samishah

Hey folks,

so my wife, 3 year old daughter and I are moving to Western Australia on a 475 Visa. The visa only allows us to live in certain towns and areas (unfortunately all outside Perth).

The list of suburbs by postcode is this:
6041 to 6044
6083 to 6084
6121 to 6126
6200 to 6799
Details here: http://www.migration.wa.gov.au/skill...nforPerth.aspx

Basically, after much research we are hoping to make Mandurah our home. Based on proximity to Perth and the fact that it seems large enough that the chances of finding a job might be better there. My wife, who is the primary, is going as a Counsellor (Psychological). I myself have experience in a ton of things from advertising to news producer and journalism and stand-up comedy in between all those. The 3 year old is quite useless at everything except defying us so not sure how useful that is in a job market.

Basically, the plan had been we all move mid-June together. Check into a hotel and then look for an apartment with a budget of about AUD300 a week. Someone has told me this is a terrible plan and we could be broke in a few months (we have enough saved up for about a year of rent at that budget).

Basically, any help and/or advice on what we can do to move there without falling on our faces or running flat broke in a short time would be helpful.

I know this is asking for alot but everyone here seems way more knowledgeable than me so any info would go a long way!

Thanks!

verystormy

Firstly, I don't think it's a bad plan and it is easy to work in Perth from Mandurah.

We have been in Mandurah 4 years and love it. I wouldn't consider living in Perth.

The only thing I would say is that $300 a week is a bit on the low side even for Mandurah, though it should get you something that will tie you over until you are both working. You will be better looking for a house than an apartment as houses are actually cheaper.

Feel free to pm me.

Japonica

I'd look at holiday lets before staying in a hotel any length of time if you're trying to save money. With just three of you, I'm sure you could find a holiday villa or unit that will run weekly a lot less than staying in a hotel. We even managed to negotiate the price down because it was off season and the owner preferred to have us in for a reduced rate than have it empty.

Next, you'll need to check out rents in Mandurah, but I'm not sure what you'd find for $300 a week. That seems pretty low.

http://www.realestate.com.au/rent

EvannTel

Ok you state unfortunately outside Perth but that's the visa you applied for - and there is nothing wrong with being outside Perth.
anyway as for Mandurah, unemployment is high relatively speaking. It's arguably a Perth suburb now naw little or nothing to the south and west. So that leaves biggest employment pool to the north in Perth where you can't go.
I'd get onto seek and look for jobs and see where they are and let hat guide you. Your wife's choices rural might be much better and the cost of living will be way less.

verystormy

I just had a look on realestate.com and plenty of places available on your budget. In fact realized we only pay $325 for a big modern house next to the beach with a pool (wife looks after the bills so didn't have a clue what we pay).

A lot of people these days work in Perth and get the train. I used to do this and it is ok. 50 mins on the train which is cheap and runs every few minutes. My wife is at college in Perth and she doesn't mind the trip.

There are a couple of newspapers in Mandurah so you could apply there. There always to be plenty of job adverts about so I don't think there is a real unemployment issue. There are also a couple of different bodies that provide counselling services.

Mandurah is a great lifestyle

Bermudashorts

The visa will not permit them to work in Perth.

verystormy

Hadn't realized that as thought it only restricted where they live. But, I think Mandurah will offer enough opportunity for them.

Japonica

There's also Bunbury as an option...

verystormy

Yeah,but that's a very long way from the city. While rural life has it's attractions, there are times when it is nice to get into the city and from Bunbury that's a serious hike. From Mandurah it's 50 mins. It's also smaller and would offer even less work opportunity

EvannTel

I doubt that. But anyway they should research the jobs market as that will decide for them.

kips

Do you have any sub editing experience ? My husband is a sub on The West Australian newspaper in Perth and he says they are always looking for good subs. Maybe you could do subbing from home or even work as a reporter for the Mandurah area for them. It's worth contacting them. The editor is Brett McCarthy. Good luck.

We live just 20 minutes from Mandurah and love the place. We go to Mandurah just about every week.

Australia_bound?

We live 18 hours from Perth, tiz a hike to Perth. Bunbury isn't a hike from Perth it's a short drive.
Loads of work available in and around Bunbury, depending on what line of work you're wanting to get into. Also far less traffic & easy access to the better parts of WA.

samishah

Wow. First off, thanks everyone for the incredible helpfulness. The visa does indeed limit us from working as well as living in Perth itself for the first year. Hadn't considered Bunbury, though will now look into that as well.

The priority for us, of course, is my wife finding a job first and then basing our location on that. We just felt that given that finding a job might take long, it's best to at least set up a home before searching. So might look into a holiday villa for a few weeks and then decide on the final city.

Will definitely look into the sub-editing position at a newspaper, so thanks for that Kips!

Honestly, the main thing is getting past the sheer scariness of up and moving like this. Been planning it for ages, but as the deadline approaches getting quite unnerved. Part of the experience I suppose!

Other than seek.com.au, are there any other reliable job search sites for the Mandurah/Bunbury areas? Particularly for my wife.

Again, thanks for being so helpful all! Reading the feedback has actually made me feel better about the move!

kips

Hi Samishah

Just remembered my husband used www.freelancer.com.au to get work writing articles from home when we lived in NSW until he landed this Perth job. You bid for work from clients worldwide.

I have been using the following employment websites as well as seek.com.au to find work in Perth:

careerone.com.au
mycareer.com.au
applydirect.com.au
wjobs.com.au
jobseeker.com.au
jobrapido.com.au
westjobs.com.au
randstad.com.au
simplyhired.com
gumtree.com.au
jobs.wa.gov.au
walga.asn.gov.au

After months of trying to find work that fitted in with child care hours - or didn't pay peanuts - I was offered two jobs based in Perth CBD last week and accepted one of them.

samishah

Thank so much for the freelance jobs advice. I was wondering, does anyone have any experience with employment agencies? Are they worth exploring and if so, any recommendations?

Also, can you pack my suitcases for me (my wife says this is the only question I have yet to ask on here!)