Shipping containers Palmerston.

Established suburbs: carports and verges

In Gray, Driver, Moulden and Woodroffe, most houses have a driveway leading to a carport, with some room at the side. A 20ft usually fits, but look for overhanging trees and low carport roofs, since a tilt-tray has to tip its deck to unload. Photos of the driveway and the spot let us confirm.

If the verge is the only option, ask the City of Palmerston first. Keep the footpath clear, and avoid the drains and service pits that sit in many verges here.

Zuccoli, Johnston and building sites

Palmerston’s newer suburbs are busy with house construction, and builders and trades use hired containers as lockable site storage. Lots are smaller, so place the container clear of the slab, the driveway and the neighbour’s boundary, and keep a path open for the truck to collect it.

Some of these estates have design guidelines about visible storage and outbuildings. Check your land contract or estate guidelines, as well as the City, if the container is going to stay after the house is finished.

Yarrawonga and business storage

Yarrawonga is Palmerston’s light industrial area, with trade suppliers, workshops and service businesses. Containers here hold stock, tools and equipment. Many units share a yard, so agree with the landlord and neighbours where the container goes and keep the access clear for deliveries.

For shops and service businesses near the city centre, check the lease and parking arrangements. A container in a car bay may leave the site short of the parking its approval requires.

Wet season access

Palmerston gets heavy rain through the wet, and unsealed ground and lawns can become too soft for a loaded truck. Sealed driveways and hardstand are usually fine. If the spot is on grass, choose a position near the sealed surface or plan the placement for the dry.

Keep the container off low spots where water collects after storms. A cargo-worthy or new single-trip container is sold wind and watertight from above, but surface water can get in at the door seals. As-is units are not sold watertight.

Approvals and anchoring

Palmerston is in a cyclone region. Whether a container needs anchoring, and how, depends on the site and how long it stays, so ask a building certifier or engineer. Planning and building questions in the Territory go through the NT planning system and building certifiers, while the City of Palmerston looks after verges and local roads.

We can supply the dimensions and weights your certifier needs. We do not give tie-down advice.

Schools, clubs and community events

Schools, sporting clubs and community groups use containers to keep equipment secure between seasons and events. On council land, the City needs to agree the position and how the truck will get there. Ovals and parks can be soft in the wet, so plan the placement for firmer ground.

Moving house and renovations

Palmerston has a lot of households on the move, whether renting between houses, arriving on a new posting or waiting on a build. A container on the driveway holds furniture and boxes until the next place is ready, without paying for a storage unit across town. It also suits renovations, keeping furniture out of the way while floors or kitchens are redone.

Before booking, check where the container can sit without blocking the carport or a neighbour’s driveway, and whether your lease allows it if you are renting. Some rental agreements need the owner’s approval for anything placed on the property.

Heat and what goes inside

A steel container in the Top End sun gets much hotter inside than the air around it. Tools, outdoor furniture and packed boxes of household goods usually cope. Electronics, candles, medicines, food and anything with batteries are better kept inside the house. Moisture absorbers and pallets under furniture help with the humidity.

What to send with your enquiry

Your suburb, the driveway or site surface, any estate guidelines, and photos of the approach and the spot.