LisaT

We have recently just got back from a recci in Perth. But I have this nagging feeling that Perth just isn't what I was looking for.
I was looking more for a small town with a real community feel. A beach town.
Can anyone recommend places for us to look at or consider as I now feel I'm not as excited about immigrating as I was before the visit and I don't want to stay here in the UK.

We definitely want to stay on the West Coast.
Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

kiwichild

You need to consider where your opportunities for work are too. Insisting on the West coast limits it a bit.

Popular places you might want to consider would include:

Bunbury (2nd lgst city in WA, about 60,000)

Busselton

Denmark/ Margeret River

Esperance

I hear Albany and Manjimup ok too but not sure of their exact location

Could also look nth to kalbarri, broome, etc

Clippy

Whereabouts did you visit on your reccie? We're going to have a look in June so would be interested to hear your reports of your reccie

michellemac

I think it depends on what kind of work you are looking for and whether you need a bit of hustle and bustle or whether you want quiet etc, how close you need to be to Perth or some sort of urban area with it's facilities, whether you're happy to be far away from shops/fast food/cinemas etc.

There are some nice places between Mandurah and Bunbury - Myalup, Preston Beach, Australind, Eaton but they are a long way from "civilisation" Australind is a bit bigger but the rest probably have a shop that sells a few essentials and that's about it, you'd have to travel to Bunbury or Mandurah to get anything else.

Also between Rockingham and Mandurah there are some nice places and possible to commute to Perth or Fremantle for work - Secret Harbour, Golden Bay, Port Kennedy to name a few, but they are all fairly new places, again not a lot of facilities like shops and you'd have to travel into Mandurah or Rockingham to do your food shopping etc.

If you're prepared to go further afield, then there are some lovely places further south , Bussleton, Dunsborough, Margaret River, Augusta, Yallingup are all popular holiday towns. Although I imagine employment prospects are limited for most people and wages probably quite low (there are some mines and wineries and tourist type businesses around that might be suitable).

HTH a bit.

Michelle

kiwichild

Bloody great post! very thoughtful. Well done

Bella Donna

We're in PK and I have no gripes with local shopping facilities for day-to-day stuff. Local centre at St Clair, more at Warnbro Fair, five minutes (by car). I never have go to Rockingham or Mandurah for food.

Sue

cranni

Hi Lisa, well i think you have to come to Bunbury, it sounds like the place for you, lovely town centre, that great community feeling, and the people are so nice here. [ well the ones we have met]
We live in Dalyellup just outside Bunbury, and its beautiful here, parks everywhere well kept and clean.
Events going on all the time, 2 mins down the road the beach where we often have dolphins.And next to the forest.
www.mybunbury.com.au
What does your hubby do?
Denise

worzel

How close to Perth do you want to be? If you are prepared to head north to Karratha / Port Headland the mining companies will pay something like $80K for a dishwasher or $150-$200K for a lorry driver. It is about an hours flight from Perth though. But you can work as little as 2 weeks on 2 off if your lucky. Closer to Perth, my company, Rio Tinto, recently started doing fly in fly outs from Geraldton. You will get great beaches and community spirit at these places.

gary stewart

Where can you get info on jobs with mining companies ?Hoping to arrive later in year.
gaz

worzel

Websites. Try Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton etc

Or try Seek etc which is a job advert consolidator. You can use this to get a list of smaller mining co's