Newman- Job Offer

[gconnolly87]

Hi there, I am new to this forum. I have been offered sponsorship for a job in Newman and was just looking for some info, I see online that it is mining town but just wondered what there is to do? Bars, restraunts gyms, cinemas etc?? Any other information on what the place is like would be amazing.

 

Thanks again

 

Gary

[Bobj]

Hi there, I am new to this forum. I have been offered sponsorship for a job in Newman and was just looking for some info, I see online that it is mining town but just wondered what there is to do? Bars, restraunts gyms, cinemas etc?? Any other information on what the place is like would be amazing.

 

Thanks again

 

Gary

 

G'day mate and welcome to the forum.

 

Newman...an awful lot of not very much, I'm sad to say. It is in the eastern part of the mighty Pilbara, WA, desert country and a very big culture shock to newchums.

 

http://www.discoverwest.com.au/western_australia/newman.html

 

Cheers, Bobj.

[gconnolly87]

G'day mate and welcome to the forum.

 

Newman...an awful lot of not very much, I'm sad to say. It is in the eastern part of the mighty Pilbara, WA, desert country and a very big culture shock to newchums.

 

http://www.discoverwest.com.au/western_australia/newman.html

 

Cheers, Bobj.

 

 

Thanks for your reply, that sounds a bit daunting. So desperate to gain some kind of job in Australia but not sure if me and my girl would want to move into a "desert".

[Bobj]

Thanks for your reply, that sounds a bit daunting. So desperate to gain some kind of job in Australia but not sure if me and my girl would want to move into a "desert".

 

A great number of the Newman miners do FIFO. Have a squiz at these:

 

http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/western-australia/128348-any-families-doing-fifo.html

 

http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/western-australia/122891-karratha.html

 

Cheers, Bobj.

[gconnolly87]

Thanks for the links, however, I would not want to do the FIFO I have been offered a mechanical maintenance fitter job and I would be looking to rent accommodation. Do you think another location would be more advisable since Newman is remote?

[Bobj]

Thanks for the links, however, I would not want to do the FIFO I have been offered a mechanical maintenance fitter job and I would be looking to rent accommodation. Do you think another location would be more advisable since Newman is remote?

 

If you want to get into the mining game, most of the jobs are fifo.

 

Sorry mate, can't help any further than that.

 

Cheers, Bobj.

[tisme]

I lived in Newman for about 18 months, left there a year ago, my daughter and her partner still live and work there, both are fifo. Newman is a small community, it has everything you need for day to day living, a shopping centre, medical center, dentist, there are 2 pubs both do meals, a nice restaurant, Subway, Pizza, fish & chips and a noodle bar, thats about it. Perth is about an 11 hour drive away, or a 1hour 40min flight, you can get specials on flights, sometimes $149 one way so a week escape to Perth is an option when you start to feel a bit hemmed in. If the company aren't supplying you with a house then your pretty much stuffed, acommodation is VERY expensive, thats if your fortunate enough to find somewhere to rent. There is a nice community feel though and BHP sponsor events through out the year and the whole town seems to get involved. The local swimming pool doubles as the walk in cinema,occasionally showing movies in the evening. I'd live there again knowing it was not for ever, but for a short time it's fine.

[MARYROSE02]

I lived in Newman for about 18 months, left there a year ago, my daughter and her partner still live and work there, both are fifo. Newman is a small community, it has everything you need for day to day living, a shopping centre, medical center, dentist, there are 2 pubs both do meals, a nice restaurant, Subway, Pizza, fish & chips and a noodle bar, thats about it. Perth is about an 11 hour drive away, or a 1hour 40min flight, you can get specials on flights, sometimes $149 one way so a week escape to Perth is an option when you start to feel a bit hemmed in. If the company aren't supplying you with a house then your pretty much stuffed, acommodation is VERY expensive, thats if your fortunate enough to find somewhere to rent. There is a nice community feel though and BHP sponsor events through out the year and the whole town seems to get involved. The local swimming pool doubles as the walk in cinema,occasionally showing movies in the evening. I'd live there again knowing it was not for ever, but for a short time it's fine.

 

I was just doing a bit of research on the net, never having been to Newman, and I concluded that it's a typical outback Aussie town. Before I 'Googled' I had the idea it was a mine with a FIFO workforce and nothing else but I understand that it's a town of about 7,000 permanent residents & 4,000 FIFO's? The primary school and high school each have about 300 pupils & there's a TAFE too, and a hospital

 

I've been to a few outback towns, mainly in NSW - Broken Hill, Wilcannia, Cobar, Walgett, Lightning Ridge, Bourke, Cunnamurra & St George in QLD. In each of them I've thought, 'well if I had a job here, I could live here. Personally, I'd rather live in a place than be a FIFO anyway. Treat it as an adventure, keep a journal, write a blog, there could be a book in it.Try and become a part of the community rather than just a 'tourist!' Most people are welcoming as long as you don't 'whinge!' In time, you might just become a 'local'!

[tisme]

I was just doing a bit of research on the net, never having been to Newman, and I concluded that it's a typical outback Aussie town. Before I 'Googled' I had the idea it was a mine with a FIFO workforce and nothing else but I understand that it's a town of about 7,000 permanent residents & 4,000 FIFO's? The primary school and high school each have about 300 pupils & there's a TAFE too, and a hospital

 

I've been to a few outback towns, mainly in NSW - Broken Hill, Wilcannia, Cobar, Walgett, Lightning Ridge, Bourke, Cunnamurra & St George in QLD. In each of them I've thought, 'well if I had a job here, I could live here. Personally, I'd rather live in a place than be a FIFO anyway. Treat it as an adventure, keep a journal, write a blog, there could be a book in it.Try and become a part of the community rather than just a 'tourist!' Most people are welcoming as long as you don't 'whinge!' In time, you might just become a 'local'!

 

It's a nice, little, remote, outback town, not everyone likes or can handle living in a remote area, it doesn't faze me in the slightest, I enjoyed my time in Newman.

[MARYROSE02]

It's a nice, little, remote, outback town, not everyone likes or can handle living in a remote area, it doesn't faze me in the slightest, I enjoyed my time in Newman.

 

That's what I imagine it to be. Walgett was a little intimidating, not because there were a lot of Aborigines there but they seemed to roam the streets and the town had a run-down look to it. For all that, I stayed in one of the two motels OK and went for a meal at the golf club where everyone else seemed to go, spoke to one of the teachers at the high school.

 

 

Of course when you get to the edge of town, there's is 'nothing' then for a long way unitl the next town. Is Newman a 'little' hot in summer mind?

[tisme]

Newman is very hot in summer and can get very cold at night in winter. Everywhere is geared up for the heat though, everywhere is air-conditioned. I think most if not all outback towns have Aborigines living in them, or living in camps outside of the towns, bit of a problem on social security pay day, they come from far and wide to buy supplies, but apart from the same handul that always seem to cause trouble, they are ok. There are retrictions on when you can buy full strength alcohol.

[gconnolly87]

Thanks for the feedback from you all, I don't think it is the opportunity I am looking for at the moment. Anyone looking for a mechanical fitter role I will happily pm them the details.