comet555

I bet you're thrilled to be leaving Fort McMurray

We left there in 2007 and have been in Brisbane since then. Loving the warm weather for the most part. We were only in Fort Mac for 5 years but I couldn't wait to leave!

What sort of engineering does your husband do? My husband is a mining engineer, used to work for North American Construction up in Fort McMurray.

Japonica

Welcome! Welcome! Hurray for another Canuck.

Yeah, my husband loves it here and swears he's never going back to the snow...he wanted to have a snow shovel burning party before we left (ha--no chance, we sold all the yard equipment to the new owner of our house).

Money wise, check into wages (as much as you can) before you come over, just so you have an idea. My husband was making more back in Canada...and costs here for many things are higher (some are lower or comparable). Still, I imagine prices wouldn't be too out of line with what you pay in Ft Mac for stuff. Is rent there still crazy high? And groceries?

Good luck and can't wait to hear when you've got the green light to go!

ToWAorBust

Oh my God has the price of houses gone up. I have also been here for 5 years and am glad to here something positive from people who can compare what it is like here to down there. Groceries are pricey still but normal high. I hate the fact that you have a 2 day maximum to eat fruit before going bad!! We just squeezed into this house Maxing out a mortgage at 510,000 2 years ago. it is just your regular 2100 sq ft home, oh yeah remember those tiny yards? We are hoping when it goes up in the spring it will go over 800,000.00 it is worth 760,000. now, we kick our selves for not getting here sooner. this 3,100 monthly mortgage is making it tight, oh and the traffic. Timberlea school was originally built for 300 kids now has over 1000 children and nothing coming in the area as it takes so much red tape. I didn't want my kids in such a large school. I still very much love it here. the people and comunity are awesome! it is just the cold that did me in! Russ works at Suncor as in operations.Technical specialist of Operations i think he is.

Banksia

Too much mowing?

Banksia

Increasingly (and at long last) the claim for re-imbursement can happen in the doctor's surgery without making a claim by post or visiting a Medicare office. http://is.gd/5WH0T Thereafter the cheques is in the mail or the money in your bank account. Automatically.

Banksia

Then there is Aldi. Given Coles and Woolworths vast array of sites, they will be secure in their market dominance for a long time.

For more general shopping intelligence, www.lasoo.com.au

Japonica

Ha ha. Not too bad actually. The lawns here seem to grow slower than at home. Maybe because it's so dry. We've only mowed a couple of times in 4 months. We definitely couldn't let it go that long back home.

Nah, too much weeding. Our rental house has a lot of flower beds...that's the only downside really. Well, besides trying to keep the grass green in summer. Sheesh. If we ever build a house, it's desert plants and rock for the front and a small patch of lawn in the back, not lawn everywhere as this place is.

Banksia

It's fast enough on the east coast (when there is rain), thank you. My theory is lawns should survive on rainfall not watering. If watering is needed, perhaps another solution is needed.

A carpark for example?

Japonica

No kidding...I was reading an article in the paper a while back that Perth would look a lot different if settled by Spanish colonists, for example. People who were used to agriculturally dry conditions and not trying to recreate lush gardens. Las Vegas paid homeowners to rip out their lawns (along with other water restriction measures). And lawns are not allowed for new houses. Even though their population has increased, their water consumption has gone down.

ToWAorBust

Can I get back to the coffee? As this concerns me that you can't go to any corner and buy a coffee. Me personally I switched to McDonalds Coffee a couple of years ago. Really is BEST COFFEE EVER! that and it is way cheaper than Starbucks and Timmies

comet555

Well then you'll be happy here. Just about every McDonald's I've seen here (often called MACCA's) has a McCafe inside as well. They carry a bunch of coffee's and treats, not a vast selection mind you but I think that's the most common coffee shop around.

http://mcdonalds.com.au/#/mccafe

Japonica

You'll be fine though. Those of us who liked Timmies are at a loose end though...

Dorothy

Tim Horton's is vile. Putrid!!!!!!!!

abner

Vegemite is not exactly a gift to the culinary arts either.

Yet both Timmies and Vegemite have perversely large followings in their respective countries of origin.

(As for me, I miss Second Cup--strong brewed coffee--more than Timmies.)

Dorothy

Yes. Second Cup. There was one not far from where I lived and I used to love going on a Sunday morning with the newspaper and having a good cup of coffee. They also do a nice brekkie.