Tez

not sure this company is big on good will !! lol . am just having to squirrel away funds to be able to afford furniture etc when we return back to the UK... very hard . Came here thinking about living a dream and now its just a bit of a nightmare ! We have friends here who are going through PR now and they are on the skills list , some win ... some definitely don't.

Hi, we are in a similar situation , we came out 2 and a half yrs ago, on a 457, and now we are all settled and wanting to start the PR process, company now decides that profits need to be up and are now asking all regional employees to sell the same amount as city employees(husband is a audiometris) ... not really going to happen with the rebuilding of the towns we live in due to the cyclones and floods this year ! so now we are going to be first out of the door . Luckily we still have a house to go back to in the UK but I feel failed by the company really, we are not on the skills list and the company will not continue to sponsor whilst we do the PR process so looks like we are on borrowed time. Terrible shame , but there is zero we can do . I did wonder if they terminate the employment they have to stump up costs to send you home? Any migration agents know if that's the case?

I think it depends on the situation, I have friends who have PR already and going back is not really an issue , however for us, we have a 457 and as we have been here 2 years was about to begin the PR process but things have changed a little . The job we have over here is not on the skills list and therefore we would have to go for a employer sponsered PR , and they must say that the job is secure for the 2 years after the PR is granted .Who can say that with certainty these days and therefore we may not be able to stay where we are , where we have made a real effort to get on and fit in. The thought of returning to the UK is fine with me as we came on a"whim" just to see how it went , but my husband is fretting now that as we are getting onto 40 years old once we leave with no PR , or citizenship , there will be no chance of a return. I think people come with a certain view of how things will be and then work/ location etc change and going back is a safe option. Financially too , it costs for everything here if you don't have PR and we have missed out on so many helpful benefits that our friends have and find it quite difficult to afford holidays etc , so it's not as rosy as we thought it was going to be. It's a dream to live here really but sometimes it just does not tick all the boxes.

Hi, am currently in QLD but may have opportnity to work in Mandurah, Perth, WA anyone have any views or things to say about the place .I have 2 kids and wonder how the schools, things to do etc are better than where we are at present .

Hi Rob, well we stayed in Urangan for 2 months then we moved to Torquay (we have a 6 bed place dual living ) which is great but has no garden and we have been renting it for 9 months but been looking for another one for 6 ! . So if you are looking for a great house for cheap rent but has minimal garden then this is the place for you if you are interested ?

Hi Rob and family , Welcome to the Bay , been here for one year now and we are still looking for a rental ! i like to take my time and the real estate agents here are shocking . Places to avoid , are as Tracey says The Augustus estate at Eli waters , Urangan for midges and Eli waters, Kawungun and Torquay (i live there ) and Urraween are probably the most sort after areas , The estated called Parklands at the back of Fraser Anglican seem to have a bad rep too . I think its a bit pot luck to be honest , keep away from tidal creeks as they bring midges and i have the scars to show you on my legs that look like someone has put out a cigar on me ! ouch . Do drive bys of houses you like the look of at day and night to see if there are any noisy neigbours etc and just ask about .The locals are pretty honest about things .Well let us know if there is anything you need , there are quite a few of us Poms in the Bay now and we are a font of knowledge haha . Good luck may bump into you at house viewings ! TEZ

Yes we know how that feels! believe me that it will all seem ok when you get on the plane! .Well when you get here give us a quick post and we can meet up .My husband also communtes to Bundy twice a week and it takes 1 and a half hours door to door , you cant get it quicker as the speed limit is around 100 k and the police seem to be hot on the speed cameras here as we have been caught twice !!!!eek $200 fine too ! . So good luck with the next couple of weeks and see youvery soon in the hot sunny Bay.

well if its sun you want then you won't be dissapointed ! scorching here , vest tops and shorts and lots of trips to the aquatic centre , let us know when you get settled as we can meet up and give you any advice needed . Rackcatt and I and bear 35 all have met and its quite nice to get some inside tips !

Hi Amanda12 , OH works in Private sector not hospital , its very medical here , no real NHS , he has only just started work so not 100 % on how its all going to work out at the moment . As for the heat, the kids are ok , they get used to it pretty quick but my eldest has ezcma and came out in a rash from the moment she stepped off the plane and that has been a bit of a nightmare .Spent a fortune on creams etc .I find it pretty hot and according to the locals or those who have moved here it takes about a year to get used to the heat , glad i have come now as if i can in the heat of summer think it would have died! Just get the kids hats and uv t shirts for when they are swimming and its all good. Its been hotter than usual for this time of year even the locals have said so . But air con is a blessing! Happy goggling .

Hi Amanda12, there are quite a few mother and toddler groups I have been told but not done any of them yet but will do some when am a bit more settled. We go to a baby gym thing ,once a week and you can go to the library for a reading and activity hour each week , they are popular . Its pretty much like being in the Uk but you just have to go find things. As for creepy crawlies and sharks I am the worst ! scared of everything! But I have been in the sea with the girls (4 and 1) and have been advised by the locals where to swim and where not to. There are tiger sharks about but nearer the Fraser Island I think, as for spiders you see them up high in the trees so don't look up ! snakes are a bit dangerous but that is through the whole of Oz , we have not seen anything except for a couple of coackroaches and some Gecko Lizards . As for the flooding ,Bear35 was here for that and I know that she said the only problem was the food getting through as the main roads into Hervey bay were flooded other than that nothing else. I think we all worried about the spiders etc but everyone here runs about with bare feet etc and you just learn to get on with it .... time will tell for me on that one!!!!

No problem Amanda12 , its hard to express what its like here as mirating is such a big deal and everyone likes different things , i would hate to advise you on something and you did not like it here , basically we moved here without any clues to what to expect except it was a coastal town! and my day basically is this , take one daughter to kindy , then do a bit of shopping , go down the esplanade and go to a park, take a walk ,then back home for lunch , pick up daughter , go swimming , kids play out with other kids in the complex , then 6 pm darkness, .Then its up to you , you can go down the esplanade for dinner or a bbq ,then walk and get an ice cream etc .Its a nice pace of life .There is sailing clubs and my kids do gymnastics and my friends kids do soccer with school. Went down the beach today ,and there is a free Splash park for the kids too which is brilliant to keep them busy .Its just a demo of what my life is like, if that helps at all

Rackcatt , what does your husband do ? my hubby is an audiometrist and there are quite a few of those here which we were quite shocked about , limits the market but there are enought oldies here for everyone i spse!!!! Its hard to influence people on whether to come here or not but if you do then we will surely meet up !

I am sure there are lots of questions you all have and to be honest probably not the best person to answer some of them as only just got here , but see the post before about schools , its not like the Uk , it seems to be the attitude that you have to plan for your kids future more here , chosing a primary school in order for them to get into the High school you want etc , as for areas there are around 7 different towns , Hervey bay has one long road through it and i would say you are no more than about 15 mins in the car from anywhere ... shops , beach , etc . Fraser Island is just over the sea and you can go out there for the day , weekend etc and its supposed to be beautiful, have not been there yet though as its taking longer to get things organised . If you like fashion , forget it , shorts and vests and lots of outfits for the oldies , there are a lot of them here , they come for the sunshine and the medical facilites here.You will find a lot of expats from all over come here due to work ,and I have met a group of mums who are from all over the world ! Canada ,Uk, India , Oz etc.People are nice and friendly . Am sure there is lots to do here , being a coastal town and the weather makes you go outside a lot more (except for me - who is so english i can barely look at the sun without burning !) . Check out the rest of the posts from this thread as they provide lots of info on schools etc and the enrollment man Peter Carey from the Anglican College is great for school info. If you like relaxed quiet living then this is a good place . You can do as much or as little as you choose.

Hi all , Tez here , just to say that we have been here for 2 and a half weeks now and are finding our feet. Was not too fussed to begin with but in all honesty I think that was the flight , with 1 screaming ill child and a stroppy 4 year old! Hervey Bay is a great place for those who like the outdoors there are parks galore ,free splash park , BBQ areas and very friendly locals . We have been lucky , my husband had a job already , and has had help from his company settling us in and we have joined a gymnastics club for my daughter , kindy gym and baby gym for my 1 year old too and am now looking into swimming lessons .There is enough here tokeep you busy as in the UK but the difference is the weather , its been about 30 degrees today and as a lilly white UK girl , I am finding it difficult but all i would say to those coming out ,don't pack anything except Vest tops and shorts !!!!! seriously . As for schools , we have lots of info from the locals about schools and although private seems expensive its actually not too bad , Peter Carey has probably explained lots about the Anglican college and I have a friend who goes there and he is coming along nicely.My daughter at present (4) has enrolled in a government run Kindy as she is too young for school until next year .This worked out $500 per term, the alternatives are day care centres where you can pay up to $800 per month and that is only for 2 or 3 days per week . I would say that if you know what high school you want your child to go to then the primary school needs to be considered too.Best schools here I reckon private are Frasier College, they run from kindy to high school , then Star of the Sea catholic school is really good which then gets you into Xavier College, another good school.Mixed reports about the state high schools and to be honest I will try to send my girls to one of the above .Its pricey to start with as we are not used to paying but itseems that most Aussies want the best and this is private education . If you are thinking of coming to Hervey Bay , its a good friendly outdoor place and I feel quite at home already. The real estate profession leaves a bit to be desired as they are so laid back you get a bit annoyed but everyone else is pro active. We have been lucky too , to have met up with another family from this website who moved here and that has been fantastic, we even live in the same complex at the moment and the kids keep themselves busy and its nice to have a friend already.. so thanks Bear 35..... So if you do come out , whoever you are out there , then look us up before you come and we will try to help settle you in .

Super ! thanks , the IDP was getting a little confusing as some website say yes and others say no ! i was getting in a tizz. Ok brill thanks very much for your reply