Tootsie

Well Gol Gol use to have a very bad reputation. Not as bad as Dareton true. But still up there. But hey things change. Last time I was in the area was 2003 but still have friends there.

Lol. Well obviously! But everyone I knew that were doing this, had the flights built into their wage offer, the money didn't come out of their own pockets. I also know people who stay in Melbourne during the working week and then fly back to Mildura for the weekend to live.

I won't bother with a vaccination. I only use herbal medicine.

That decking looks brilliant. Really smart.

Hello Many houses in Mildura (especially near the hospital) are older in style and are on massive blocks, so plenty of room for a dog. Dareton and Gol Gol are just on the other side of the border in NSW about 20 minutes from Mildura, and these areas have always had a bad reputation. Lots of Aboriginal kids running amok. But Trentham also other side of the border in NSW about 20 minutes from Mildura, would be a lovely place to live, and massive blocks too as a winery area. A 20 minute leisurely drive in virtually no traffic to Mildura, would be very pleasant. It is about $120.00 to fly from Mildura to Melbourne and about an hours duration, and a lot of people live in Mildura and fly back and forth to Melbourne each day for work, so although isolated for driving, it is not on the moon for other forms of travel

Hello I lived there for five years. It is pretty isolated in terms of driving elsewhere But the town is nice enough, well spaced out, pretty good shops, coffee shops, bars, etc....and the river area is lovely in terms of boating, swimming, fishing or camping in the area. Wentworthville is a lovely little town nearby, and there is a fantastic winery at Robinvale that has some amazing wines. But there are certainly some surrounding areas that need to be avoided like the plague. Hot summers were fine for me, as I love the heat. Never remember it being unbearable. It could get cold in winter especially at night, but still manageable with a heater (I find it a lot colder in Sydney) Lots of fruit picking and hospitality type jobs. However, many jobs are got on who you know, rather than what you know. Wages are not particularly high, but neither are house prices (both rentals and buying are still affordable), so each balance each other. 99.99% of the people who live there think it is God's own country and the most amazing town in the universe. Maybe take a holiday there and check it out

Shingles is awful from what I have seen. I didn't know there was a vaccination for it though. Not something I have ever really thought about to be honest. I have never had a flu vaccination. I started using nutritional medicine (diet) and natural medicines (herbals) ten years ago, and have never had flu since. I suppose side effects from a vaccination, against the actual illness, is something you just have to weigh up the pros and cons on. A personal decision

It is a python. Easy to catch and relocate yourself.

Very disappointed that no more photos........

Not sure a great place to bring up children - as no open spaces to play But fantastic for coffee, food, services, village feel, etc.... I love both Crows Nest and Lane Cove for the "village feel" I suppose it depends on whether children are free-ranging or not

Hello Lindfield and Gordon are safe and leafy areas to bring up children. Other nice areas to live in would be Berowra Heights or Hornsby Heights, both under one hour to the CBD Plus some excellent public and private schools in the area of Hornsby. Best coffee in Sydney is on the upper Northern Beaches where you are spoilt for choice (which doesn't help you!) Which hospital will you be working in?

Hello You could offer cheaper appointments to backpackers We had a couple of masseurs, beauticians and hairdressers in the hostel I was in. They advertised their services in all the local hostels, and made cash in hand from those jobs. They were usually quite busy.

Oh dear I felt absolute regret before the plane had even landed, and I lasted three months, before hot footing it back home to Oz. Home is where the heart is after all My love affair with Australia has never waned, and simply grows stronger each passing year. But good luck to those returning to the UK, hope it all works out for you, and you settle in well. .

Hello Clareville, Newport and Avalon, are three of the best places to live in Sydney But they are all pretty expensive to buy in, you would be hard pressed to find anything under $800,000. Most places for sale are $900,000 plus. (The 4 bedroomed house I greatly admire is for sale at a measly $3,800,000) Rent can be expensive too, BUT most of the places on the upper end of the scale to rent, are modern, fully equipped / fitted out, and many with million dollar views. I pay $400.00 a week for a two bedroomed apartment with gorgeous views of Pittwater. I love the area.

Hello Avoca Beach and Macmasters Beach are both lovely, and about 20 minutes to Gosford train station by car. In my opinion, Gosford and Woy Woy are OK to visit or transit through, but I would not like to live there. Down from the coast, Somersby and Berowra are good places to live too. Best you book into short term (three months) accommodation when you get here and check areas out for yourself.