thestantons1 Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Hi, In a matter of weeks my husband and I will be making the move down under. We have lived in WA before and when we came back to the UK just knew we wanted to return to Australia. We have travelled through QLD and loved it! We have been a bit unlucky with visas etc and didn't realize the expense of it all. Finally we have been granted a state sponsored visa by QLD gov. This means we can only live and work in regional areas of QLD. This is the best we could have achieved so we are taking it. We begin our new life very, very soon. If anyone can give us some guidance and help about the move to regional QLD I would be really grateful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birch4 Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Hi there, I can't offer much advice as we are just embarking on this journey too. However, I wanted to say good luck!! I look forward to hearing all about your adventures on here :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thestantons1 Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 Good Luck to you too Birch4- please let me know how it goes for you too. Its nerve racking but exciting at the same time!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobj Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Hi, In a matter of weeks my husband and I will be making the move down under. We have lived in WA before and when we came back to the UK just knew we wanted to return to Australia. We have travelled through QLD and loved it! We have been a bit unlucky with visas etc and didn't realize the expense of it all. Finally we have been granted a state sponsored visa by QLD gov. This means we can only live and work in regional areas of QLD. This is the best we could have achieved so we are taking it. We begin our new life very, very soon. If anyone can give us some guidance and help about the move to regional QLD I would be really grateful. G'day mate, depends on what type of life/work you want; close to cities? Queensland is 7.5 times the size of the UK and the regions differ from lush green areas to desert... Possibly the safest areas for newchums would be Wide Bay Burnett and Darling Downs South West. https://www.business.qld.gov.au/invest/queenslands-regional-locations/map-of-queensland-regions Of course, Mackay Isaac and Whitsunday would be good, too...:laugh: Cheers, Bobj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thestantons1 Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 Thanks Bobj- we have been to Whitsunday region and it was beautiful. Thank you for the link too! We are really excited at the prospect of living in regional QLD! We are not city people and visa restrictions will not allow working in Gold Coast and Greater Brissie. When we travelled through QLD we liked Whitsunday and Sunshine Coast area. Can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobj Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Thanks Bobj- we have been to Whitsunday region and it was beautiful. Thank you for the link too! We are really excited at the prospect of living in regional QLD! We are not city people and visa restrictions will not allow working in Gold Coast and Greater Brissie. When we travelled through QLD we liked Whitsunday and Sunshine Coast area. Can't wait! Just being a nosey old f...f...fella, what kind of work are you looking for? Cheers, Bobj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thestantons1 Posted April 12, 2015 Author Share Posted April 12, 2015 My husband is a bench joiner/cabinet maker and I work in education to try to put students into work placements. It's f...f...frustrating (!) No its fine really! We just fell in love with OZ and want to head back. This regional visa was the quickest, most guaranteed way of getting there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobj Posted April 12, 2015 Share Posted April 12, 2015 Love your attitude. Cheers, Bobj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberta2 Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Depending on what climate you like, you might consider Toowoomba. It's higher and therefore cooler than Brisbane, but not too far away. Has a university. Now also has a privately built and owned airport, first in Australia. What do they mean by "Greater Brisbane"? A lot of Poms, Kiwis and South Africans have moved to Northlakes, about 30K north of the CBD. It's within commuting distance of the northern suburbs of Brisbane, including light industrial areas such as Brendale where hubby might be able to get a job. With coal prices going down, the Qld economy is struggling these days. You would be better off near largish population centres, where jobs are easier to find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina2 Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Toowoomba's economy is still going at full steam. If you do a search on here for Toowoomba you will find quite a bit of information. It is a beautiful area, Toowoomba is the second largest inland city in Qld. You can live with in minuets of the city center or drive 25 minuets out to Highfields area which is the fastest growing suburb in Qld, most homes sit on 1/2 to 1 acre. There is a brand new state high school and a very good prep to 12 catholic school. A new 4 lane road is under construction from the city out to Oakey so areas along that road are opening up. Torrington, Glenvale, Cotswold Hills, Gowrie Junction, Gowrie Mountain and Meringandan West are all only 20 to 25 minuets drive to the city center, that is not to say there are no shops out side of the city there are in fact plenty of smaller shopping complexes, Highfields for example has a large woolworths, post office, chemist, hardware store, hairdresser, coffee shops etc. There is a 500 million dollar expansion of Grand Central Shopping center in the city its self. http://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/toowoombas-500m-shopping-centre-development-starts/2450604/ They are developing the old grotty railway yard area in to accomadation, parkland and shops. http://www.toowoombarc.qld.gov.au/planning-and-building/planning-scheme/11022-toowoomba-railway-parklands As others have said there is now a private airport with international length runway. (Currently domestic flights only) and plans for a huge business park . http://www.wellcamp.com.au/ If you are into night clubs then that is something Toowoomba does not have and to be honest the locals like it that way. As far as schools are concerned you will be spoilt for choice, we have great state schools and top private schools, plenty of good hospitals and once the new freeway goes in between Brisbane and Toowoomba the trip to Brisbane will only be around 1.5 hours. http://www.toowoombarc.qld.gov.au/our-region/transport/toowoomba-bypass. Weather ? Well we are well into Autumn and today is 24c around 15c at night. Yes the 3 months of winter can be a bit cold but summer is lovely around 28c to 32c during the day and around 19c at night and little humitity. Work? plenty of that around if you are in the construction industry, we are on a wait list for a tiler will be around 4 weeks we are told. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Well you picked the best state to get sponsored by :wink::cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberta2 Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Toowoomba's economy is still going at full steam. If you do a search on here for Toowoomba you will find quite a bit of information. It is a beautiful area, Toowoomba is the second largest inland city in Qld. You can live with in minuets of the city center or drive 25 minuets out to Highfields area which is the fastest growing suburb in Qld, most homes sit on 1/2 to 1 acre. There is a brand new state high school and a very good prep to 12 catholic school. A new 4 lane road is under construction from the city out to Oakey so areas along that road are opening up. Torrington, Glenvale, Cotswold Hills, Gowrie Junction, Gowrie Mountain and Meringandan West are all only 20 to 25 minuets drive to the city center, that is not to say there are no shops out side of the city there are in fact plenty of smaller shopping complexes, Highfields for example has a large woolworths, post office, chemist, hardware store, hairdresser, coffee shops etc. There is a 500 million dollar expansion of Grand Central Shopping center in the city its self. http://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/toowoombas-500m-shopping-centre-development-starts/2450604/ They are developing the old grotty railway yard area in to accomadation, parkland and shops. http://www.toowoombarc.qld.gov.au/planning-and-building/planning-scheme/11022-toowoomba-railway-parklands As others have said there is now a private airport with international length runway. (Currently domestic flights only) and plans for a huge business park . http://www.wellcamp.com.au/ If you are into night clubs then that is something Toowoomba does not have and to be honest the locals like it that way.As far as schools are concerned you will be spoilt for choice, we have great state schools and top private schools, plenty of good hospitals and once the new freeway goes in between Brisbane and Toowoomba the trip to Brisbane will only be around 1.5 hours. http://www.toowoombarc.qld.gov.au/our-region/transport/toowoomba-bypass. Weather ? Well we are well into Autumn and today is 24c around 15c at night. Yes the 3 months of winter can be a bit cold but summer is lovely around 28c to 32c during the day and around 19c at night and little humitity. Work? plenty of that around if you are in the construction industry, we are on a wait list for a tiler will be around 4 weeks we are told. Yes, Toowoomba is the gateway to the Surat Basin, site of one of two of Queensland's large Coal Seam Gas projects. It's not without controversy of course. But if you are looking for a pleasant place to live, which should have a decent economy for the foreseeable future, it could be a good choice. It's also a paradise for gardeners, with many varieties that grow in colder climates. Has a Festival of Flowers in the spring. Must go one of these years... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina2 Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Yes, Toowoomba is the gateway to the Surat Basin, site of one of two of Queensland's large Coal Seam Gas projects. It's not without controversy of course. But if you are looking for a pleasant place to live, which should have a decent economy for the foreseeable future, it could be a good choice. It's also a paradise for gardeners, with many varieties that grow in colder climates. Has a Festival of Flowers in the spring. Must go one of these years... Yep Carnival of flowers is in September. Motels are booked out months in advance. Toowoomba has some of the most beautiful parks you could ask for. Queens Park is lovely as are the Japanese Gardens which are part of the University of Southern Qld. Use to be a very basic country town but not now the place is powering ahead, but what we love is that there are many areas locked in as "rural" but only 20 minuets or so from the center of the city. Hodsonvale is another lovely area but a lot more expencive than the Northside due to it being only about 15 minuets from the center of town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thestantons1 Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 Depending on what climate you like, you might consider Toowoomba. It's higher and therefore cooler than Brisbane, but not too far away. Has a university. Now also has a privately built and owned airport, first in Australia. What do they mean by "Greater Brisbane"? A lot of Poms, Kiwis and South Africans have moved to Northlakes, about 30K north of the CBD. It's within commuting distance of the northern suburbs of Brisbane, including light industrial areas such as Brendale where hubby might be able to get a job. With coal prices going down, the Qld economy is struggling these days. You would be better off near largish population centres, where jobs are easier to find. Thanks Roberta2- Toowoomba looks very interesting! Had not considered it before (not sure why) will look into it further........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thestantons1 Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 Thank you so much Tina2- lots of useful information! We are def considering Toowoomba now. The biggest problem is how I pronounce it! I am saying Toombawoomba which I know is not right but I can't help myself!! It seems a very promising place to start a new life in Oz! We are so excited! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thestantons1 Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 I agree lastonealive! We are thrilled! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jac2011 Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 I am heading to Townsville and after lots of research feel like it's a quiet hidden secret that Townsvillers don't like to share. Sounds like the perfect lifestyle up there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thestantons1 Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 Hi Jac 2011- Yes I have been to Townsville. I remember there being lots of facilities- banks, postie etc and the weather was gorgeous. We didn't spend that long there but what we did see of the suburbs I liked. I loved Magnetic Island too- really nice little Island. We are going ahead of you- we are flying in June. There is so much to do before we go- its overwhelming isn't it? It will be worth it I am sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jac2011 Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 It certainly is, I am struggling to find some decent short term accommodation at present and it is sending my doolally! There are 5 of us so we are limited and hotel accommodation is out the question. I hear the job market is really good in Townsville and I love the cost of the housing as it means we can have a better quality of life by being financially less strained than in the UK. It appears to have all the shopping, clubs and activities we could be looking for and like you mention the bonus of Magnetic Island on our doorstep. We haven't been but we are in contact with a few locals who really sing it's praises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobj Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Used to love going along Ruthven St, Toowoomba when the jacarandas were in flower...One very pretty city indeed. Post #4 http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/new-south-wales/129705-i-saw-my-first-jacaranda-coming-out-today-its-like-seeing-first-bluebell.html Cheers, Bobj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina2 Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 It certainly is, I am struggling to find some decent short term accommodation at present and it is sending my doolally! There are 5 of us so we are limited and hotel accommodation is out the question. I hear the job market is really good in Townsville and I love the cost of the housing as it means we can have a better quality of life by being financially less strained than in the UK. It appears to have all the shopping, clubs and activities we could be looking for and like you mention the bonus of Magnetic Island on our doorstep. We haven't been but we are in contact with a few locals who really sing it's praises. Just be aware of the humidity some find it hard to deal with, also check the cyclone rating on any home you consider buying, and learn about box jellyfish. http://qldbeaches.com/stingers.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bradburns Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 I am heading to Townsville and after lots of research feel like it's a quiet hidden secret that Townsvillers don't like to share. Sounds like the perfect lifestyle up there. Hi jac2011, Great to hear that your plans are coming together and well done on your job offer. I'm still waiting for a date to sit the IELTS that I'm not working! How come you decided to go with Townsville in the end? Was it better than your offer from Hollywood, WA? Just curious as I would prefer to find work in Queensland, just thought they were few and far between. Cheers ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramot Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Hi jac2011, Great to hear that your plans are coming together and well done on your job offer. I'm still waiting for a date to sit the IELTS that I'm not working! How come you decided to go with Townsville in the end? Was it better than your offer from Hollywood, WA? Just curious as I would prefer to find work in Queensland, just thought they were few and far between. Cheers Sorry if I am wrong but were you here quite some time ago? Student visa or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jac2011 Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Hi jac2011, Great to hear that your plans are coming together and well done on your job offer. I'm still waiting for a date to sit the IELTS that I'm not working! How come you decided to go with Townsville in the end? Was it better than your offer from Hollywood, WA? Just curious as I would prefer to find work in Queensland, just thought they were few and far between. Cheers Hello :-) Well the job offer came up, I love QLD and they have gone above and beyond with support so I currently feel obliged to go ahead. The contact I had at Hollywood left and I didn't get any reasonable response from the team up at Hollywood. I did get a positive response from Joondalup which was tempting but she could not offer me a telephone interview, just an interview on arrival so I went with the permanent offer. I know in Townsville I believe they are always looking for mental health workers, and my ex-mentor from uni she is down in Brisbane and states there is plenty of work on offer at the moment. She was a band 6 in the UK. IELTS was a nightmare, I had to wait till the end of my uni course to slot it in as I couldn't do with the stress of shifts before or afterwards. Just take your time and I am sure it will go fine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jac2011 Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Just be aware of the humidity some find it hard to deal with, also check the cyclone rating on any home you consider buying, and learn about box jellyfish. http://qldbeaches.com/stingers.html I think houses since around 1980 (dont quote me on that) have to be able to stand up to cyclone force 4 or something like that... We are going for a new build so we will be focussing more on the flood risk. Though I think a lot of Townsville isn't prone to flooding too badly. I understand the humidity is high but I have been reassured by a few other brits there that once you get over a year you kind of acclimatise. Until then, we will be the ones with our heads in our fridge! As for the box jellyfish, this currently isn't an issue. I am scared of any fish and cant go near any water with fish in it! Until I get over that fear jellyfish will be my last problem. But yeah, there are multiple open swimming pools for use for the public that I can't wait to utilise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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