Chels

BTW, I am a geezer :-)

Shellybingobingo........ 2:1 for me not 4:1. :-) 2 Months off a year too :-) Have done 7/7 and will do again in couple years. For now, 2:1 suits :-) Many work away, here and in U.K. Forces people for one, as well as Rig workers, merchant seafarers..... to name a few. :-) Its all relative. For some it suits, for others not. If it did not for me, i would do something else. I feel privelidged to do what i do for BHP Billiton :-) All good people :-) All the best to you all on your own respective journeys :-) Cheers.

I had to laugh....!! No not me.

Hell im happy. :-) I think you guys need to re-read my posts..... I am not conceited either. Saying about earnings, cars n **** is about simply what i have acheived here that was not possible in U.K. Prior to mining i was in a business which folded due to 2008 GFC. Nearly lost everything and had to start from scratch. Rather than wallow in pity, i dusted down, got in mining through sheer persistence (survival to feed, house and support family kinda kick in...) and mining is my saviour. :-) I work and worked damn hard. Real hard to afford lifestyle. Australia gives this U.K is much much harder for that. I do not mean to disrespect others and i apologise if thats the case. never an intention. Defensive? Me? LoL, never in my life. Really. Never. Anyone who knows me would find that incredibly funny :-) Finally, me needing help....... Hmmm another funny one that. My life has been pretty well about helping others..... Here in Oz and in U.K. I am a giver not a taker. But i do live my life and i enjoy it :-) One tends to when they have experienced pain.....

Good on you. Happy that you are taking a positive step forward.

Can't you read? Read the thread from the start and the penny might just drop......

Hell yes i am happier. (i dont wear a frock hahaha) With my bonus it almost 200k ayear. Now, my motivator is not money. Hell, i had it tight here as well as back in blighty. Have had good and then bad. Here in 2008 when GFC kicked in i suffered (was mining contractor and ABN for Training/Assesment for mining and also for transport training.) Was a month away from losing my house. Was to the wire........... its the 2nd mining dip since i have been here and i am still here. :-) a boom will arise again because same was said last time on the 1st crash. And ..... we had another boom. Now a crash........ and it will rise again. I am in a secure mine with BHP. An Assest mine. Still taking on people to bring crew numbers up. House prices not going up everywhere.......... Australia is having a dip as it rode the storm of previous few year. But....... opportunity exist here. Far more than U.K. You must be seeing with a closed mind and eyes shut. I LOVE what i do in mining. I stay away for 2 weeks but home for one week too. I also have paid holiday so if i take a swing off (2 weeks) i have a month off :-) I have 4 weeks holiday a year. So i do have quality time at home. Also, there re flexible rosters with BHP and an example are 2 crew members that alternate rosters, eg work for 2 weeks, week off then roster 2 week off then week off then return fpr 2 weeks. Or there is a 2 week on roster then 2 week off roster. 100k for working 6 months a year....... Just because mining boom over does not mean its ended. Does not mean mining ended. Does not mean mining jobs not available. It means the lazy and half motivated/driven whinging people have to try harder....... I had it tough here, but i fought for what i wanted and have a lifestyle and future that suits my wife and i to a tee. Like i said, nearly lost it all in GFC 2008 crash but i turned it around. I appreciate what i have. I live in the tropics of northern beaches in Cairns and love where i live. Australia pisses all over England and always will. And this comes from an englishman..... I am coming back to England next April for 6 weeks (long leave) :-) and i will enjoy it as before, but i will enjoy leaving for home (Australia) As for whinging poms complaining of lack of sun or too much sun........ Jeez..!!!! Aussies here gradually found out i was not of same mould as other poms who quite frankly, are an embarassment to my previous homeland.........

Do it. You must. Many opinions here are wrong. Did you read mine elsewhere here on forum? I am a Londoner born now turned Aussie! lol. I have lived here since 2006 and on the Northern Beaches. My wofe and step daughter (who was 7 when we moved here) love it here. Its PERFECT for kids as well as adults. Dangerous?? No no no. Not at all. There are 'nasties' here, in the air and sea and land but unless you are ignorant, stupid/dumb, reckless you will be FINE!! :-) You will so regret not taking a chance and plea, one thing you must do is give it TIME. You will acclimatise and it is humid just a few months a year. It can offer a hell of a lifestyle. We adore it here. Was tough to start but my god........ its amazing to think where we are, what we have as in a richness of life! If you end up staying, get a rental or buy a house with a pool. very handy that :-) Also, the northen Beaches the best by far. Areas of the south of Cairns are good, some not so good......

A reply from someone that does not know the full facts of living there. How do i know...? I am from London (born) and have lived in Cairns since Dec 2006. I work in W.A (mining) in 48degree heat so i know extremes of weather all round Australia.......... Have experienced 2 major cat 5 cyclones since living here (Larry and Yasi) so i know the extremes of tropical weather. Opressive? Not at all. Different...? Yes.

Why have you chosen Cairns? Was it because of a holiday visit? Or looked good on 'Wish You Were Here? Let me tell you about Cairns.......... I live in Kewarra Beach on the Northern Beaches 20mins drive north of Cairns CBD area. Been living in Cairns since December 2006........ :-) 6 months before that was in Adelaide. Migrated to Oz May 2006. Now, Cairns is simply paradise. Perfect? No. But paradise..... Yes. There are many opinions from people that do not fully know, been to, or stayed a lengthy time in Cairns that get it wrong. Is Cairns an easy place to live? Yes and no. It is stunningly beautiful and offers a fabulous lifestyle. I am a London born city boy so i know about climatising!! I have a house with a pool (a must have) and i enjoy swimming in the sea (May to mid Novemebr mainly) and the rivers, creeks and water holes out n about here. Stingers (Box Jellies and mainly Irukanji..) frequent the sea Mid Nov to end April/Mid May. I tend to not go in the sea then. But i have a pool :-) There are plenty of creeks and lovely water ways to swim :-) Also there is a fabulous water park coming our way soon. That will be happening after a couple of false dawns. There is so much to do here and its clean fresh, green and vibrant. Do your homework...... research........ and it depends what you are looking for. Now in July weather is great, hardly any humidity at all. And cooler (still mid 20's in the day and around 8 to 12 deg at night) Heaven. :-) Peak time for weather is Jan/Feb/March/April for heat n humidity. But there is aircon n cars, houses, shps etc...... cool creeks etc. But the key thing is it take a good couple wet seasons to adapt, to CLIMATISE. Give it time, allow yourself to climatise and you will adapt. Dengue Fever etc exists, but is rare. Its not that common. Mainly idown to poor preparation. I got Ross River AND Leptisporosis at the same time during 2nd year living in Cairns and i was so damn ill. Put me off work for 6 months. first 3 months i could barely move or get out of bed. Felt like death........ And i am a fit healthy guy too. But i got over it, Doc said 'welcome to the tropics' and said he was impressed how tough poms are. :-) But i got better and got on woth life. Its a distant memory. Now, unless you have a job lined up its very hard to obtain good work here. Not impossible, but will take some time maybe...... I came here with no work lined up and i simply prepared myself, networked and got out there. I found something. Was not great pay and not ideal but it was a START. :-) It led to another job and so on...... :-) You see, its all relative :-) Now...... some years on i live in a detached 4 bed house, good size pool, lovely part of Kewarra Beach, 2 BMW,s about to obtain a Dodge Viper (American muscle car) Got a classic motorcycle, i dont worry about paying bills, mortgage because i work in W.A as a FIFO miner for BHP Billiton. I now earn 190,000 dollars a year. My wofe she is a hairdresser and earns around 47,000 dollars a year. Over a handful of years we have simpy stuck it out and adapted to circumstances, situations etc and climatised and embraced the environment. It really is a paradise lifestyle we have. Its awesome. But you have got to want it, desire it, dig in and set the roots down. It WILL happen if you want it :-) There is so much more here and if you want to know more...... email me markfairbank@bigpond.com or call us here in Oz (07) 40579447

Good luck guys. :-) Best advice i can give................ Never give up! You will come across difficulties here n there but there are always solutions :-) Bottom line is Australia really is the land of opportunity and choices! If you want it bad enough you will get it.

Spot on comment reply there by canadianaussie :-) I live in Cairns (Northern Beaches) and love it. I am a London bred man, and when i first came to Oz in 2006, we moved to Adelaide. 6 months later (we didnt settle or feel in 'real australia') we moved to Cairns. Simply put, since moving from U.K to Oz in 2006, the first 3 years were difficult, (ups n downs n some real lows......) but determination and simply the will to make it happen it all starts to fall into place....... :-) I work for BHP Billiton in mining earning big big money. Absolutely love it. I work in W.A........... :-) so i live east work west!! Anyway, Darwin........... i have friends there that enjoy it and offers similar lifestyle to Cairns where i live. Now......... i will say one thing, the first wet season (height of heat n humidity) will be tough for you. Acclimatise.....!!! Give it a year or two and you adjust. Your body adjust to a degree as in gets used to it. Its all relative. I find it easier by miles here in Cairns. Been here nearly 9 years in Cairns and i can say that the first year maybe 2 years were tough climate wise, but......... over the years you acclimatise. :-) Living in the NT will give you a fabulous rich experience. :-) If after a year or two, Darwin dosent quite tick all the boxes, do what many do, pop down to Cairns :-) Offers similar to Darwin but a little easier. :-)

UK on the up? Are you mad?? People return to U.K for all sorts of reasons and few years ago, i considered it. Many reasons i see when people return is they do not give it enough time here to settle and establish roots, do not network properly, do not research and also, do not have enough determination.............. I have been here since 2006, have had tough first 3 years here, but now......... i work in mining earning 188,000 dollars a year. I have a lovely detached house in Cairns, by the beach (barrier reef....) double garage, 2 BMWs, a classic motorcycle, about to buy Dodge Viper (American muscle car...) Not a bloody chance i could have this in U.K. Not by a long way. Australia is not perfect, is not a country that gives opportunity on a plate, but........ it can offer opportunities to many people from all walks of life far more than the U.K can. By a country mile. I have returned to visit U.K couple times and enjoyed it, but...... i always see the reminders why i left. Australia is my home. My heart lives here and it is an amazing country of diverse areas, cultures, ways of life and OPPORTUNITY.

Good luck :-) Allied {pickfords we used in 2006 when we moved over. They were fairly cheap but they were good. Its important to know your stuff will be delivered correctly....... I live in Cairns, QLD (Tropical heaven...) and i work in W.A (in mining industry in the middle of W.A (Pilbara region) We first went to Adelaide, stayed there 6 months and moved away to Cairns as could not settle in Adelaide. Having said that, it was difficult in Cairns too for first year or two. But........ this is the key, you HAVE to dig in, and give time to settle, adjust, get right job, get right house etc etc.......... Now........ i have a 180,000 dollar year job, a lovely 4 bed house with pool near the beck in tropical Cairns by the barrier reef. A lifestyle i could never have dreamed of in U.K. But i worked damn hard to acheive it. You guys ok on places to stay, work schools and so on ?

Hi, I have lived in Oz (Cairns) for 7 years. Started in Adelaide for 6 months prior to that. Love it here. If i went back to U.K the things i love and would miss are…. My FIFO job with BHP Billiton I live east but fly to work (West in Pilbara) every two weeks. On 186,000 Salary package. NEVER in i million miles will i get anywhere near that in U.K Would miss my house 15min walk from Kewarra Beach (where i live in Cairns) Would miss my swimming pool at the back (nothing beats lazing in pool at night in warm water, in warm weather in a tropical saltwater pool…) Miss the fact its easy to drive to the various beaches and find somewhere to park quickly and mostly no charge for parking. So stress free… Would miss the diversity of the whole of Australia. Would miss the weather. Loads of guaranteed sunshine. Love the rain here in tropics in wet season :-) Would miss Aussie friends/humour. They are generally far more friendly and much less flakey than the Brits. Would miss fact i feel more at home here than i did in few years prior to leaving U.K (meaning; i got sick n tired of feeling like a foreigner in my own country) Would miss the crystal waters, the rain forests, the reef, the red dirt (Pilbara) the free BBQ's that are by beaches, parks etc, ease of getting around (except Sydney….. which is Aussie London) great restaurants, cafes, shops, markets, Oz humour, a culture of diverse people and cultures but unlike U.K it actually works here. I have been back to U.K once for a months (last year) for 1st time in almost 8 years since migrating to Oz. I loved it more than i thought i would but…. as much as i found it emotional leaving to come home (back to Cairns) as soon as i landed on Aussie soil i actually felt inside a strong sense of calm, of reurning home, of a sense of where my home truly is. :-) England was once a place i was born, was a big part of my life, but Australia is my home now. England is where i used to live and now visit. I am popping back very soon for a quick two week stint and looking forward to it. But i am just visiting……. :-)