Anyone in Rockhampton? moving soon

Hi, I am planning to move to Rockhampton from South Australia (been there 18 months originally from UK) in the next couple of months. I have been provisionally offered a position at the hospital. I will be moving with my husband and 3 Kids (9, 6 and 4). Any advice on areas, schools etc would be great. I have heard mixed reviews on Rockhampton but am a firm believer it is what you make it.

Any Poms out there that can shed some light on the area?

Lianne

Hi Lianne,

We've been here 6 months. We were a little worried too initially but it's been great. Fantastic mild winters but it apparently can get hot and humid for a few months in summer. Lot's of sunshine. The beach is just a 45min drive away. You are able to get most things locally and Brisbane is a short 1hour flight away.

Some great private and public schools. The Rockhampton Grammar School and Rockhampton Girls Grammar school are really good private options and Frenchville State School is highly recommended as well.

The hospital is on the south side while most of the shopping is on the north. But they are only about 15-20 mins drive apart. Lot's of available housing...buyers/renter's market now.

Let me know if you have any other questions. When do you start at the hospital?

Regards,

Hi, I am planning to move to Rockhampton from South Australia (been there 18 months originally from UK) in the next couple of months. I have been provisionally offered a position at the hospital. I will be moving with my husband and 3 Kids (9, 6 and 4). Any advice on areas, schools etc would be great. I have heard mixed reviews on Rockhampton but am a firm believer it is what you make it.

 

Any Poms out there that can shed some light on the area?

 

Lianne

Hi Lianne,

We've been here 6 months. We were a little worried too initially but it's been great. Fantastic mild winters but it apparently can get hot and humid for a few months in summer. Lot's of sunshine. The beach is just a 45min drive away. You are able to get most things locally and Brisbane is a short 1hour flight away.

Some great private and public schools. The Rockhampton Grammar School and Rockhampton Girls Grammar school are really good private options and Frenchville State School is highly recommended as well.

The hospital is on the south side while most of the shopping is on the north. But they are only about 15-20 mins drive apart. Lot's of available housing...buyers/renter's market now.

Let me know if you have any other questions. When do you start at the hospital?

Regards,

We we have an estimated start date of 28th November. Currently living in a small town called mount gambier only 26000 people so we are used to the regional lifestyle. We are looking forward to the warm weather. We moved to Australia and landed somewhere that appears to rain more than England! Where did you come from initially? We are looking forward to the move and making more friends ?

We've been through Mt.Gambier...loved the blue lake!

Location wise, there are some areas you should probably stay away from, Depot Hill near the railway station isn't great. Also check with your agent/council web page regarding flooding. Some areas near the river and its tributaries have been known to flood. There are council maps for this. Most locations around the hospital are popular and safe. Prepare yourself for the drive into town from the airport when you 1st arrive if you've never seen a Queenslander house. Lot's of them on the south-side. Areas on the north-side to look into are Norman Gardens and Frenchville. Newer brick houses are easier to find on the north-side. Make sure all your rooms are air-conditioned. You'll need it in summer!

Some people do prefer to stay at Yeppoon or Emu park and commute 45 mins to work. It's usually a couple of degrees cooler on the coast and there are nice beaches. Depends what your shifts are like I suppose.

If you're thinking public school, Frenchville state school is zoned and you may have to live within the zone to qualify. I can't think of any thing else at the moment, but if you have any specific questions d let me know.

It was quite depressing when we 1st decided to move here...very little positive information regarding Rockhampton on the net...but it's better than it's made out to be...Good luck with your move Lianne1985!

We we have an estimated start date of 28th November. Currently living in a small town called mount gambier only 26000 people so we are used to the regional lifestyle. We are looking forward to the warm weather. We moved to Australia and landed somewhere that appears to rain more than England! Where did you come from initially? We are looking forward to the move and making more friends 珞

Hi it looks like we are moving up to Rocky in January! We have been in Melbourne for the last 8 years but my hubbie has just been offered a job at the hospital there. As I will be on maternity leave next year, looks like a good opportunity to go for an adventure for a few years! We have 2 kids - 5. 2 and one on the way! Any advice on schools, where to live etc would be fab

Hi,

Your 5 yr old should be in Year 1 next year, I'm assuming. The Rockhampton Grammar School is great. It's private and not too unaffordable. Close to the hospital. Frenchville State School is very highly recommended as well.

I've given some advice on neighbourhoods above. It's still valid. If you have any specific questions about Rockhampton, I'd be happy to try and help answer them.

Lisa Kibblewhite <registrar@rgs.qld.edu.au> is the admissions registrar at the Grammar School.

Good luck!

great thanks dv4. We have been in touch with the girls grammar and the grammar and are planning on having a look at them and Frenchville. The neighbourhood advice is very useful as well. I think it is just a case of checking it all out next week when we are visiting and going from there!

So we arrived today right in the middle of a storm! Had a lovely dinner out and ready to explore tomorrow

So we arrived today right in the middle of a storm! Had a lovely dinner out and ready to explore tomorrow?

Welcome Lianne1985 and family! it's been quite hot the last few days so everyone's been waiting for the rain...it should make your exploring a little more comfortable. Home Rental/Sale listings are usually in today's(saturday) supplement of The Morning Bulletin (the local daily).

Good luck!

Hi Lianne, we probably passed you in the airport as we had a last minute trip to Rocky last week and came back to Melbourne yesterday. Our plane was delayed because of the storm and we only just made our connection! We had a really good trip and liked the place. So as long as the job offer comes through, I think we will also be joining you in January :smile: We are looking at the cost of shipping our stuff and cars etc or do we drive up.... Did you ship your car? if so, who did you use etc and was it straightforward?

Good luck with starting the new job!