RNB31

All I know is that in the UK at the end of the month the food shop toiletries and cleaning products and this is planned meals, so we buy what we need, we buy things on offer all the time and the bill is about £550, oz is more expensive and I have done an online shop and thats what it comes too, I have no idea where I could cut down other than buying tesco value, asda smart price etc on every product and lower the standard of meat that I buy...Anyway the bill is what it is, I have come across mixed views on this in the past some higher, some on par some lower, I wish I was lower. Its the other figures that need reviews other than food and spending, thanks again for the posts

Its hard to gauge food and spending costs but its more the other outgoings I need compared. I spend in the UK £500-550 which covers all the things detailed before not just food alone, I did an online shop and $1000 seem'd to cover it, and compare with my UK spend Id say thats about right $1000. Thanks for the post and comments

Hi Anyone else got any views on my budget posted earlier in this thread? Is it right on the line, is it pretty much ok? Is it under by $200-300

Thanks for the post Itchyfeet76, I agree that live is for living and better to regret the things we do rather than regret not doing them, but in my own opinion I have to weight up the practicalities also. For reasons I'll not go into I know how short live is, but this is what has probably made my eyes open more to the bigger picture other than just follow your dreams no matter what. To be honest if my wife could stay and home and look after kids, and I could have a 2nd, and I was looking at $120-130k a year, I would not be posting...I'd be there already. I cant regret in 10 years that I never moved to oz if I dont go as hopefully my life will still be good in the UK, I'll have my family and the savings and hols I want, I wouldnt want to live my life just now thinking I dont want to wake up in 10 years with regrets. Hopefully your husband gets a job offer soon and you can further your plans

Thanks for your info With the fuel we hope my wife or I may find work within driving rather than public transport so the Day ticket money would add to the fuel, but yeah I agree if not then some months we may use more than others. Building insurance yip that will need to be added. We are looking at Brisbane, and somewhere like north lakes Medical is a hard one but we will have funds in the UK for a bail out if required, but with what we have left over I think we could cover things, the health insurance I think covered the basic for the dentist, I know if there was any big bills for our kid our parents would bail that out. Cable TV we can live without, Oz TV in general in dire! Food I did an online shop and its was a big shop we did as we would in the uk and $1000 should cover us, but I agree some months might be more than others, same as UK...we just have to scrap that date night or new something like we do in the uk. I have also accounted for $400 a month for 2 cars to cover insurance, rego and maintenance As for emergency trip home, if it was required again our parents would get us home for any emergency I have the same concerns over the money but with $950 left over...even if I said $350 overflow, $300 savings and $300 hol fund I think thats a good start. Its the best the figures have looked, no a deal sealer but something to rethink

Hi QUOLL thanks for the post My wife is on board with it all, are we are still thinking over all options. The one thing I can say 100% is that we are not phased by the whole missing or being away from family if we make the move (reasons I'll not go into), we are lucky enough that they will be able to visit, and we would only be going home to the UK maybe every 5 years if that. The question you have raised are ones that go through my head all the time, but truth is we will budget for 3-4 months without work, and we have other funds in the UK to go into if needed. We have both put the job feelers out and my wife has had good feedback form agencies and when we stayed their for 9 months before she got contract work really quick and good pay, I have had a couple of companies get back too me and I have to contact them when I have more fixed dates, its a start at least, the problem is until we have more fixed info for companies they are not very interested. I would like to secure a job before but its unlikely and I suppose this is one of the major risks for all who take the leap. I have asked about a career break but its not an option in my current role, with my wife they would have to replace her and not policy to keep jobs open, we have a feeling they might change their minds if it came to it and get a temp for a few months. The same figures as I posted before for outgoings and with myself on 60k and my wife working 3 days full time hrs and using care for those days we are in green by $950, that there will have to cover savings, hols, and the wear and tear thats creeps up on you... Out of interest which figures do you think are far too tight on my budget?

Yeah my wife should have no bother getting full time work and we think initially she will get work quicker than me so this is an option for sure, if she could then reduce her days within that employment then great, I suppose you never know until you are there. There will defo be a lot of parents looking for part time, aussies and expats but right time right place plays a massive part sometimes.

Yeah I didnt think they would come cheap I think we could settle for 3 days a week before, after and hol care if we could see good financial benefits from it. If he enjoyed them then we would look for my wife to maybe increase her days to 4 during term time and back to 3 out of term, if who she was working for allowed this. My wifes job really is office based and is office hrs from like 8-6 mon-fri. We need to look further into if there is much demand for 3 day a week jobs and at the required salary. I not sure this would allow us a 2nd but to be honest one of the reasons for oz is that there appears to be more job ops in my field than where I am currently located, although I have a good job, if I was to ever lose that it would be hard to get the same money. I would would hope to up my salary after a few years in oz, so I think if we decided the money looked ok for the 3 days then a 2nd would really be dependent on career progression. My first option when I started this forum I know is a no go its just too tight, if we are to do this then it is going to have to involve me full time and my wife 3 days full time hrs to even consider it and include the care set up above. More thinking ahead..

Thanks again for all the replies Firstly I had thought about something like an au pair but not sure I'd be keen on someone else living with us to be honest. Our boy in the UK currently goes to nursery, is looked after by grandparents and my wife is off every friday, so he has a mix and he loves going to nursery and he also comes back happy so I am happy to consider the after and before school care but just not full time, prob looking at 3 days a week I could live with that if it needed to be, I could prob even push 4 days, but my main problem is the school hols and full time vacation care. I have always said 2 days a week of vacation care would be my limit but have considered 3 but honestly couldn't push to more. I don't doubt that he will enjoy this for one min. Does anyone else have any solutions to school hols other than vacation care, can you get similar to an au pair over the hols, like a student nanny that doesn't necessary live with you but would cover the day hrs required?

Rupert - Thanks, dont worry I wont fudge the numbers, the number are key Jac2011 - Yes agree we are lucky, I used to really slate the UK but I dont have a bad standard here, if only we could change the whether during the summer, I'll take the wind, rain and snow as long as you get a good summer of 4 months heat. I have tried to cut the food bill but I simply cant, I try every month and it stays the same, I've ask friends and family and there about the same, apart form the ones who are just couples and no kids and they are less...maybe PM me a weekly meal planner and I'll test it out see if I can reduce :-) OK going to start a new question, prob better starting a new post but hear goes for now, so who uses before, after school care and hols care? Do you like it? Do you feel guilty? What do your kids do? Do they enjoy it? Do most of their friends go? Its not that we have been against it, its just something we never did as a kid, well actually for a couple of months I remember I had to go to a childminders house in the mornings for an hour or so and I hated it, hated not having my breakfast in my house. I never went to care during the hols, just played with firends and went to some clubs with them but not all day ones. The thought of sending my kid to before care at like 7am or 730am just doesn't sit well, we would both feel some guilt I think, and after school care not picking him up till 5pm, thats a long day when he might just want to come home and play in house or with friends when school is out at 2.45pm. I know from this forum people have used it, are using it now through their own choice or some who are single parent who has no other choice so would like to hear from more people who have or are using it, or why you don't use it. Its something we may have to consider so would be most grateful for some feedback

Lady Rainicorn - some very wise word there To all - I just redone the sums for both of us working full time, full time before and aftercare school, plus full time holiday care 8 weeks of the year. The figure I am left with includes child benefit and rebate on the before and after school care but not the hols care, but includes the full price hol care over the year and is based on same budget already added in an earlier post my £180 uk income, this is 1 child and a month we would be in the green by $2k 2 kids and this would decrease too $1.2k in the green I know for one my wife will not come around too full time before, after and hol care so I redone the sums for 3 days full time before, after, and hol care and adjusted my wifes sally to 3 days a week full time hrs, 2 kids and we are in the green $450 which is too low in my eyes, and is in green due too benefits and uk income

jac2011 - We were only there 2 year ago for 3.5 weeks so another visit I don't feel is required and is just more cost onto the migration costs already. Good suggestion tho. Regarding food budget I also do a meal planner to save as much as I can and only buy what we need, I also buy local ( I care about where my meat comes form) and supermarket, and my uk shop in the uk for 3 of us for food (breakfast, lunches, dinners, some snacks like fruit, not sweets or chocs), toiletries and cleaning products is about £100-120 a week. We dont really do takeaways but if we do its because we are staying in so take it off spend money. I use mysupermarket to make sure I get the best price on most things especially cupboard stables, toiletries and cleaning products. We never buy frozen foods (with the exception of some veg) or pre made meals that you heat up. We eat mainly pasta meals, or something with rice, or mince dishes or stews...steak is a luxury now and again but would rather go out for a steak. We did an online shop for oz with what we would buy in the uk and this is where my $1000 a month came form as well as some other research, I was buying offers as I always do in the uk, and going for some mid range stuff. I have tried to reduce this but this is buying what we need and incls no luxury or alcohol in this budget starlight7 - out of interest do you have kids? I used to think like that but now the figures have to weight up, I have to see salaries at what I need, there will always be risks but you need to research to at least lower those risks the best you can. It would be so irresponsible of me to just go things have a way of working themselves out, spend £34k moving my wife and kid out for it all to fall apart on those figures.

VERYSTORMY - I am just gutted that what I have dreamed about for years is now fading away, I never expected to go to oz and have the rose tinted glasses on, and expect to have more than I did in the UK. I just hoped my salary exceptions were going to be more, and when you actually sit down and do the workings and look at the child situation you try to do anything to still make that dream possible. I am clinging to hope now that I find a way of making it work but the simple fact is that on those figures I can't. Living further out in the suburbs doesn't concern me too much but only if I had the spare cash for making that compromise. Katie22 - good post and i know we cant plan too far ahead but the dream is to go there and make it happen, to be honest coming back within 6 months or 2 year is not an option, the amount of money put in and how difficult it would be to find new jobs and starting over again in the uk after doing it in oz would be too much money, where we are property is expensive and we need a good bit of cash behind us. Also regarding the benefits, I always said these would be the extra income to top up hol fund or something, and I wouldnt want to depend on them but again its something I've had to look at and go well we need to include them, and yes if they were reduced or taken away which they could be then we would be in the red. I go back to what I said at the start that I couldnt live like this is the uk with me working full time and my wife doing the hrs that I have suggested for oz so why could I do it in Oz, if I did do it in the uk I'd have no savings and no hols and would have to lower my supermarket shop and standard of living. I think if I was getting $70 min then this could be more realistic, with my wife still doing some part time and inc some after school care 3 days a week and in hols, but on what I am seeing at $60 is just too low. I say i dont know how i'll decide but I think the decision is made, the figures dont lie

Hi, Yeah we have calculated family benefits, do we need 2 cars? I'd say yeah we need 2 in the UK. Due to staying further out I would want my wife to have one for when she is off and commute to train station or work as well as the school run. For me well that depends on where I work and staying further out I guess I'll have a commute either to trainstation or to work, the only way this would be a no is if I was close to a station or company van, again it has to be factored in, these will be bought outright with cash so the saving would be $200 a month and maybe a bit on fuel. Keefo if I had $75k a year then we'd manage but my wife would still have to do some part time hrs to top up the savings and hol fund, I looked at your budget form your friend and no way we could spend $600 a month on food, for family of 4 we'd be up too about $1000-1200, my budget is what it is i have taken it form our uk spend, research on forums and websites and speaking to some people we know over in oz, I am not saying its spot on but I think its there or there abouts as QUOLL said budgets are just that and other things creep up, we are thin on the budget. The dulness of living further out has also played on my mind as CHORTLEPUSS has stated, but again if this is to be at all possible then it has to be there for affordability. VERYSTORMEY why do i want to go to oz? For a different way of living, an adventure, to do something with my life, to have more sunshine. I know I have travelling oz and been on another 3.5 week hol there but I just love it, i love it because its somewhere else other than home, yes we travelled but only 3 months, the other 9 months we had a flat, paid bills, shopped and went to work mon-fri full time, so I know its not the same as living there and we were only travelling but it still gave us some sense of what living there was like to an extend. It's just been something I've wanted to do since is far back as I can remember, I had a great up bringing in the UK but I just felt oz would have maybe gave just a little bit more, i dont do the grass is always greener, and oz has its problems the same as the uk. There is for and against for them both I have no idea how we will decide but this is all great thoughts and feedback and thanks to everyone, would still love to hear form more. To sum things up we either need to accept childcare before and after school something I am prepared to look into, but 8 out of 12 week holiday care is not something I can come round too, giving up a 2nd kid, going against what we said regarding before and after care and living on the line, one more thing to go against and where does it end. In short I simply need to bring home more cash for this to work. Life in the UK is not ideal but we have money behind us, we can save, we can go on hols, we can put away for pension and look to buy property down the line, we can have a 2nd BUT the dream of moving to oz is still firing away inside me. Basically our montly spend is $5889, between me on 60k and my wife 12hrs a week at $25ph local part time we would bring in $5309, after adding benefits and £180 uk income and taking off 2 days hols care for 12 weeks of the year we are in green by about $175...I believe some of that $175 would get used up on the other things that crop up likes things not covered in your health insurance, birthday parties our kid would attend the things you dont think about, then there is my wifes pension on those hrs we would need to factor money away. If she works an extra 10 hrs a week during term time then the money in the green goes from $175 too $430 which is more attractive allows for an overflow and some savings but hols mmmm not sure, but we are relaying on her getting a perm part time job 2 days a week 12 hrs, and then a further 10 hrs only during term time, its alot to hope for! But even after this we couldn't afford a 2nd on that money [TABLE=width: 177] [TR] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=align: right][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=align: right][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=align: right][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]

Thanks for the replies and comments. I will try to answer all questions tomorrow but I'll post a quick update just now. My budget figures are tight but it is what it is. If I was to earn $75k then I dont think I'd be in my dilemma as that would add about $750 a month, this would cover us and what my wife was to earn would be savings and hols fund, my figure tho is $60k plus what ever my wife earns 10-12 hrs a week and maybe extra 10 hrs during term time. My house buying budget is tight and I am looking at the likes of northlakes, springfield lakes, i.e new builds a bit further out. Could I cut my $800 cash for clothes, going out, hobbies etc I doubt it, for 2 adults and 1 kid I think that would see us ok, I am not after a wild lifestyle, but in a month maybe a trip to cinema or day out, 1 date night, out for some lunch, in the UK we prob have about £500 left over for this and its not often there is much left...kids activities in oz is not cheap, and neither are kids clothes and its a yearly expense for now and for years to come, if there is any left over then great it would be added to the saving and hols fund. another $10-20k a year on my salary and the decision would be made and it would allow a 2nd. It would also allow my wife to stay at home a little longer until our kid is settled as waiting lists I guess will be long just like the UK. Not having a 2nd tears us up inside, we have always wanted two, always wanted our kid to group up with a brother or sister, but we also have a dream, we loved the life in oz both times. I used to say I would go to oz for a better life for my kid, my view changed on this as I grew older, in the uk he will be open to attend a great local school, some of the best private schools in the country should that be a choice down the line, and great uni's to attend whether this is in uk or oz we will make sure he has the choice and options to do what he wishes to do in life, by going to oz will not change this, it just means he wont have to suffer playing sports on a cold, wet and windy winter morning in shorts and T's, but then again that has character. I said before I dont know how I'll come to a decision and I still dont, this is a massive life changing decison for us follow one dream of going to oz with a lot of risk, stay put in the uk and have another one and although I wouldnt regret my decision as it was for another life into our family I would always wonder. On the plus our family will have Canadian citizenship through my wife (she has it by decent) that will open doors for them, for us its oz and not canada but its always going to be there for us either way. I will have another read over a see if I missed anything and post tomorrow

budget I think we will spend, this is buying renting would be $400 per week, below figures are monthly. Dont really want this to turn into a cost forum. 2 days hol club for 12 weeks I think about $65 a month after rebate etc [TABLE=width: 485] [TR] [TD]Mortgage[/TD] [TD=align: right] $2,000 $320k mortgage over 23 years aim to buy at $400k[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Water[/TD] [TD=align: right]$70[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Elec[/TD] [TD=align: right]$92[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Gas[/TD] [TD=align: right]$50[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Broadband/phone[/TD] [TD=align: right]$60[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Food & Toiletries, holdhouse cleaning items[/TD] [TD=align: right]$1,000[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Rates[/TD] [TD=align: right]$100[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Life Insurance[/TD] [TD=align: right]$75[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Mobile x 2[/TD] [TD=align: right]$120[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=align: right][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Contacts[/TD] [TD=align: right]$10[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Home Insurance[/TD] [TD=align: right]$60[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Health Insurance[/TD] [TD=align: right]$300[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]School Fee's, Uniforms and Trips[/TD] [TD=align: right]$125[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Day Ticket local 2 days a week[/TD] [TD=align: right]$79[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Day Ticket north lakes - city[/TD] [TD=align: right]$248[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD=align: right][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Car Maintence/INS/Road Tax x2[/TD] [TD=align: right]$400[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Work Money or overflow cash[/TD] [TD=align: right]$100[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Fuel[/TD] [TD=align: right]$200[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Cash (clothes, going out, kids hobbies,all the rest,) [/TD] [TD=align: right]$800[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]

In the UK I work full time my wife works 30 hrs has every friday off, I currently do shift but dont count my shift money that is tucked away for a rainy day, wise words from someone I once worked with, never to rely on shift money as you wont work shift forever if you can help it. We have form our basic pay a good standard, we save, we go on a hol every 2nd year abroad, we run 2 cars. We have no benefits other than I think its £80 most people get a month for child support but that goes too a bank account for our kid in the future, nursery fees come off wages so this is slightly reduced. Thats it though I have included Oz benefits into our workings, I will share our oz budget in a min

The chances are if we worked both full time it would be mon-fri, so when it came to the school hols we would have a big problem. The before and after care is something I could look more into, I would need to redo the sums but full time school hol care is something I can't see myself coming round too. Yeah we could use some hols, but think 4 weeks is the allowance in oz (we both have 6 weeks in uk plus public) so even using 2 weeks each is leaving not a lot left, and to go on a holiday we would have to use leave at same time or staggered buy a week, either way it knocks off 4 weeks from 12 and I cant come round too 8 weeks hols care. As for holding off and having a 2nd here, I dont think I will be in a closely related job down the line which is a visa/state sponsor requirement 12 months of the last 24 before applying. We will also be faced with the same financial issues unless my careers takes some good turns in the next 3 years or we come into some money. I suppose what it boils down too is that I don't personally think $60k and the part time hrs my wife can fit in will be enough, but I am open to hear new ideas

That is the dilemma Rupert, the move to oz will not be the dream we once had, it will be getting by and surviving but one the plus I do see more opportunities in Australia but they is more competition of course. its so difficult because its been a dream, we have always want 2 kids, we have always want to move to oz, we have always wanted to be above the water in terms of money and have savings, end of the day you can only spend when you bring home. On this though we cant always get what we want, but if we move to oz I cant see us another another kid. I dont know how we will come to a decision but its nice to hear how others do it, to see if we are missing something

Hi Rupert, yes I have been going round in circles now for a while, I am happy to use childcare just not full time, but I was never in full time childcare, neither my wife, we both would have hated the idea which is where this stems from. Yes we use grandparents here as well as childcare. Its just a personal option regarding before and after care. The opportunity is the state sponsor visa PR for queensland. I finally have all the ticks in the box, now its decision time before the costs. I loved Australia when we were there, was there again 2 years ago for a trip and noticed the jump in prices, it will be a struggle on the income. The option may be that I have to come around too child care full time

Thanks for replies. This is the info I am after, how others deal with it. Personally for us we just dont want to put our kid into care before and after school 5 days a week and during the school hols, I understand this is what most people have to do to work full time but its just a personally thing for us, each to there own, if people are happy as you are with that set up then great...I wish I could come round to the idea. Its like nursery I couldnt put my kid in 5 days a week full time. I understand it has benefits but could not do it more than 2 maybe at a push 3 times a week, and I am really not keen on the before school care. Out of interset jac2011 what do you do with school hols?

Hi, I am looking for some advice, I know the decision is going to be down to me and my wife but we are at the end and torn now on what too do. We have been dreaming of making the move to oz for about 8 years since we came home form travelling, we by no means have the rose tinted glasses on that many seem to have about oz i.e your going to earn mega bucks, have a massive house with pool for peanuts and the one that annoys me the most more family time. Does Australia have more hours in the day than the UK? Does house work not exist, do kids not go to school, you dont need to work 36/37 hrs a week for full time roles, you dont need to commute to work. It cracks me up when I hear both parents on TV shows saying we will both work full time, I just think to myself how, how can you both work full time if you have kids in school...what about for one those 12 weeks school holidays a year, and the fact school hours for young children are about 0845-1445. Sorry about my rant above but this is the dilemma we are in. We both have good jobs in the UK but not good enough for one of us to work solely as the main bread winner. We are both looking at about $60k maybe $65k in oz at a push a year each but we can not both work full time due to school. Our workings have allowed my wife to work locally 2 days a week but only in school hrs so 10-12 hrs a week, and we have allowed to 2 days care on school hols so she can work these 2 days a week all the time. That alone should keep us a float plus some money we have from the uk on a monthly income but would mean no money for extras, hols and savings etc so she would need to work another 10 hrs a week during term time to cover this stuff. I have also calculated our entitlement from benefits etc. Most of all she has to find an employer willing to only employ for these hrs at about $25 p/h. We would be looking at Brisbane but our budget for rent really only covers being further out i.e north lakes distance. Another big factor is that we want a second child but we can not see how this would be possible on the income, I think we would turn into one of the many that return home if we had a second child. This decision for us is massive, we would need to sell our home and cars, use half our total money to make the move and visa about £32k thats inc buying 2 second hand cars and living for 3 months without work, visas, flights and shipping etc. Returning home with less than half the money we had and looking for 2 new jobs in the uk is not really an option for us. I am one for following your dreams and if you dont go you'll never know but with a child involved and simply the figures do not lie, things will be on the line, it wouldn't take much to send us in the red. If I could see jobs for $70-75k then this changes things but I cant, it is what it is. We both stay in a nice part of the UK, have a nice house and can move to a nice house after this one we are in, the area is nice with good schools...the move is not for a better life for our child as he will get great education where we are and we will provide the path he needs do what he wants to do in life, and we can have a brother or sister for him, the move is just for a different life with more sun. However we have waited for this opportunity to come now for sometime and it has arrived, it was a dream for me and my wife we didnt expect it too take 8 years but it has for various reasons, now its not just me and my wife and we have to make the right choice on this one. I dont think in another few years down the line I'd be in a similar role to my occupation as if I stay in the UK I need to move on, so its really now or never, I know you cant say never but its very unlikely I am really just after any advice from another who is kind enough to share. Some things that play on my mind is that others that do this must just simply bring in more money, or send their kids full time to before and after school care (something I am not keen on at all). How do others juggle the work and kid school balance. Is it just simply if we cant afford to live in the uk with one working full time and the other 2days a week then how on earth can we expect to do it in Oz. I don't know what I am looking for from this post maybe just some good info from people in a similar position.

Thanks, I'll drop you a PM with the info I am after

Hi Anyone in Brisbane who works in Telecoms can you drop me a message? Looking to find out what the job market is like and some salary guides. Would particular like to hear from any ex BT field engineers, Telstra/Optus field engineers, Foxtel field engineers. Service delivery and projects people, NOC/NMC workers, service desk, incident management or if your working with Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, local companies in another role I've been on seek and a couple other sites, I have seen a few things but you seem to need a lot of certificates for tech roles, I have more work experience than certificates for things like cisco

Springfield lake would be the better option for us as it has rail link, and my wife can see part time jobs in her field in both Brisbane and Ipswich and housing is affordable, however reading some things on it and its looking like North Lakes is a more popular better area, would love to hear from more people in springfield lakes and north lakes to tell me a little more. North Lakes has no train link until mango hill is open approx 2016? So would be a 8-10km drive to Dakakin or Petrie on top of train journey.