hi im new to this site but not to Australia! we are a family with 4 children and move to australia just over 3 years ago! we travelled around and fell totally in love with queensland that was my australia dream! we got down as far as Adelaide and i was heavily pregnant so the travelling got put on hold! had the buba brought a house, both got jobs kids in school etc. but now 3 years on i need to carry on with my dream. my husband has lost his job, company went into liquidation, hes a fully qualifed plumber and gas installier but willinging to do anything right now! im wondering did this happen for a reason as a chance for us to make the big move!! our eldest only had 1 year left at primary school so think nows the time!!! just cant decided between hervey bay(have freinds there) or northen beaches of mackay??? have done lots of reasearch and feel mackay is out of this world lots of work but very expensisve living hervey bay simpler life cheaper housing not so much work! we really want the simpler life dont want hubby working long hours so he misses out on kids but worried we maybe in the centrelink cue from rumours of not mork in hervey bay anyone tell me if its that bad for work?? our friends got jobs within a couple of months and tell me its fine but not sure if they are biased!!! HELP!!!

 

It may be worth trying to sort out the Queensland Plumbing prior to your move or it could hold you up a little.

We have a good friend who lived at Buderim and he has done ok work wise as a plumber this last year or 2. I do sometimes think its the luck of the draw, can he approach companys for work prior to the move then it may narrow down suburbs to live in?

Cal x

 

yes i have already contacted licencing in queensland and they do swap an SA licence over to a queensland for a fee (of course!!!) i had a look on net and there doesnt seem to be many big companies up in hervey bay just the odd guy who works for himself so this is a possibility for my husband and there is lots of jobs for companies and in mining in mackay! think i have looked into both areas lots and covered everything and also lucky enough to have had the oppertunity to visit most of australia on arrival just being totally indecisive!!! i just want someone to say omg the crime rate is so bad in an area or something simular to help me make a desision!!!!

 

LOL, I dont think you would hear that the crime is bad anywhere up that way. Its lovely and to me ' countryfied' up there, you will be spolit for choice. Id get a holiday let for a few weeks when you arrive and have a good drive around to see where you like best.

Great news about the licence ,shame about the fee,lol, the aussies like their fees heh?lol

The one man bands might not be a bad option, my friend starting helping a guy out and just did a few days a week prooving himself. 6 months on he is almost running the show and the guy has semi retired so its worked out well.

Cal x

 

Hi I have just moved to the Hervey Bay area, It is very nice up here and from what I can tell there is not a lot of crime. I live in Burrum Heads a small village with a population of around 900, Not sure what the work is like up here but I am looking for a carpenter and plumber/gas fitter and having problems finding some free to give me a quote. BUT most of them are telling me they are working in Brisbane and only back at weekends. So not sure if there is enough work up here, or if they move to Brisbane during the week for the extra money.

 

hi guys me again thanks for your previous answers, few more questions!!
can you tell me any areas to avoide or that are particulally good???
also do you know if the area is suseptable to flooding and bad storms???
many thanks kerry!

 

I am a big fan on Hervey Bay and the Fraser Coast - stunning - Think going up as far as mackay would be too humid for me in the summer

 

yes have to admit im totally in love with the idea of hervey bay and going off macay after more reasearch!! we were lucky enough to travel ausralia on arrival and we fell in love with macay but the northen beaches but realistally we cant afford to live near the beach there but can in the bay! also friends i made in queensland have recently moved to the bay and loving it so my final bit of research is are we likely to get caught in big storms of flooding!!!!!!!!