Hi my wife and four kids previously went to Geelong. We have been back in UK 3 years and now thinking of returning to Sunshine Coast area. Big reason we didnt like Geelong was the education was so awfull pretty much 2 years behind our kids.
Can anyone advise regrading the licensing process ie how long and how hard or British Plumbers and secondly is the money from Gas fitting enough to live in a nice area and perhaps private schooling ? www.mpbs.co.uk my web site if there are any fellow Brits / Aussies needing a quality, honest hard working Plumber.

Sparkylad,
I am a British Gas Trained Gasfitter/Service Technician and am currently in the process of obtaining my Gasfitters Licence in Qld. I am assuming the procedure is similar with plumbing but be warned!! It does NOT happen overnight!! The following link,
http://skillstech.tafe.qld.gov.au/tr...ruction.html#7
will tell you what you need to do or if it doesnt then they are the people to ask. My advise is to have a current C.V/Resume ready, as many references as you can gather and J.P certified copies of all your certificates that you have obtained during your working career. You will need this just to get an interview with skillstech. This will help you get whats called an RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning).This in turn will determine what courses you will have to do to obtain your QLD Licence(and you will probably have to do something). I was told today that Plumbers here cover a much wider scope of work here than in the UK.
It is not cheap either!! I have been quoted approx $6000 to get my QLD gasfitters Licence(including courses). The cost will depend on what courses they say you will need to do.
As for wages, you can earn more if you are self-employed, but in order to do this you will need a 'contractors' Licence!!
Its quite frustrating while waiting for all this to happen, but it is compulsory if you wish to pursue Plumbing in QLD.

Good Luck, Matt

Sparkylad,
The RPL I mentioned can be found can be found by clicking the following link,
http://skillstech.tafe.qld.gov.au/tr...cognition.html
once again, Good Luck