new girl

Is there anyone out there anywhere close to the Port Macquarie area? We have been here since October and love the area but my 18year old needs some mates to party with!!! Help - his boredom is driving me mad!!! Would love to meet anyone in the region

mattmobster

Sorry newgirl cant help you with your sons boredom, but was hoping you could help me!
My family and I are relocating to OZ soon and Port Macquarie is at the top of our list at the moment. We've never been there, but it looks perfect for a family.
How are you finding it? Are you renting or buying? Im a chef and also a landlord of a pub in Somerset and want to get a chefs job initally then maybe buy a cafe. Are there many cafes/restaurants?
Thanks for the help!!!
Matthew

new girl

Hi Matthew
When are you due to come out here? We are actually living in a small place about 30 mins from Port at the moment but it's far too quiet so we are looking fo a place in Port at the moment. We love the place - so clean and tidy and loads of beautiful beaches, walkways and wildlife. Port is fast becoming the centre for the mid north cost with lots of development going on so there is a bit of an urban spread going on. There's lots of cafes and estauants but not so many bars/pubs. We have still got to try a lot of them out yet. If you enjoy the outdoors, you'll love it here - the river system and beaches provide plenty of oportunities for fishing, sailing and every other water sport but if you want the night life, it is rather limited, just a couple of night clubs and bars which provide some entertainment. There is a new cultural centre being built which will host some national concerts and productions from next year. Go to http://www.portmacquarieinfo.com.au/frontpage1.aspo for more info. I'm not sure what the employment market is like for chefs but if you go to the Port Macquarie News classified pages, you might get an idea. But there should be some opportunity as there are so many eating places around here. One of the most popular places is The Pier in Clarence Street. Hope that helps and keep in touch.
By the way, my son now has a car and a job and will be starting uni in July so he's not so bored now he can get out and about!!
Good luck
Jane

mattmobster

Wow it sounds amazing.
Getting outdoors more is one of the reasons we are coming over. Ive got 2 girls aged 2 and 4. We lived on the North Devon coast for a while where I learned to surf, and we all loved it and want to get back to the coast but with warmer climate!
Having children, we're not really looing for much nightlife. Im a singer/songwriter and would look for acoustic nights in the area which is probably the only time I would be able to get out evening wise.
Where did you guys move from and how long have you been there?

new girl

Hi Matt
I've been here since last October but my partner came a few months before to start up his business (plumbing). He's an aussie citizen but had been back in the uk for 3 years and couldn't wait to get back here!
There are a few places which put on live music including the irish tavern!! The Macquarie Hotel and The Town Green Inn seem be the most popular for music. The nsw kite surfing champs have just been held here- fantastic!
I have met up with caroline from the meet up group from Gloucester who also lives here so there will be some brits to meet you when you arrive.
Keep in touch
Jane

Lrod

Hi Jane

We are considering moving out to Port Macquarie after visiting the place twice. I noticed that your partner is a plumber, I to am a plumber/gasfitter who as worked for British Gas/Transco here in the UK for 18 years. What is the work situation like there for plumbers? My only concern is that there would not be enough work for me to support my family.

Thanks
Lee

new girl

Hi Lee
Good to hear that Port is on your list of places to settle. It really is a lovely place to live with so much going on and plenty of developments in the pipe line. The down side is the job situation. I'm lucky being a nurse as they are so short here but my partners business is in strife - many plumbers in this area and the building industry has gone a bit flat. Some friends of ours had to move as no work for him as a carpenter. We're hanging out though and hoping that in time the business will become established. I would definately do some job searching before committing. Sorry to sound a bit pesimistic about it but that's one thing we have found hard about settling here - looks like I'll be the bread winner for sometime!!! We really don't want to live anywhere else as it would be hard to match this place so we're battling on.
Keep in touch and I'll let you know of any developments
Jane

pomsincoffs

Hi All,
Well we aren't in Port but we are in Coffs Harbour - not too far away. And while we don't have teenagers we do ahve a 7 month old! I know its not much in common but I can't find anyone on here who lives anywhere near Coffs so I thought I'd just say hi!!
Hope all is going well for everyone. Our daughter was born out here in March after we emmigrated in January. Now the excitement of that is dying down we are hitting the 'wall' and struggling a bit - missing family etc. Just wanted to connect with other people from th UK
Hopefully hear from anyone!
x

new girl

Hi there
Keep battling and things will get better. We seem to be picking up now. My son's girlfriend lives in Coffs and he goes up there regularly. My daughter and grandson are here at the moment on holiday from the uk and she's decided to stay a bit longer which is great but I know that it will be hard when they eventually go back to the uk. We were up at Dorrigo today and called in at Nambucca before heading back to Port.
We could still do with some more friends really but in time I'm sure we'll have a bigger social network. Keep in touch with your developemnts
Jane

smythes

hi there,

I don't have any kids but my husband and me are moving to port macquarie from the UK in September. We fell in love with the place when we were there in April. How are you finding it? I'm a teacher. Hoping to find a job there. Do you find there are enough people your age to socialise with?

Clare

Shaundawn

Hi New Girl and others
We love Port and would like to settle there, but just worried about finding work...we spent a week there in March while validating the visas.
I am a cook in a childcare centre and my partner a painter and decorator.
Like you say, employment seems a bit quiet but theres just so much development going on.
Thanks for any advice.
Dawn

new girl

Hi Smythes
There are plenty of schools here but I suppose it depends what you teach. After our experiences, I would definately try to secure work before getting out here.
We are gradually making new friends. Everybody is very relaxed and friendly here but it always take time to establish friends rather than just acquaintances. We still love it here and feel quite settled. We're in our mid 50's but socialise with all age groups. My son is now at uni in Newcastle so we our widening our social network as we are getting to know more of his contemporaries and their connections. I guess that's the way it works over time!
Keep in touch and when you rrive in September we will have to meet up.
Jane

new girl

Hi Dawn
Yes - be prepared to wait for work. I do know that the jobs advertised attract hundreds of applicants as everyone wants to move here!! As I've said before, if there's anyway of securing work before you arrive...... Tradesmen (including my other half) are finding it slow at the moment as no doubt you've heard the interest rate has risen about 5 times over the past year and families with mortgages are finding it tight. DIY is starting to be plugged a bit more now! However on a positive note, did you notice that there's a new town being built just outside Port - Sovereign Hills so there should be some work out of that.
Good luck and keep in touch
Jane

ROSEBABE

hi jane and everyone in port, my hubby and i lived in port 10yrs ago, we loved it but was homesick, we left there in march 98. we are returning now this year with a 10 & 9 yr old. we have some very good ozzie friends who have lived in port along time. she told us that it has grown very big in port since we had left there. we just cant wait to get back there. we rented in waugh st in town and i worked in a travel agents in horton st. also worked a couple of months in target. we are hoping to have our house on the market by the end of may, very slow selling over here. we will hopefully be there this year as i want to get the kids settled in school well before jan 09, i want to leave well b4 xmas. may be we can meet up for a coffee when we get there. lovely to hear from someone in port. which area r u at, u said you were 30mins away. i'm 36 and my hubby is 39. he's a painter &decor and i'm a teaching assistant. i cant imagine i will land a job in a school very quickly, i've heard its hard to get in the schools,not sure about the casual/relief part of it though. my hubby has been promised work with a guy he worked with when we were there but that could change when we arrive. when we emigrated in 1995 it was easier just the 2 of us but now its the kids its harder. my son doesnt want to go and my daughter do. they are in a lovely church school but i cant imagine we can afford to send them to one out there especially with us starting off. we have to give it a try again as i cant live with the regret. anyway any information you can forward to us would be great. there is another couple your age on here who went to port in oct 07, their name on here was jellibaby, if you wanted to post them i think it was in the mortgage pages. just look for posts from jellibaby. maybe you could meet up. bye for now

new girl

Hi Rosebabe
Lovely to hear from you and good on you for giving it another go. The housing market in the uk sounds a bit slow - my daughter tells me that it's hard now for people to get mortgages there. Hopefully you'll sell soon and you'll be looking for a place here. Will you buy here? If so there are some good deals at the moment with the global economic situation as it is now. We live in Crestwood which was probably just being built when you left. It's about 10 mins from the town centre close to the golf course. Where do you live in the uk? Where in Port do your friends live? Hope all goes well with the move and that you can secure work here - that's the main thing really. It's a fantastic place to live and hopefully you won't get so homesick this time. Keep in touch and we will definately have to meet up when you get here.
Jane