Child Care Darwin City

Needs Analysis

Darwin City 800 is served by 4 child care centres for an estimated 329 children under 5 — around 2.8 children per long day care place. See how local fees, occupancy and supply gaps compare with Greater Darwin.

Updated October 7, 2026 4 Centres Pop: 8,630
Centres map & directory

Child care centres

Explore centres on the map, filter by type, then review the directory below.

Id Name Type Places Approval Distance (Km) Day Rate Availability

* Click centres on the map for more detail and custom analysis options.

Local supply snapshot

Key metrics

Darwin City compared with Greater Darwin

LDC Providers
LDC Providers
2
69
LDC Places
Total LDC Places
118
5,289
Population
Total Population
8,630
159,966
Per Place
Persons Per Place
73.1
-
Avg Age
Avg Centre Age
14.8 yrs
12 yrs
0-4 Pop
Population 0-4
329
10,494
Kids Per Place
0-4 Per LDC Place
2.79
2
Workforce
Workforce Impact
Exceptional
Standard
School Att
School Attendance
180
-
School Per LDC
School Per LDC Place
1.53
4.6
Avg Fee
Avg LDC Fee ($/day)
$143
$147
Other
Other Places (PSK/OOSH)
75
-

SOURCE: ACECQA, StartingBlocks, ABS data analysed by AreaSearch
Last updated:

Approvals Pipeline Childcare development approvals near Darwin City

Childcare development applications on record across the catchment around Darwin City, from lodgement through to determination. Project-by-project detail — addresses, proposed places and status, drawn from council DA / planning registers — is in the full approvals register on this page.

Development approvals is a new addition to AreaSearch. We’re actively expanding council coverage and refining the dataset — details and statuses for some councils may be partial. Check back regularly for the latest pipeline.
Childcare approvals
4
In the local catchment
Proposed places
80
Where disclosed
Under assessment
0
Awaiting determination
Determined
0
Approved or decided

Most recent projects

  • Change of use from office to child care centre (ground floor tenancies only)

  • A new childcare centre is proposed for 159 Mitchell Street, designed to accommodate 80 children. The project …

    80 proposed places

Free accounts see the two most recent projects above. Sign in or go Pro to unlock the full approvals register on this page — search by address or DA number, filter by status, council and project scale. Data is drawn from council DA / planning registers.

SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.

Darwin City Child Care FAQ
What is the Child Care supply composition of Darwin City?
As of our last update on October 7, 2026, there are 4 child care centres in Darwin City. Of these, 2 centres provide Long Day Care with 118 places, there is one Out of Hours School Care centre that has 75 places, and a single centre providing other child care services. The suburb also contains a single school with 180 enrolments.
What population do these centres in Darwin City service?
AreaSearch's latest population estimate for Darwin City as at August 2026 stands at a total of 8,630 people, of this 329 are estimated to be children under five years of age.
Why do your population numbers differ from Census figures for Darwin City?
Some areas have changed considerably since the 2021 Census was undertaken. At the 2021 Census Darwin City was assessed as having 7,149 people with 258 of these (3.6%) being children under 5yo. Darwin City has seen 911 new addresses added since this time, which, combined with broader ABS population estimates for resident population, leads us to estimate that Darwin City has experienced population growth of approximately 1,481 people from the 2021 Census.
How does the ratio of children per LDC place in Darwin City compare to those in Greater Darwin?
In Darwin City, our latest analysis shows there are 2.8 resident children under 5yo per LDC place. This figure is considerably higher than the 2 children per place across Greater Darwin.
How do childcare fees in Darwin City relate to those in Greater Darwin?
Childcare fees in Darwin City average $143, which is comparable to the regional average of $147 in Greater Darwin.
How does the ratio of school population per LDC place compare in Darwin City and Greater Darwin?
In Darwin City, there are 1.5 students per LDC place. This figure is significantly lower than the 4.6 students per LDC place in Greater Darwin.
What is the average age of Long Daycare Centres in Darwin City?
The average LDC in Darwin City was approved 14.8 years ago, while across Greater Darwin the typical centre approval is 12 years old.
Is the local workforce a significant driver of additional child care demand for Darwin City?
Yes, workforce activity is exceptional in this area and is a major driver of child care demand.
Who would typically use analysis such as this?
Childcare operators, developers, investors and financiers would typically conduct a thorough child care supply and demand analysis (SDA) on Darwin City before allocating the significant amount of capital required. Boundary-based analysis such as this is often used as an initial guide however, and analysis would be undertaken on the specific site adopting a radial, travel time, or custom catchment to take into account nearby competition and demand drivers that would influence a centre's performance.

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