Bed Of Roses

Thanks to all for taking the time to tell all of us hopefuls about your wonderful city.

Mrs dagboy I love your posts you tell it like it is

Does anyone know anything of Bribie Island, is it like Hayling Island in the Uk a nightmare to get on and off ie only one access road? Property seems mid price to expensive, any beaches around how is Deception Bay?? i read somewere it is Gods waiting room??how long a drive to Brissy from these areas???
How hot does it get around the North end???

Thank you to you all for the links and information

rachels

Hi Kim and Rob

Yes, my "defacto" Andy and I have emmigrated, although my experience might be a little different from most people's in that I'm studying for a PhD at the University of Queensland so they helped me to arrange an apartment before I got here. Anyway, here goes, after getting off the plane (one-way flights also!) in Brisbane at 5.00am on 29th September:

Came straight to the apartment which we had reserved via e-mail after using UQ's website to find some non-student accommodation in Brisbane (we didn't want to be with a load of 18 year olds!) You don't have to be a student to live here so it might be worth checking out www.uq.edu.au and the accommdation section. It is a one-bedroomed, fully furnished apartment in Taringa and is costing us $245 a week. (We took it for three months and are spending some time checking out different suburbs and we'll move into a cheaper two-bed place before Christmas). I'm glad we did that because it helped us settle in really quickly and have somewhere called "home" at least.

On our first day (after 12 hours sleep) we had to call the electricity people to get connected and pay a deposit of $80. We put this on our UK visa card as we obviously didn't have an Aussie bank account. Same goes for deposit on apartment etc. The day after we arrived we went to Westpac bank and opened bank accounts which wasn't too difficult - having an Australian address really helped.

We then spent the next few days taking things easy and getting to know the city. We went on the city cat, had dinner in Paddington, lunch in West End, did some shopping in Fortitude Valley etc. At the weekends we went places like Wynnum and Manly (which are lovely) and out to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.

I've been to the dentist (already, despite going before I left the UK!) and it cost $38 to be seen and $23 for an extra to find out there's nothing wrong with me! He was a very nice man though and I was grateful that he didn't get his drill out!

In between all this I was getting registered at Uni and Andy was registering with some recruitment agencies (temp and permanent). Because Andy is in software and most of that stuff is in Sydney, we had to really put some effort in on the job front. He sent off 25 speculative CVs to software companies with an office in Brisbane and has two interviews this week. Please keep your fingers crossed! I am okay as I can get some part-time work through uni.

As for where we are now, I'm into my course, Andy is attending interviews and starting to get a little bit impatient without work. We have a good idea of where we'd like to live come December and we love Brisbane and the surrounding areas. We need to get some money coming in so that's our biggest worry, but apart from that we are very happy. It doesn't feel like we're on holiday, we do feel like proper Brisbanites, although Andy will feel it more so when he starts work I think.

Some estate agents websites are below and checkout www.ourbrisbane.com for house prices and rental prices by suburb.

I'm sorry this is such an essay, you're probably asleep by now

Hope it helps anyway and please ask me anything else you'd like to know. Good luck with it all!

General:

www.realestate.com.au.

St Lucia, Taringa, Toowong and Indooroopilly:

www.honeycombesproperty.com.au

www.innerwestrealty.com.au

www.pdixon.com.au

www.remax.com.au

www.rentalhotline.com.au

www.toowongfirstnational.com.au


Dutton Park, South Brisbane, West End and Fairfield:

www.century21.com.au/westend

www.drakos.net.au

www.ljhooker.com.au

www.metrofn.com.au

www.localre.com.au

www.raywhite.com


Milton, Auchenflower and Spring Hill:

www.harcourts.com.au

www.property.com.au

MrsDagboy

Hi Bed of Roses,

I asked Dagboy what Hayling Island was like, he hadnt ever heard of it LOL. Bribie Island does only have one access road ie 1 bridge but unless everyone on Bribie decided to leave at exactly the same time, I doubt there would be a problem . You may get some congestion at the junction of highway going to Brisbane, particularly at peakhour, but that would be about all. Theres not a huge population, although it is growing all the time. From Bribie to Brisbane commute time would be probably around an hour to 75 mins or slightly more depending on traffic. There are 2 main areas on Bribie, surfside which is where the swimming beach is (large stretch of beach north of there as well, only accessible by4WD) & the calm side (pumicestone Passage side) where there is no surf or beach to really speak of. Plenty of people still swim the in the summer, butits more like a river, no dunes of golden white sand. Never heard of it (or deception Bay) being described as Gods waiting room, but its probably not too far wrong! LOL. Demographics would probably show a high proportion of elderly & quite few self employed people at a guess. Lots of people on here like dotty think Bribie is a hellhole as its so quiet & theres very little to do ... I actually like the quiet life, and its not quiet enough , but thats just me . I can imagine that if you had teenagers they would be bored sh*tless. Horses for courses .

Deception Bay I know very little about, but if Ceris comments are anything to go by, it might be when I move next LOL.

Do a search at the top of the page for Bribie & Deception Bay, Im sure there have been 2 or 3 threads about them in the last month or so.

As for the heat, dont let anyone tell you that its not hot, it is. I find the humidity in February the worst, the rest of Dec & Jan I can put up with the hot days that seem to run in a pattern. Dotty says the heat is unbearable from Oct to April LOL, I wouldnt agree with that but then Im a local. But it is always cooler the closer you are to the coast, something to bear in mind.

Hope this helps

Ceri

I'm keeping my mouth shut for once..lol

Bar one thing Decepetion bay (depression bay) .. at your own peril. (don't buy there .. and I'm giving you serious advice, sorry if I offend anyone). It's a dive. Redcliffe down a bit is not too bad, some may like it ... but that is still how do I put this... never mind. (I used to live in redcliffe until recently... ie a couple of months ago) Deception bay is the next one up. stay away from deception Bay... my opinion only.


The people how do I say this.. attract a certain type. No there are no real beaches around deception bay .. it is shallow with mud/sand. Take a look for yourself.

As for Bribie
I'ts not the bridge which causes the trouble going to and from Bribie it's the road outside Bribie.

Bribie is an Ok place to live in my opinion (plenty of facillities, shopping centres banks, clubs etc.. Ps florida used to live there I seem to recall so perhaps he can give you a better run down on living there) .. would have bought there myself if it wasn't for the travelling time... ie where we are now takes about 25 to 30 minutes to gateway ... non rush hour, very early morning... ie 5 and 6 in the morning .(I don't work in the city) , 40 minutes from Caboolture ( for friend who works with me) I'd say it would take around 50 minutes, maybe longer depending on the traffic/time of day to the gateway from bribie... all depends on traffic and how fast you drive of course.

take a look at Bribie yourself ... it is quite a mixture. You have the older houses which are situated near the beaches (welsby lagoon area)... quiet... then the modern ones on the front of the passage , and canals. You'll have to take a look yourself... it's an Ok place, but it depends on where you will be working.. ie travelling time

cheers
Rent first and look around.. you'll know what I'm talking about then.. seriously you need to look at the places yourself. It's hard trying to explain it someone

Bed Of Roses

Thanks Mrs D,

Help that is wonderful to get the inside track Hayling Island is on the South coast of the UK and like Bribie has only one road in and out its a mare to get in and out
Bribie does sound nice I have an Uncle and Aunt who drive from Tamworth to Bribe for short hols they love it.
We are looking coastal because of the heat but its the Humidity that i think us soft bellied poms will suffer from the most we can hack is 25 deg with 80 % humidity.
Still i am late for work a quick thanks to Ceri too post later with revised options.
Thanks again.

MrsDagboy

Ahhhhh I thought from your description of Depression Bay the problem is that it was too quiet & nothing ever happened there, in fact what you meant was that its the Woodridge of the northern suburbs & its full of dole bludgers. LOL

In that case I certainly won't be moving there, I think I will stick to Donnybrook or Toorbul if Im looking for a seaside abode .

Ceris comments about renting first & looking around are an excellent plan, I hope that most people understand that its very hard to pick somewhere to live from someones description. Whats good for one person may be a hellhole for another, one mans trash is another mans treasure .

Bed of roses, I have to say, if what you said is true about suffering because of humidity I would think seriously about perhaps moving somewhere other than Qld. You would be lucky to get under 25 degrees & 80% humidity for 5 months of the year. . Average daytime summer temps (3-4 months) in & around Brisbane & the coast are low 30s & it gets up to 35+ on a fairly regular basis.

We have nights in summer when it doesnt get under 25 degrees & 80% humidity :scared:

rob&kim

Hi Rachels,

Thanks for your reply, it was really very helpful. We are getting excited now, having booked removals and flights. We fly out on 15th November. Have loads to do this end, but just reading your message is making me think how great it will be for us. Telling family and friends about our leaving date has been very sad, and I am not looking forward to our leaving party which everyone insists we have! I know I will spend the whole night crying.

I will spend today looking through the websites you kindly let us have and hopefully we will be able to arrange some accommodation before we leave. It certainly seems a good idea as I cannot imagine getting off the plane and having nowhere to go being sat in the airport with our suitcases trying to decide where to head for!

Thanks.
Kim and Rob

Ps: Did you register with a doctor and did you have to take copies of all your medical notes with you?

rachels

Hi Guys

You are more than welcome. You are flying out the day before my 30th birthday so I'll be feeling as dreadful as you by the time you land!

We had a leaving part too and it was great. I didn't really get emotional until right at the end but even that was good, it let everyone know how much we loved and would miss them. Loads of people said they would come and visit us and we have six separate visits booked in, starting in January so I think we'll be able to keep in touch pretty easily!

I haven't registered with a doctor yet, just the dentist who didn't want to see my old UK records or anything. I will find out for you about the Doctor, that's a good question. One thing I do wish is that I'd brought my optical prescripton with me. I wear contacts (and specs sometimes) and if I can give the optician my prescription I don't have to pay for an eye exam. I have written to my optcian in London but it just would've been easier to bring it.

Enjoy this time in the UK and try not to get too stressed, once you are at the airport you can realy start to focus on your new life. Just yesterday I was walking along my road and it hit me "bl**dy hell I live in Australia!" Its been a fantastic decision for us and you seem to be coming to it with a similar attitude, I'm sure you'll love it.

Take care
Rachel

PS If you want to meet up for a drink when you get here, drop me a PM and we can sort it out. It can be nice to have someone to cushion the blow a bit!

queenie

In Oz you can go to any doctor you fancy, a different one everyday if you want. They don't need your notes, it is up to you to remember your medical history. I would only get them copied if there was anything important eg operations. You can just register at the time of your first appointment.

Immunisations are important for children. They will need to have which jabs they have had in writing to go to school and get child benefits. They also cost heaps so get up to date before you go.

Queenie

Bed Of Roses

Hi to all try this link.



http://www.birdseyephotography.com.au/ got good ariel photo,s up for sale but you at least get an idea.

Bed Of Roses

Hi to all try this link.



http://www.birdseyephotography.com.au/ got good ariel photo,s up for sale but you at least get an idea.

Joanie Babes

Hello Queenie,
I live in Red Hill and I total agree with the train line comment- the buses are OK, but quite infrequent and quite expensive on the whole- $28 a week to get to work and back!
I have been doing a bit of driving round and I still prefer the west side; love the cafe scene of Paddington which is a 10 min walk downhill- New Farm is totally beyond my purse strings but the renovated Woll Sheds are stunning- looking at $300 a week for a 1 or 2 bed unfurnished- Ouch.
I am lucky my better half bought a colonial in Red Hill 4 months ago so I pay a token contribution.
Toowong and Indooropilly are also nice, and on the train line. Bit more studentie but still some lovely queenslanders and colonials...

Hope you have sucess house hunting.

Joanie Babes

Joanie Babes

It is all an expensive business until you get settled- the best thing about te current market is- there are more home owners than renters so it is a renters dream. Don't be coy about bargaining on rent I got $20 a week off mine when I first got here because it had been empty for a while. It seems to be "if you don't ask you don't get"- that will go for buying your beds, electrical good etc as well.

Sorry about the major delay in replying- have just had my folks over from Wales for the first time, so took 3 weeks off to show them round (and we did not even leave QLD). If you get a change go up to Eugella National Park (2 hours from Mackay) it is stunning- saw freshwater turtles, black Yabbies and the biggest tadpoles I have ever seen (the size of your thumb nail). Oh there are also Platapus but we were not there early enough to see them. Oh and the Great Barrier Reef is awsome.

Happy hunting!

J

queenie

New Farm is totally beyond my purse strings but the renovated Woll Sheds are stunning- looking at $300 a week for a 1 or 2 bed unfurnished- Ouch.[QUOTE]

Funny you should mention the Wool Sheds at Teneriffe, I know someone who rents there and he has had a problem with white paint like flicks falling from the ceiling onto the carpet.

He ran into someone from the building company that renovated his building on the bus recently and got to chatting. Apparently he was told it is aspesto, and the building has a problem.

We had looked at about 5 units for sale, but that turned us right off. One unit we looked at didn't have a single window apart from sliding doors onto a cliff face in the living room. Oddly I didn't actually notice until the estate agent pointed it out.

Anyway thanks for the info on Red Hill buses, we were starting to consider that option. We discovered Rosalie recently and liked it too.

Queenie

Joanie Babes

Apparently he was told it is aspesto, and the building has a problem.

Queenie [/QUOTE]

That is not good, now, do I tell my friend who as just spend $210,000 on a one bed flat in the Wool Sheds????


Totally agree with you, Rosalie is lovely. Anyway must do some work at some point today...
Happy hunting