Population boost sees thousands enjoying their first Northern Territory Christmas

AS COVID-19 has sent southerners in droves to the NT, thousands of people are getting ready to enjoy their first ever Territory Christmas

Kathryn and Neil Bensley recently moved to the NT from NSW and are spending their first Christmas in the Territory. Picture: Che Chorley

AS COVID-19 has sent southerners in droves to the NT, thousands of people are getting ready to have their first ever Territory Christmas.

Since the start of December, almost 9000 people have travelled to the NT for holidays, and almost 800 have moved up here.

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Two of those people are Kathryn and Neil Bensley, who made the move to Darwin from New South Wales a few weeks ago and are spending Christmas in the Hidden Valley Holiday Park until they find their permanent home in the Territory.

“We moved up for work and career opportunities, I work in health. We got out (of NSW) just in the nick of time.” Mrs Bensley said.

Kathryn and Neil Bensley recently moved to the NT from NSW. They've done up their cabin with Christmas decorations as they spend their first Christmas in the Territory. Picture: Che Chorley

“We love it here, we don’t want to go anywhere else.

“We’re going to do a big, traditional lunch for Christmas this year, just the two of us.”

After travelling to Darwin a number of times in the dry season, Melbourne couple Ron and Helen Rowe escaped Victoria to spend their first wet season, including Christmas, in the Top End.

“We’re going to spend Christmas Day with some friends from Melbourne who live up here, their parents are coming up from Melbourne too,” Mrs Rowe said.

“It’s going to be a very Melbourne Christmas in Darwin.”

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Manager of the Hidden Valley Holiday Park, Dani Walter, said this December is one of the park’s busiest in years, with the park almost completely booked out with holiday-makers over the Christmas and New Year period.