invictia

I've read many threads on the forums over the past few weeks, and everyone who is moving, planning to move, has moved.........to a city, or near one! Is there anyone on the board who has moved to rural or remote australia like me? I am on the far west coast of South Australia, 5 hrs from big supermarkets like Woolies and Coles, no KFC, Maccas, Red Rooster etc., (although we do have a great Chinese in Town). I was priviledged last year to witness the Solar Eclipse here in Ceduna and I wouldn't live anywhere else, just wondering where you all hailed from and if anyone else was a "bushie" like me!
We have very mild winters, 40+ degree heat in the summer and warm spring and autumn weather. Kids go to a small area school that only has 500 pupils in it.
The only 2 major downsides I can see, is very little selection of jobs here and a full days drive to the City.
But as I said, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Comments please!!!!!

PeteY

I personally would love to live in the middle of nowhere. Convincing the wife would be another matter, so we are going to compromise and hopefully end up in Townsville, which is a pretty big town, 400ks from the next big town.

My wife lived in a town called Spalding, which is a fair way north of adelaide, so she has experienced the rural lifestyle...

If you don't mind my asking, what do you do for a living? As far as i can see that would be (as you mentioned) the main limiting factor for moving somwhere rural.

invictia

I'm fairly lucky, I work for the State Bank (Bank SA), so I'm OK, hubby is a Security Officer and an Ambo, we love the lifestyle, the fact that we can walk down the street and speak to people, we are known in the local shops, and if one of the kids is in any trouble they could go to anyone in town for help.

Our eldest son has left home, lives in Melbourne. he is in the Navy, going to be posted to Perth next year.
I'm staying here!

downunderpom

Yup! We're currently in Sydney, but that's only because the sponsorship and money are here. Meanwhile, we're building in the Blue Mountains (borderline Blue Mountains and Central Tableland), so 3 hours from the centre of Sydney. That's where we're looking to live 'forever'. Who wants cities? Give me rural any day!

Just bought 110 trees, including 30 English Oaks to plant on the property. Those and the jacarandas show our roots, along with our commitment to our new country!

The Koalas

Hi
I spent 6 months 2 hours from Brisbane in a remote place and the only way i could get anywhere was drive. I did enjoy it to start and even enjoyed the idea of not having people around but when I go back to OZ will be going more towards a city, probably Sydney, enjoy the comfort a big city has to offer.
But there is nothing to say I will move out of the city again once I have had enough. The main thing I missed was the coast and bieng able to fish when I wanted to and the beach.
Sounds very nice there though and nice to have a friendly community for support.

PeteY

So is that for when you retire/stop working, or can you work from home out there?

downunderpom

Either. The Aussies call what we have a 'hobby farm ', being 116 acres. Even that small a place needs quite a bit of work. We have a trout stream going through the property, and I have permission from the Dept of Land and Water Conservation to create a weir in the stream, making a 2 acre lake which we can promote to wildlife as a wetland. All this sort of stuff doesn't happen by itself, so my 'retirement' will still keep me going full time!
I'm sure the kangaroos, wallabies, wallaroos and wombats we have on the property will really enjoy the 'swimming pool' that we create for them, too!
While I work in IT, I work to live, rather than living to work, and would give it up tomorrow if I was able. Our property is where our future lies.

hutchy

Hi Invictia, just curious about your son in navy??My hubby just joined the navy here in oz and we are near Mornington..We are also going to Perth next year..Do you know where he is based now??My hubby is at HMAS Cerberus and we came out here from uk 6 weeks ago...Jan Hutchinson

PeteY

One thing i have always wanted to do is start a trout farm....sound like that could be somthing you could do with your property?? It can be a VERY profitable venture

Nicstids

Hi Jan,

Nice to hear that you've made it Ok to Aus. How's things going? We're still potentially looking at Mark joining the Aus Navy. When we contacted them, they said that they liked his qualifications but there were no vacancies in his trade currently - he's got to re-apply early next year...

Nicola

tennisoz

Sounds like a real good lifestyle you have there. So you will know the Great Australian Bight is not KFC, Maccas, Hungry Jacks etc! . I saw some great documentaries filmed in your part of the world by Glenn Ridge and Ben Dark.

Good luck.

The other postings look like good lifestyles as well. I guess it's horses for courses - city or country, coast or 'bush', busy or laid back etc, etc.

TennisOz

downunderpom

Hadn't even thought of that - don't know what the market would be, and I know bugger all about fish (I'm a scuba diver, so tend to meet fish on a social level, rather than on a plate!)
I was going to stock the lake with koi, but they're pretty expensive. Still, I'm not in a rush, so I can buy tiddlers and let them grow up. Now a good Koi is worth a LOT of money.......

tinaj

Sounds fantastic- each to their own. I couldn't do it though I would get bored too easily. I like to travel around a bit and am usually undertaking a couple of projects at a time to keep me busy.
It must be a really supportive environment for your kids - I envy that!

downunderpom

No kids, and won't be having any, but I have some 'borrowed daughters' that I have lent to me once in a while, (love 'em to bits!), along with a whole bunch of nieces and nephews. (I'm more of an 'uncle' type - can't stand rugrats! Apologies to all those who would die for their kids, even when they stink the place up and drive you insane with the racket they create... )
As far as travelling is concerned I've done little else since I was 10 - I'm now looking forward to staying in one place. It's taken me a long time, and a lot of looking, to find the place that I'm prepared to stay in 'forever', but now that I've found it, I can't wait.

invictia

Jan,

Rob is also at HMAS Cerberus, been there since April, he is an ET, actually at home on leave this week, flying back on Saturday, will be home again for Xmas for a month. What General Entry No was your hubby? Rob was 205 - Graduated 11 July