lucyloo

Can anyone help?
My partner has been offered a job in Karratha in Western Australia and we are looking at the pros and cons of living there. We have read up loads on the internet etc and realise it is quite an isolated place to live, but just wondered does anyone have any experience of living there or know much about the place?
Any comments much appreciated.

Cheers

renth

You'd need to be pretty robust to live somewhere like that. People move to Perth and moan about culture shock but Karratha would be a much bigger shock to the system if you didn't know what to expect - a wild west mining town, hot, dry, dusty, lots of indigenous people, ZZ top beards (and that's the sheilas). Some beautiful country in the Pilbara, especially in spring.

Your partner would be earning BIG BUCKS though, wouldn't he?

I'm sure a lot of people working in that area are on Fly in/Fly out (FIFIO) contracts, and live in Perth. Why not see if you can get a FIFO job?

bondipom

The company I work for has to pay a hefty premium to get workers there and offers several free flights a year to their home city. Probably fun for a year and droll from there onwards.

Simone

Might be fun for an adventure for a year or so, but I wouldn't choose it!!
And only fun for adventure if you like the outback and 'nature'(and don't mind driving a few hours to get to it), like it warm/hot, are good at amusing yourselves, and don't mind missing lots of shops etc.

I would visit it first before you decide to move there. Or have a backup plan for if you don't like it.

Oh, and I agree with Renth's description of the place, sounds about right for nearly all the towns north of Perth

Good luck

JAJ

I'd suggest two things:

1. Visit there before you accept any job. Remember it's extremely hot in summer (often over 40C) and also prone to cyclones. The point someone else made about fly-in-fly-out is worth thinking about.

2. If you do want to accept the job, as with anything like this, think about what visa you will have. Try to get a permanent visa as there is lots of hassle involved with any kind of temporary visa. Also be aware that if your permanent visa is an RSMS visa, the main visa holder will need to make a 'genuine effort' to work for the employer for 2 years and your visa can be cancelled if you don't.

Jeremy

movetoperth

I've never been so can't give you first hand experience like all the others who've posted here can, but i did have a friend who worked there for a bit and thoroughly enjoyed it. He said yes it was a huge advernture but not something he could have done long term. I also met the girl he worked with who lived there, she had lived there all her life and loved it, but i got the impression that it would be a hard place to settle in if you were an "outsider".
I'd have to agree with everyone else and say that you should visit first, unless you are the type of person who can just make the best of it even if you don't like it until something else comes up. As for fly in fly out, that doesnt suit every family either and you may feel that it's not the kind of lifestyle you want to migrate for.

Lynn

renth

Here's a typical night out in Karratha:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems...2/s1310300.htm

Karratha pubs reopen after violent brawl

Bars and hotels in Karratha have re-opened after being shut down by police after a violent brawl broke out between 60 labourers.

Two thousand contract workers in Karratha walked off the job yesterday and many of them chose to spend the day at Karratha's 11 licensed venues.

At 7:30pm AWST yesterday about 60 drunken men became involved in a violent riot at a tavern.

One man ended up in hospital.

Officer in charge Ivan Davie says he has never seen anything like it.

"It's the first time in my four years in Karratha that we've actually taken these steps," he said.

Police closed down the tavern, but were soon called to another venue where the same men were allegedly assaulting bar staff.

Under the liquor licensing act police shut down all 11 pubs and bars in Karratha and put nearby towns on stand-by.

Megalania

From:



To:

Megalania

Second best thing to a root.

renth

"Intercourse Island"

hu huhuh huhuh huhuh!!

Megalania

'tis not cruel irony, 'twas doubtless uppermost in the mind of European explorers and for days afterwards.

PIDDLETRENTHIDE TO EAST INTERCOURSE ISLAND

lucyloo

Brilliant - thanks for all your comments.

He is an ozzie and I am on a spouse visa and he already has another job to start in August in Sydney. But then this offer came through 2 weeks ago. Yes it is a good job, flights, house, bills, car paid etc but is my first time to oz and could be a bit too much of a culture shock. I am pretty tough but then you dont really know until you live it.

We will make a decision and if leaning towards karratha, I will definately check it out first before we say definately. Mind you - it does sound that it can get pretty rough with the old pub brawl and ALL the pubs shutting!!

Cheers again

Amazulu

I've been approached about a job on the new Karratha-Port Hedland rail line that is going to be built. It's based in Perth with FIFO when needed. The candy is really good.

Good luck, I'd be interested to know how you get on if you go there. Nothing wrong with s bit of a bar brawl now & again!.