NSW Spiders, bugs and fires

[Goochie]

We've recently been considering a move from England to Australia, among the dilemmas is "where in Oz?"

 

My wife is terrified of spiders the UK so we were looking at Melbourne as a slightly better option. However, she also has a circulatory condition whereby she has painfully cold legs in the UK winters - So we looked at Perth for it's hot dry climate.

 

So whats the spider situation really like in NSW, particularly commutable distances to Sydney?

 

Also, I remember seeing bush fires engulfing peoples homes on the news a few years ago - Is that an Oz-wide problem?

[Guest SDJ&A]

Hello Goochie,

 

Try the Illawarra. That's the Wollongong area.

 

Some climate info-

 

Climate within Wollongong

 

Wollongong climate, averages and extreme weather records

 

Have found the climate to be nice (so far), not too cold (but chilly) at night in the winter and warm to hot in the summer with the advantage of sea breezes which take the edge off the heat.

 

We have been here just over 18 months and like it.

Have seen one small huntsman(outside) and no funnel webs at all. It may depend on the type and age of the house you live in, but we have had nothing scary in the house. There is likely to be the odd cockroache, etc but we are armed with some good insect killer. They don't lie in wait ready to ambush you, but can surprise you sometimes.

 

I'm not sure of the history of bush fires here, it is a relatively well populated area with lots of woodland around but I think it is well managed and looked after. All I have seen has been some controlled burning last summer. I think some of the big fires have been in more rural areas. Someone else may be able to offer more info on that.

 

There is a large steel works in south Wollongong but to be honest we forget that it is there. The air quality I think is fine.

 

Sydney is only an hour or so away and there is a train service.

 

A beach life with the city not far away, just what we were after.

 

Take a good look though this section of pio, there are some good pictures on here, alot by Skippy and some other info.

 

Good luck.

[Goochie]

Thanks, Steve - We'll take a look.

[Skani]

Also, I remember seeing bush fires engulfing peoples homes on the news a few years ago - Is that an Oz-wide problem?

 

Yes, it is Oz-wide but it won't be a problem for you if you choose to live in an urban/suburban environment away from bushland and a rural environment.

[LKC]

We live in the south part of Sydney and have a house that backs on to bush. In the year that we have lived in this house I have found two small huntsmen, one redback and possibly a white tail spider, but I'm not 100% sure that that is what it was. In fact, I was saying to my hubby the other day that we have seen far fewer spiders here than we did in our little old cottage in the countryside in the UK!

 

Bushfires, we are in a bushfire prone area here because we are at the top of a hill and back on to national park, so there is always that risk. Having said that, we keep the property free from combustible stuff (leaf litter etc) we take note of the rural fire services website and the fire danger ratings, and we have bushfire plans in place so that depending on what the circumstances are (how quickly we need to evacuate, whether we are all at home, some at school, some at work etc) we can act and leave. I have to be honest, if a bushfire comes through this area (as it did in 2002), the children, hubby, the cats and I will be long gone and we will leave the house to it.

 

As SDJ&A said above, the Illawarra area is lovely. We spend most of our days off either in the Royal National Park, or down towards Wollongong.