nicola27

We are planning on moving to Queensland (sunshine Coast), with our 2 children (age 2 and 11). We have never been to Australia before and although I cant wait for the move, I am slightly concerned as to how easy it will be to adjust to the heat - especially for the children. Has anyone found it difficult to adjust or do you get used to it fairly quickly?

Thanks
nicola

CPW

Actually, I think the children will probably adjust pretty quickly (depending on their age) — children do, as a rule. But remember that little children in particular can get dehydrated quickly so make sure that they have enough to drink.

One piece of advice I'd give (I'm not a lover of the heat, especially humid heat — in short, I hate it) is not to fight against it. In the hot weather, look at what the locals do and the way (and times of day) that they do it: they probably do it that way for a reason. There are simple and obvious things that people who are not used to the heat sometimes forget: things such as not going out to do strenuous outdoor activities or heavy shopping in the hottest part of the day; remembering to drink plenty of water and to carry a bottle of water with you; foregoing the roast dinner when the temperature is 35°C.

Another tip: if inside the house is cooler than it is outside, shut the house up, and open it again when the air cools in the evening. (The temptation is to open all the doors and windows when it's hot: unless there's a cool breeze or you're planning to hold a public meeting for 50 people in your sitting room, that's not usually the best thing to do.) Similarly, if you have west-facing rooms, remember to shut the blinds or draw the curtains before you go out in the morning. You might of course have air-conditioning, but these "rules" still apply.

When out in the car, try to park in the shade. If you have to leave the car in the sun, it can get very hot indeed, so have something (like a blanket) that you can cover the steering wheel with while the car is parked (yes, the steering wheel can get too hot to touch).

My guess is that if the move is right for you, you will get used to the heat soon enough. Conversely, though, I suppose you could say that if you don't get used to the heat, then the move isn't right for you anyway...

jayr

It's easy.

To reiterate some comments; do "hot things" earlier in the day.

Humidity rises as it gets dark, and after a day heating up the early evenings will be hotter than the early mornings (when x hours of darkness have allowed the land and air to cool a bit).

Get your car windows tinted to "darkest legal" for about $500. You can tint your house windows as well. Check your house has at least loft insulation (most QLD houses do not).

Wear light coloured (more reflective) clothing.

Buy a white car if you must for similar reasons.

Take water if walking anywhere more than 1 km.

Buy cheap fans for $25.

Stay inside between 11am and 3PM.

Wear thongs.

Drink a lot of fluids

moneypenny20

Don't use air con too much or you will never acclimatise. Get used to having doors and windows open (screens closed though unless you like bugs) and you should get a good enough through draft. Also fans are brilliant, whether ceiling or portable. We rarely use air con, we arrived in a November and didn't use any air con until we'd been here a year or so when we had a really humid day. We still have a UK summer duvet on the bed. I think you could say we've acclimatised

nicola27

Thanks for your replies, very interesting and helpful advice.

Gems

Arrive in July, then you will build up slowly to the heat. Well it worked for us.

Kids adapt very quickly we are rural and hotter part of WA.

Gem

BadgeIsBack

People often get an outside and inside thermometer and open the windows once the temperatures equalise. Result - a great breeze on a summer's night..

And this applies to stacks of aspects of Australian life as evidenced by BE...

wardy2

we were worried about this before we arrived in Cairns in January (worst time) people on here who didnt live in Cairns were telling us how bad it was to be honest, maybe we have been lucky, but its not as bad as we were led to believe, as someone said dont fight it relax in to it.

I love our fans though we dont have the aircon on much hubby complains about the bills, i'm sure you will be fine.

Billabong

As other have said, you will get used to it if you follow the advice given. Once you've been here a year or 2 you will think anything below 15 degrees is bloody freezing. I get called all sorts of names when I speak to friends and family back in the UK and tell them how cold it is in winter (not) :-)

jimbo_d

It doesn't get that hot in Queensland, usually sits around 30, with the odd crazy hot day about 35-40, you'll be worrying moslty about how to avoid the rain as that's all it ever does in summer. The humidity is the problem up there, very sticky sometimes.

tuppins

Well im in qld and the last 4months have been between 27 - 38 HOT
we have been here 7months and still find it hot, had enough of the hot weather now
Just make sure that you get a rental with aircon, don't know when you are arriving but Nov to March is the worst.
Our 2 children seem to have adjusted pretty easily though.
Best thing is to try to stay out of the sun as much as poss, don't go to the beach until late afternoon.
You'll be fine x

calNgary

We see lots of familys arrive from uk everyone has managed to cope with hot days, june/july/aug are the coldest so best time to arrive try to use air con as little as poss & drink plenty of water, have the right clothes for the time of year, winter i would say long pants & t shirt the rest of the year shorts & vest, make sure that you all have hats.