Mackay info?
 

Ok, visa app received in London on Thursday morning, and app fee charged! Hoping to hear something positive from them this week!!!

On a better note, we may have a job lined up in Mackay - has anyone been there for a visit or has/is anyone living there now and can shed some light?

Main worry is the bugs, as Bert gets bitten quite a bit by mossies' etc..... but generally want to know if it is a good town and the best suburbs to live in. We hear Bocasia is good, but the houses seem a bit old style so be interested in other options.

Any feedback would be helpful!

Bert and Stella

Re: Mackay info?
 

Can't really help you with info on Mackay as I was only there briefly over a decade ago, but I can say that I much prefer the old Queenslander houses as they are often much better adapted to the tropical climate in Cairns. Each to their own really...

Good luck on the job front and getting the answers you're looking for!

Welcome to the forum btw! :)

Re: Mackay info?
 

Hey thanks Tony,

It is just that time when you seem to have hours spare (that we used to spend working on the application) while waiting for the visa to come through. So we have been trawling online about Mackay and jobs and houses and everything! The Queenslanders are nice, but most seem to need a heap of work.

Stella

Re: Mackay info?
 

Bucasia is not bad, nice beach, smallish population, though growing rapidly as the northern suburbs spread out, bringing Bucasia effectively closer to town and thus increasingly appealing to the bogan types.

I first lived there in 1989 -90 and then again 2 years ago for 6 months and in my opinion its changed a fair bit. There are nice new estates, if thats your thing on the outskirts of Bucasia on the Shoal Pt road. House prices and rents though are now comparable to SE Qld, eg Sunny coast and the Northern parts of the gold coast - eg upper coomera etc.

Traffic to town from bucasia is very slow these days too, and god help you if theres a crash on the bridge (and there invariably is once every couple of months !).

Having said all that, the esplanade and foreshore at Bucasia is beautiful, BUT, if you have a problem with mozzies, forget the whole idea. Council fogs all the time but you cant even hang your washing out in summer without donning long sleeves and dacks unless you want to spend most of your time picking your washing out of the dirt where you dropped it while trying to slap a doezen or so mozzies on your legs at once, whilst also scratching another dozen or so itchy bites ! Such fun !

Re: Mackay info?
 

Ok, this is not such good news!!! Do you know of any of the other suburbs near the beach better for (being without) mozzies? Traffic we can deal with - can't be worse than London!

Can I ask why you have left Mackay, or if you would live there again? What would say are the positives and negatives???

Stella

Re: Mackay info?
 

SAND FLIES say no more

Can put ya in touch with a mate from Mackay who just moved here, hes a QLD'er and HATED every living moment he shared with the Sand Flies

ALBEIT he liked the atmosphere in Mackay and the ppl, .

Mark guy i worked with here in Brizzy is originally from Mackay ( pronounced MACK I ..

He loves it there and foned day before yest, and said ITS awesome , so much building work etc etc... its on MY LIST !:)

Re: Mackay info?
 

QLDerrrs are GOOD homes and Vastly underrated by non qld'ers.

They were built for purpose and that purpose is thus:

AIRFLOW: remain cool in summer and warm in winter.
High Ceilings, again for temp and humidity.
More flooring choice cos they is WOODEN
Dont get flood effected unless they is Mountain Goat STump Homes

Easier and cheaper to extend and fix her up.
Park cars underneath if high enough and keep cars coool, ideal for dogs n cats, oops n snakes :)

Re: Mackay info?
 

Hey, thanks for your replies!

Maybe we will work out a way to wrangle the sand flies, and open a sandfly circus! They could juggle mossies or something :D Sandflies pretty much on most beaches in Oz tho i think, so you can't have it all I guess.

Have another possible job offer in Brisbane in Southbank, so now looking at those options also. Mackay just sounds a bit more relaxed and cheaper to live in.

Stella

Re: Mackay info?
 

Only ever had trouble with sandflies at Eimeo and Seaforth. Both houses were cheap rentals that only had standard screens, thus allowing entry to sandflies.....not all the time though, only hightide.

Its true about the houses. Queenslanders are far preferablt to southern style brick and tiles which will be like an oven in summer. Last time we were in Bucasia, we were in a brick duplex with a carport on the front. Used to take the dog out for a walk at midnightish and on returning, as I approached the (open) front door, could feel the heat emitting from it like opening the oven door !!

Blacks Beach is futher from the mangroves and less mossie ridden. Alternatively, why not try far ( Illawong beach) 2 mins from town. Less tropical than the northern beaches, but good for walking (swimming is dodgy of course, esp from Nov to April)

Lamberts beach near Slade Point is also excellent and relatively pest free.


Mackay is one of my favourite provincial towns and far and away beats the south east corner of the state ( which in my opinion could be anywhere in the world). We left to work outback and are currently on the sunshine coast and in the process of leaving for another provincial town which we have previously neglected due to our own preconceptions, but which is brilliant for families and is a proper town with all the things that go with that. No more endless suburbs...woohoo....oh and I'm keeping this one secret ;)

Re: Mackay info?
 

Whoops...forget the pros and cons of Mackay !

Pros- good size, has most of what you need, most newcomers are from Brisbane, not vic or NSW. Its propseperous, cane and mining, has some good sized firms. Has a beautiful tropical town centre ( which is slowly dying, due to newer shopping centres with air con. Great people.

Cons - a days drive from Brisbane, if you need it....plenty of cheap flights tho, mossies aforementioned...and..err thats about it.

I would live there again. 2 of my kids were born there, oh and it has what I believe is the last birth centre in Qld - cant recommend highly enough.

Re: Mackay info?
 

Hello there,

As you can guess from the name, we're a family living in Mackay at the moment.

Bucasia does have quite a few older houses, some of which are starting to look a bit tatty.
Eimeo is growing rapidly, lots of new buildings going up. Blacks Beach is a nice area too. Our favourite suburb is Rural View, a few minutes drive from both beaches and shopping centres.
Bucasia road is a nightmare at the moment due to some major roadworks going on (widening the road from 1 lane to 2 in both directions). However this is almost completed, should be finished by the end of September at a guess.
Shoal Point has some fabulous houses, reasonably priced, but it is quite a drive to the centre of town.
Mount Pleasant is a popular suburb due to proximity to a variety of schools and shops. Andergove has some reasonable priced areas, but we didn't like the suburb, I get the feeling it's not as good as it used to be, but that's only my opinion before someone has a go!

As for the bugs, I have to admit I've suffered with sandflies. They affect me quite badly. The rest of the family are OK with sandflies but mossies are a pain, don't go out at dusk or you get eaten alive!
Avon Skin So Soft bath oil is supposed to be a brilliant sand fly repellant according to a friend (a local), but I'm still hunting for an Avon lady (or gent!!)

Hope that's been a bit of help, shout if you need more.

Any feedback would be helpful!

Bert and Stella[/QUOTE]

Re: Mackay info?
 

[QUOTE=The Mackay Mob]Hello there,

As you can guess from the name, we're a family living in Mackay at the moment.

Bucasia does have quite a few older houses, some of which are starting to look a bit tatty.
Eimeo is growing rapidly, lots of new buildings going up. Blacks Beach is a nice area too. Our favourite suburb is Rural View, a few minutes drive from both beaches and shopping centres.
Bucasia road is a nightmare at the moment due to some major roadworks going on (widening the road from 1 lane to 2 in both directions). However this is almost completed, should be finished by the end of September at a guess.
Shoal Point has some fabulous houses, reasonably priced, but it is quite a drive to the centre of town.
Mount Pleasant is a popular suburb due to proximity to a variety of schools and shops. Andergove has some reasonable priced areas, but we didn't like the suburb, I get the feeling it's not as good as it used to be, but that's only my opinion before someone has a go!

As for the bugs, I have to admit I've suffered with sandflies. They affect me quite badly. The rest of the family are OK with sandflies but mossies are a pain, don't go out at dusk or you get eaten alive!
Avon Skin So Soft bath oil is supposed to be a brilliant sand fly repellant according to a friend (a local), but I'm still hunting for an Avon lady (or gent!!)

Hope that's been a bit of help, shout if you need more.

Any feedback would be helpful!

Hi Mackay Mob, Del Boy,

Thanks for the great feedback!!! We feel a bit more positive about Mackay now - not tooooo worried about the sand flies and mozzies, or the housing styles.

We are actually meeting the Oz regional manager (with this company offering the Mackay Job) on Saturday, as he is British and is in England visiting family. So fingers crossed the job will be offered!!! We are v. excited, but still waiting for acknowledgement from DIMIA, let alone the visa coming through!

We will have a look tonight at some of the other suburbs offered, so may well be back to you all with more questions! Thanks again for your help ;)

Bert n Stella