Turban Explorer

We went to Townsville by accident after applying to a masters degree at James Cook Uni without actually visiting the place. As soon we had a walk around we knew we'd made a huge error but I'd already paid! It's run down and depressing along the seafront (we left a year ago so it may have improved now) and as its so spread out its just a selection of drive through shopping malls! There are also cattle wagons driving around taking the poor creatures to the cattle ship up to Indonesia for live slaughter. It's an eye sore, it stinks and it's cruel.

Townsville has no vibrancy, buzz or place to hang out. It's also insanely hot - much hotter than Cairns as you don't get much cloud cover except in the Wet. Some areas are the definition of 'feral', yards full of junk, violence and hooning every night. I know every area has some unpleasant parts but Townsville didn't really have nice areas to offset the crap.

I'd take Grimsby over Townsville any day of the week...

DeadVim

Looks like Dolce & Gabbana will have to skip it then.

Turban Explorer

There's probably plenty of kids named Dolce and Gabbana in Townsville..

njk435

I spent a few days in Townsville, back in the 90s, I was back there at the end of last year.
Townsville is hot, but then it's in the tropics, so that shouldn't be a surprise.
It has rednecks and hoons - so does every Aussie city, it doesn't mean you have to become one.
It's remote, but it has shops with food and drink and there are houses to live in.
What you do to amuse yourself is entirely up to you, I dived, climbed and explored around the area around there.

I had a ball - plenty of pubs and clubs for the evenings etc.

It isn't for everyone (clearly!) but some people like it

drdan

Just to add a bit of balance.

I agree that it's not the ideal place to move if you're looking to live the life of a 24 year old, but at the same time it depends on what you're getting in return. If it's the ideal course at JCU or it offers the opportunity to kick off life in Oz then there are worse places in the world, seriously.

We've been here for 3.5 years and are very happy here. Sure the shops aren't designer and we don't have even a Myers (yet - it's being built!), but there's enough to survive. Especially since flights to bigger cities are more reasonable for the 3x per year shopping trips if that's what you need. If you want it every week then forget it!

Great for families - happy to let my young teen daughter walk to the beach alone (wouldn't do that in Gold Coast) and some reasonable schools.

Sure, a hoon element, but as someone else said everywhere has them. A few pictures of our life:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=523688
http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/3180466_WAprG

Summers are a bit long, but most of us have air con and wow, the beautiful winters.

Best wishes,
Danny

The A Team

Well said!!

Funnily enough I was thinking the other day I haven't seen you on here for ages. I love your photos...I've been to a lot of the places you have but your pics are so much better than mine

Buzzy--Bee

I just returned from 2 weeks on Magnetic Island. I've no idea what Townsville is like to live in, but if I did live there I'd be really happy to have the island on my doorstep as a weekend or even day trip destination!

BB

Nicolalj

Gosh! from all the bad reviews about Townsville i am really worried now.unsure: I have accepted a job in the Mater Hopsital and it looks like il be moving there at the end of September with my partner once all visa and things have been sorted.

Is it really that bad?? Im 25 and my partner is 27. A lot of people say its nice for families there but what about couples??

We are coming over on a temporary visa so will only be renting. Does anyone have suggestions about the best places to rent ad anywhere we need to avoid?

Worried we may have made the wrong decision now going by all the reviews, but i suppose we wont know until we try for ourselves.

Would be grateful for any advice off anyone regarding anythin to do with movin to and working/living in townsville.

Cheers

Nicola

Bix

Does anyone have suggestions about the best places to rent and anywhere we need to avoid?
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=442782


Worried we may have made the wrong decision now going by all the reviews.
How many of the reviews are from people who live in TV?
How many of them share your perspective on life?
How many live exactly as you do?
How many have the same standards as you?
How many share your prejudices?
How many of them knows you?
I suspect your answer to most of those questions is "I don't know".
In which case don't you think you are putting a lot of emphasis on the opinions of people who may be totally different to you?
One man's meat is another man's poison.


but i suppose we wont know until we try for ourselves.
Exactly!

Nicolalj

Yes you are completely right.
Moving to the other side of the world is a scary thing and like you say everyone is different so i need to stop listening to other peoples bad reviews and just go with the flow and try it out for ourselves.

And thanks for the link. Great help.

Bix

Take heed of everything you read for future reference but don't allow it to flavour your feelings too much.

Remain as open minded as you can and try to control your expectations.

You will of course hope and wish for things but it's always better that they are discovered over time rather than assumed.

Nicolalj

Yeah i like your way of thinking. The plan was to remain open minded and then i started looking at the reviews.... ...But following your advice i wil go back to being open minded about the whole move. Im very excited all the same.

Bix

Rightly so.
Could be one of the biggest and best things you ever do.

Nicolalj

Thats the plan. Cheers again!

suzanne7575

have pm'd you