. Local communities are welcoming, vibrant and inclusive enabling individuals and groups to achieve their potential and the City to prosper as a centre of culture, creativity and learning.
Families and individuals alike come to the Top End to enjoy the tropical relaxed lifestyle, cultural festivals, Mindil Beach Markets, the Darwin Waterfront and wave pool, jumping crocodiles, or the national parks.
Health
There are 3 major hospitals in Darwin, the Royal Darwin and Palmerston Regional Hospital, located across 2 campuses, and the Darwin Private Hospital.
The Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) is a tertiary hospital with 361 beds. Providing services to the Darwin urban population as well as serving as a referral centre to the Top End of the Northern Territory, a population of around 140,000, including rural and remote Aboriginal communities. There is a strong clinical focus on Aboriginal health and infectious diseases. RDH works closely with the other hospitals in the Northern Territory including the provision of outreach services. RDH is a tertiary teaching hospital affiliated with Flinders University, Charles Darwin University, the Menzies School of Health Research, and the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre.
Palmerston Regional Hospital (PRH) is a subacute service hospital with 116 beds. PRH opened in 2018 as an extension of Royal Darwin Hospital. Primary Health Care provides community allied health and aged care, oral health services, environmental health, public health, and remote health centres.
Acute care is provided through the Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) and Palmerston Regional Hospital (PRH) which deliver a range of clinical services including:
- Emergency
- Surgery and critical care
- Infection prevention
- Gynaecology
- Maternal and child health
- Paediatrics
- Orthopaedics
- Palliative care
- Cancer care
- Rehabilitation
- Geriatric care
- Allied health
- Medical imaging
- Pharmacy, and
- Dialysis.
Top End Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs Service
The Top End Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs service is comprised of 2 work units:
- the Top End Mental Health Service (TEMHS); and
- the Alcohol and Other Drugs Service (AODS).
Top End Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs service provide services to the Darwin urban (including Palmerston), Darwin rural, East Arnhem and the Katherine health districts.
TEMHS is a specialist clinical service that provides assessment, treatment and therapeutic intervention for people experiencing a mental illness or mental health problem. Priority access to mental health services is determined in accordance with clinical need and risk assessments. TEMHS is comprised of the following services:
- Mental Health Access Team
- Cowdy Ward
- Joan Ridley Unit
- Youth Inpatient Program
- Darwin and Palmerston Adult Mental Health
- Remote Mental Health
- Perinatal Mental Health
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health
- Forensic Mental Health
Specialist mental health services are provided by NT Health in urban, rural and remote communities to people who are experiencing significant difficulties in their day-to-day life because of mental health problems or mental illness.
People will normally be referred to the service or will become service users after an attendance at a hospital emergency department or local health centre.
Mental health clinicians’ work closely with General Practitioners and other government and non-government care providers to ensure the best recovery focused outcomes for service users.
Importance is placed on culturally secure service provision, which includes the routine use of interpreters, the employment of Aboriginal Mental Health Workers and Practitioners and collaboration with Ngangkari (traditional healers) and Aboriginal Health Workers in rural and remote communities.
Services are delivered within legal and regulatory parameters, established at Commonwealth and Northern Territory levels, and in fulfilment of international treaties. The primary operational legal principles and parameters are contained in the Mental Health and Related Services Act 1998 and related documentation.
Mental health services also have dedicated quality and education teams who coordinate and deliver mental health related education to staff, as well as coordinate and undertake continuous quality improvement activities across the services.
Population and Primary Health Care
Population and Primary Health Care provides care in the following areas:
- Public Health including the Centre for Disease Control and Environmental Health
- Oral Health
- Cancer Screening Services
- Community Allied Health and Aged Care Services
- Hearing Services
- Outreach Services
- Prison Health
- Remote Health Centres including, but not limited to Pirlangimpi, Belyuen, Milikapiti, Batchelor, Peppimenarti, Nauiyu, Borroloola, and Wadeye.
Remote Aboriginal communities offer exciting opportunities for experienced Primary Health Care Nurses and Medical Officers to make a difference in the health of the community. The positions contribute to improving the health and wellbeing of families living in remote communities in the Top End. The primary objective of these dynamic positions is to work collaboratively with community members and the broader multi-disciplinary team in the delivery of preventative health programs - adult health, maternal health, under 5’s, youth & adolescent health and management of chronic conditions. These roles contribute to community health action by targeting and improving health outcomes, promoting wellbeing, treating illness, maintaining health systems and provide education and training to community based workers and junior staff members.
These positions offer an exciting experience living and working in remote communities in the Top End of Australia, There is many opportunities to enjoy camping, off road tracks and exploration of the region. Permits are available from the Traditional Owners and Local Community Councils.
There is also a wide range of highly-skilled and qualified specialist clinics, GP practices and other health sector services throughout Darwin. Several Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations operate across the area including the Danila Dilba Health Services.
In addition, there are specialist outreach services provided out of the region to other urban centres and surrounding communities on a regular basis. The schedule is updated daily here.
Working in the Top End
In addition to the Health, the Top End offers employment opportunities across several government and private enterprise industries including tourism, horticulture, forestry, education and mining.
Darwin is home to the Robertson, Larrakeyah and Coonawarra Defence Barracks and the RAAF base, a large employer across the region.
Property in the Top End
The Top End has a range of home options to suit your lifestyle. Homes are designed with outdoor living in mind - from spacious inner-city apartments with balconies to sprawling acreage properties with large outdoor entertaining areas.
For information on the real estate market in the Northern Territory, check your favourite online real estate website for accommodation options.
Childcare and Education
A wide variety of childcare and educational choices are available across Darwin and the Top End remote areas ranging from public government provided schools to private Catholic, Lutheran and independent non-denominational colleges.
The standard curriculum program is free for all students enrolled in government schools.
Charles Darwin University provides an extensive range of higher education and vocational education and training options available both on campus and online. Darwin is the best place in Australia for graduates to find employment with 71.8% of undergraduates living in Darwin gaining full-time employment four months after completing their degree.
The Weather
The Top End is known for its tropical climate and unlike the rest of Australia, it only has 2 seasons - the Dry and the Wet.
During the Dry season Top End residents enjoy blue skies, and average of sunny 32℃ days and 20℃ nights. The humidity drops to a comfortable 60-65%, making it the perfect condition for outdoor living.
The Wet season generally starts in November/December and usually ends in April. Temperatures will reach the mid-30 ℃ and an increase in humidity, brings refreshing monsoonal rains and spectacular storms.
Testimonials
A great lifestyle goes with the Territory. Discover what the locals have to say about living in the Northern Territory’s Top End
Greater career opportunity goes with the territory.
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