Nats

Hi Lukepom, can't offer you first hand advice about life in Townsville, because I don't live there YET! But I can assure you that you won't be the only Pom in town. We relocate to Townsville (from Brisbane) in 8 weeks time. It does look nice in pictures.. but pictures can be deceiving lol. I visited last month and was immediately struck by how BROWN and dry the land was. After my initial gasp of horror and a few days of driving around I relaxed a bit and found it rather appealing. I guess it really comes down to what your after in life. My friends (I have a few in Townsville already) have told me it will take at least 6 months to adapt to life in Townsville (I don't mean acclimatise - that I fear will take longer). We have lived in Perth and we have lived in Brisbane, we have travelled Australia extensively in the 6+ years we have been here. If the job opportunity is a good one, and as you say, it's time for a change.. why not give it a go? It doesn't have to be forever. We're giving it 18 months. In that time we plan to enjoy weekends camping in the areas surrounding Townsville, getting out into the barrier reef and living a more simple existence, because life in the city isn't for us. If you favour city life then I don't think Townsville will appeal at all. Good of luck with your decision

Stace, if your really desperate for some wildlife encounters Catch a bus to Pinnaroo Memorial. I know, sounds really morbid.. but it's a lovely cemetery. We used to go often because I'm a sucker for Roo's. And take the train South down to Penguin Island. It's not far from Mandurah / secret Harbour (I'm shocking with suburbs South of Perth) but it's a lovely cheap day out. Obviously you've got to do Rotto, and that will set you back some $$. North beach just south of Sorrento/ Hillarys was always good for dolphin spotting and if you have access to a snorkel you don't have to go in too deep to see lots of colourful fish. That used to be my Sunday morning treat. There's lots of large colourful crabs on the rocks too :-)

Sounds like you've had a bit of a rough time of it health wise Pom Queen. I admire the way you push on and stay positive. I'm not sure how I'd cope if either of us were to become seriously unwell or suffer chronic health problems, it does cross my mind on occasion as I see lots of scary stuff at work. Never entered my mind when I was planning this adventure from Scotland funny enough! Something potential migrants should really weigh up. Since having my little one I can't help but worry 'what if?'. Thankful for my private Health cover, touch wood I never need to use it! You mention high rates of crime, I'm hearing a lot about youth crime in Townsville, some try to brush it under the carpet but it does concern me slightly. I've added lots of Townsville pages to my Facebook account, trying to find playgroups, mums groups etc.. and without sounding like a complete snob, the majority of the members are not people I would like to become acquainted with lol. From what my husband has seen first hand and acknowledging that the defence force make up a high percentage of the population, Townsville is a working class town, and that's fine, we're working class too.. but every other person who comments on the Facebook groups is enquiring about DVO's etc .. I'm hoping I'll meet like minded individuals there, there has to be pockets of above average intelligents out there lol. If even just my colleagues. As as I said, I give it a couple of years, I'm embarking on an 18 month work/study program anyway, if we hate it we'll return to Sunshine Coast or head to Perth. as it happens I'm currently 9km from Brisbane CBD, I work in the busiest ED in Brisbane, nearest the CBD and the Valley.. I'm so over drunks and meth heads. Every city has them, we're just too close for comfort here. I hear Perth has a major ICE problem now too, but at least in Perth you can live up or down the coast and rarely see it. I guess he thing I really ought to be concerned with is the humidity!! The heat is really taking its toll on me just now, in Brisbane. I love the climate here, it was part of the pill to migrate, but since having my boy I can't tolerate it. My hormones must be out of whack, even if it's been 17 months!! thanks again for all your words of wisdom x

Thanks for that post, given me lots to think about. We're headed for Townsville in April/ May 2016 having spent nearly 4.5 years in Brisbane and 1.5 years in Perth. I'm very open minded about this move, excited and optimistic for the change, but if it doesn't work out will probably return to Perth. It really is a case of different strokes for different folks isn't it? I never disliked Perth, but I was keen to see what else Australia had to offer. We drove from Perth to Darwin over a 5 week period, stopping off at various places in between, then onto Cairns and Brisbane. Haven't spent as much time as yourself travelling but it really is the most beautiful country and I have a real soft spot for the NT. The red dirt & wild cattle.. just how I envisioned Australia to be. I loved Kunanurra and Katherine Gorge and a little place called Berry springs outside Darwin, just sublime. I've been to Cairns a couple of times since then and the surroundings are just stunning. I'm hoping Townsville suits us, but if not we have another couple of years before the little one starts school to make a decision on where we put down roots. I know what I don't want.. Brisbane or the like. Nothing bad to say about Brisbane, as many love it here.. it just doesn't offer anything special in terms of lifestyle for us, unlike WA. We rarely venture into the city, and begrudge having to travel up or down the coast in traffic to get to a decent beach. Our lifestyle really is more suited to a smaller town. I reckon I'd enjoy living in rural/remote community, but frightened to take the plunge. How do you find the hospital?? I've heard lots of good things about Townsville Hospital, although the references are in relation to it being a good place to work, not really from a patients perspective. I currently work in Emergency and I'm told the Emergency set up in Townsville is really good, I believe it's bigger than the Royal Brisbane ED and of course newer. Different demographic too, therefore more challenging traumas. Although I won't be working in ED full time when I move.. time for a change. Cheaper parking!!! A major plus. How old are your boys Pom queen? It's a way off for us yet but I am having to think about Schooling as we may want to send our little boy to prep/ kindy at same school we wish to enrol him in. I think if we can manage it and our circumstances don't change we'd like to put him into private school. Been looking at Townsville Grammar and Cathedral. Any advice on these? I have a friend in Bushy, her little boy (same age as ours) has been enrolled in daycare attached to the school in which she is sending him to.. can't remember what school but it's nearer Bushland Beach. I can't rule suburbs out until I get there but I think Bushy might be too far from the 'action' perhaps? And I worry about travelling to and from work during floods. Sorry, I tend to waffle. There's never really any chat surrounding Townsville, I google Townsville most days just to get a low down on Suburbs and opinions.. just keen to get organised but there's nothing out there. Will you/ can you return home to Cairns in the future? Nats x

Hi Jac, sorry to keep pestering you, just wondering how you went about organising a rental from the UK?? Did you deal direct with a real estate agent? I'm in TV January for a week of Uni, might try to go round a couple of agencies then to introduce myself. I should be used to this after nearly 6 years in Oz but this relocation is becoming the biggest headache ever. Didn't have a toddler moving from UK to Perth and Perth to Brisbane mind you. :embarrassed:

hi Stacey, i don't come on here much but I've noticed your posts over the years (being a fellow Scot and all) I have been looking forward to hearing about your Aussie adventure. Perth is a lovely City, it's small and I guess not as fast paced as what we'd be used to in Glasgow or Edinburgh, but for me , that all adds to the appeal. I'm sure you will get on just fine in Perth, your very level headed, trust your instincts and you will be just fine. We're headed to Townsville April next year and I will be interviewing au pairs!!! If your headed our way and in need of some digs and extra $$ drop me a PM. Would be lovely to have someone around who understands us!! Anyway, safe flight and have a ball in WA. X

Our little boy is only 17 months old so we don't have to worry about school/prep for another couple of years yet, just daycare. We're most likely going to get an aupair when we move, as daycare isn't going to work whilst I'm working as a student midwife. I LOVE the older style homes, the Queenslanders are spectacular when modernised and renovated, but there is an awful lot of maintenance & upkeep with them, so we most likely will go for a newer home. Although I'm veering towards established over new build. How far is Douglas/Idalia/Annandale etc from the strand?

Very well balanced post. Agree with everything you have to say about Perth, good luck in your new venture.

So lovely to hear your update and know that thing everything has went very smoothly since your arrival. I have eagerly awaited your update as we are moving to Townsville ourselves in the next 6 months. I work for QHealth in Brisbane and will be transferring onto the relief pool at Townsville hospital as I'm starting a grad diploma in Midwifery next year. Secured a student midwife post at the hospital and I am over the moon!! My friend lives in Bushland Beach and I have been advised Annandale, Douglas, Idalia are good suburbs within close proximity of the hospital? I'd like the option of cycling and using the car less. How are you finding the humidity?

Thankyou. I needed to hear this. Like you we pushed ahead with our move to Australia despite the reservations of our family because we wanted to live our own life and even if we were at home we would still have our son in daycare. My relationship with my own mother is strained and I would never leave my son in her care, and I wouldn't want my mother-in-law raising my child either. My husband seems to think she'll come out for 3-6m when we have #2 but she has her own life in Scotland and 2 grandchildren there so I don't see that happening. I'm open to it.. but not depending on it. I took my son to Scotland , alone, when he was 7 months old to introduce him to family and received very little help then. My decision to Breastfeed and reluctance to feed my son processed and sugary food when introducing solids was met with lots of eye rolling. It was absolutely wonderful to be reunited with a few close friends I have to admit. They really looked out for me & I felt like myself when I was among them. Can't really replicate that here, perhaps in time, I'm already feeling things getting a little easier as my son becomes more independent and more able to understand things. So I really hope it's just a phase, then of course I'll have another before long , hopefully not as clingy as the first but at least I'll have a better idea what I'm doing lol. We do have our citizenship thankfully. Thanks again, time to take this little bundle of energy to playgroup!

Thank you Voyager. I'm so glad everything has worked out well for you. Having my little one has opened my eyes to the possibility of moving home and an appreciation for what I've left behind so if we do decide to return in future, I won't be so begrudging of the decision. And it's made me really think about where and how I can make it work for us if we do return. i don't plan on returning to work as many hours if I have a second child and indeed I don't plan on continuing with the work that I do.

Thanks Kimbodia. I always presumed having children in Australia as opposed to removing them from the UK would be easier, but it's not really the case. There's still guilt. I occasionally flirt with the idea of moving back to another part of Scotland, far enough away from family to live independently but close enough to visit every other weekend if we wanted. I would never have entertained this idea prior to having my son. Yesterday I was having a bad day and kind of regret posting now. On difficult days it's easy to assume everything would be so much easier if family were around to lend a helping hand. We desperately want to have a second child and this is part of the problem. We have wanted to move, within Australia, since before my son was born. In hindsight we should have done this whilst I was on maternity leave, instead we're aiming to do this if/when second child comes along. Every month I'm not pregnant is another month in limbo! Husband and I discussed this yesterday and have decided that I'm going to put in for a transfer at work and make the move now. I have an unrequited loyalty towards my employer or rather my boss that isn't healthy, and I'm sick week in, week out from trying to juggle everything, there is no flexibility. I was going to leave eventually so might as well just cut my losses now. Marisawright, my husband doesn't want to and never has wanted to return to the UK until recently when I've been sick and he has to go to work and I still have a toddler to care for. He thinks it may be easier with family around. On the whole, he wants to stay here. We have discussed bringing his mum out for 3-6months if/when we have another baby and then enlisting the help of an au pair.

Yes I am aware, lots of discussion surrounding this at work, with many convinced the bill will never get passed. Regardless, 28weeks of half pay is fabulous and I feel very grateful to have an employer that offers such a scheme, so even if the govt does pull the ppl for people in receipt of employer ppl I still feel it's worth remaining with my employer and taking their ppl. Thanks for highlighting that, I'd hate to mislead anyone into thinking they might be entitled to 1year mat pay and basing their financial decisions on that.

Me either Jock. But at least you've got to experience lots of different places, no harm in that either. I get caught out every time I come back on this forum by people who enjoy dissecting every turn of phrase and twisting words. Jesus, I came on for a bit of advice, heaven forbid some support.. and it becomes all about my misguided quest for utopia. Right now and possibly never, Perth is not an option for us. Not solely based on what we feel Perth lacks, but on carefully measured decisions that will affect our future.

Your absolutely right, and I don't think anywhere is perfect. My husband didn't enjoy living in Perth, it's a compromise.. I pushed for the move to Australia, so it was only fair that we gave Brisbane a go. We agreed on 6 months in Brisbane.. but here we are still.