Moving to Townsville

[EmilyH]

My husband has just been offered a job in Townsville. Great promotion, pay rise etc. but is it worth it? We have been living in Bris for a year. I have three kids, 9, 7, 4. Have read a few not so complimentary comments about the place, I don't know what to do? Any opinions or advice would be gratefully received. Thanks in advance

[Tickled Pink]

Have you actually been for a visit? since you live pretty close... I think that's what I'd do. For example, I know having been to Rockhampton for work purposes that it would have to be an amazing deal for me to want to move there from Brisbane...

[Paul1Perth]

I would fly up for a weekend and have a look at least. I like Townsville and think I could live there with the family just as easily as if we had to move to Bris. It's going to be different from Bris for sure but a lot of it in a positive way. You might all love it. it's a lot smaller than Bris (obviously) and your hubby might be at home more (if he commutes to work that is, if he's FIFO probably won't make much difference). I used to go to the beautiful 50m outdoor pool on the strand and be impressed that loads of kids would turn up with school uniform on for their swim squad and then sit doing their homework together when they'd finished.

 

There seemed a lot of kids and families always around the strand in the evening, with plenty to do. This time of year is ideal climate wise.

 

One thing that put me off a little is the sea doesn't look as clear as it does in Perth and WA, looks a bit murky and there are a lot more stingers. People still use it though and there are lots of opportunities for sailing, I've seen people windsurfing and loads of kayaks and outrigger canoes on the beach. One thing that's nice is they just leave stuff on the beach and it doesn't get stolen. They don't bother putting the gear into the boatshed or anything.

 

Magnetic Island is a short inexpensive boat trip and it's a lovely place. I had a long weekend there a couple of years ago when it was too much trouble to fly back to Perth for the weekend. Went over to Maggie Island for the day, hired a motorbike and had a brilliant day out. For some reason there were loads of people swimming in the ocean off the Island without a care in the world, whereas on the mainland Strand beaches there are nets all over the place.

 

Don't know what your hubby does but I reckon the money would go a lot further in Townsville, some nice houses close to the centre. Don't think I would like to live far out in the burbs though.

[EmilyH]

Thank you so much Paul. Really helpful, and much appreciated. They flew us up there yesterday. Great city, great schools, looks like a nice strip of restaurants and things to do. I can't get over the remoteness of the place though? Lots going on in my head, very stressful! Lot of thinking to do.

 

Thanks again emily

[Paul1Perth]

Thank you so much Paul. Really helpful, and much appreciated. They flew us up there yesterday. Great city, great schools, looks like a nice strip of restaurants and things to do. I can't get over the remoteness of the place though? Lots going on in my head, very stressful! Lot of thinking to do.

 

Thanks again emily

 

There are a couple of restaurants there where I've had some of the best food I've had anywhere in Aus. White salt I think one is called, down the side of the Holiday Inn. Another one is Michels on Palmer Street. If you want a really big meal and good value try the brewery next to the bridge, used to be the old post office. Their beers and food are great, good atmosphere too in there, they do quiz nights a couple of times a week. The ribs are monstrous.

 

The remoteness only bothers you when you really need to get to a big City. It's only a relatively short flight to Bris and there is so much to do around Townsville that after a while you might not feel isolated at all, you just settle in to the Townsville lifestyle. I hear the same thing said about Perth with the remoteness but I don't even think about it.

 

Good luck with your decision.

[Mel Lofts]

Hi Emily, I have lived in Townsville with my husband and daughter for 2 years and absolutely love it. I lived near London for 11 years so was expecting a bit of a culture shock but we soon got used to the lovely warm weather and relaxed attitude to life. I have worked in Brisbane for a few months too and we have friends down there. Townsville is a long way from Brisbane but it is not as remote as people seem to think. You can drive to Cairns in 4 hours. You can drive to the Whitsundays in three hours and there are many places to visit in between. There are direct flights from Townsville to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne all less than 3 hours away. The population (around 180,000) is much less that the major cities, but in my opinion that is a good thing. You can drive from anywhere in Townsville to anywhere else in Townsville in half an hour and not hit traffic. You can walk around breathing fresh air when you go site seeing or shopping and not have to endure a thick fog of cigarette smoke.

 

 

Shops - Despite the House Rules production team implying that everything in Townsville needs to come up from Brisbane, it does not, there are 3 Bunnings and soon a Masters, there are 3 big shopping centres, one with a Myers. From my experience of Brisbane and Melbourne, although they all have lots of shopping centres, they essentially have the same range of shops in each. The shops carry stock too. You can usually buy something big and have it delivered within 24 hours.

 

 

Restaurants - Lots of restaurants and cafes catering for all styles of cuisine ranging from the award winning Jam Corner to the more budget conscious.

 

 

Sports and Leisure - Home of the Cowboys and the Crocodiles and host to V8s. Lots of facilities for adults and children to participate in. Riverway is a park by the Ross River that has walkways and huge swimming pools and is free entry. The strand (you probably walked along that) has many parks for children to play in including a splash park. There is an Olympic sized pool at one end and a seawater pool at the other (the Rockpool). There are times of the year that you can swim generally in the sea due to jellyfish but at those times you can go into the rock pool or swim between the stinger nets where the life guards patrol. There are lots of freshwater creeks nearby that have crystal clear water to swim in. Magnetic Island is a 25 minute ferry ride and has beautiful beaches. There are a few cinemas and a couple of Theatres. There is always something going on.

 

 

General - There are lots of young families in Townsville and lots of young adults. People are very friendly. When we lived near London nobody spoke to anyone they didn't know but here you will be best mates with everyone who serves you in the shops etc. I got used to this pretty quickly and thought that people were like that everywhere in Oz, but I soon found out not, when I recently visited Melbourne and spoke to everyone I met with the same warmth as a Northern Queenslander. They of course thought I was mad.

 

 

I hope I have given you some insight as to what it is like to live here. You have got a lot to think about. One thing though, if you come here and don't like it you can go back but if you pass up on a good opportunity you will never know.

 

 

Take Care, Mel.

[Mae m]

Hi Mel! Your answer was very informative! I am moving this december with my boyfriend and 22 month-old daughter. Would you be able to recommend some of the best suburb to live in, i was thinking of douglas, annandale, idalia (but quite too pricey) , railway estate or wulguru.any info will be appreciated. Thank you

[Mel Lofts]

Hi Mae,

 

I sent you a PM.

 

Mel.

[jac2011]

Townsville is one of the rural QLD destinations I would definitely consider, I have read a lot of positive reports from POMS that have moved there. Rarely a negative report to be found.