SonjaNTony

Hi all,

I am planning a Reccie trip to Queensland at the beginning of August. I will be leaving the wife and kids at home whilst i visit 5 towns/cities that could be our future home.

I know i will need to have a look at employment, housing affordability, and schooling.

Is there anything else i should consider.

Also what is public transport like within towns and cities, as well as to and from the towns and cities. (as i don't have a driving license yet).

Cheers

Tony

Grassface

Whats a reccie?

Pollyana

If you do a search on the town names you'll probably find quite a lot.

As for transport, which towns/cities are you looking at? If you thinking something like Brisbane/Cairns/Townsville you would probably be best flying, for instance.

noregrets

Hi tony

Now i am certainly not an expert as I have never even set foot in oz (due to arrive gold coast 24 Aug 2005) I just wondered why you feel there is a need to do a reccie? my naive opinion for what it is worth, is that you never realy get to know a place untill you live in it, just as it is in the UK. Therfore its a waste of time and money.

George

PS Get your driving licence passed here before you go!

ABCDiamond

Which 5 ?

SonjaNTony

I plan to check out Townsville, Mackay, Bundaberg, Rockhampton & Gladstone.

I feel the need to do a reccie as i would like to find a job before moving there and there's only so much you can do via phone and internet.

I guess i just want to see whether they are as good as the internet says they are.

Tony

LauraIreland

The driving test in australia (i did mine in QLD) is in my experience very straight forward with just a couple of weeks waiting list.
Laura

Pollyana

Think you'd better be checking out
www.virginblue.com.au
and
www.qantas.com.au

Getting around Brisbane by public transport isn't too bad, but you're talking bigger distances up north.
Bundy - Gladstone 217 km
Gladstone - Rocky 110 km
Rocky - Mackay 338 km
Mackay- Townsville 389 km

Might be possible to connect by train between at least some of them.

noregrets

I feel the need to do a reccie as i would like to find a job before moving there and there's only so much you can do via phone and internet.

Hi tony
I supose you are right and it is frustrating researching via email/internet. its just that from experience (we moved from west yorkshire to lake district last year) I know I know you can't compare a 150 mile move to one at the other side of the world BUT we did the trips up evey weekend and the motorway links the schools etc ... and its all gone wrong. Hubby now doesnt need to use the motorway, daughter hates the idilic lakeland school and wishes she was at a hudge inercity comp!! and I have the pleasue of a 100 mile a day round trip comute!! and we planned all this!

So the moral of my story is that I arrive in QLD end of Aug having never set foot in the Country, not knowing where we are going to live, or what Jobs we are going to do, or which school daughter will attend, and of course with my rose tinted specs on it will all work out wonderfully!!! IT WILL !

All the best on your trip

George x

Grassface

So, what is a reccie?

Bix

Everyone is avoiding that one due to the spelling.

Reccie = reconnoitre.

To visit in advance of the main move to suss out the lie of the land

Pollyana

A reccie is a trip innit? Can't spell the other long word wot its short for, I leave that to them intelligent lion types

Grassface

Ahh did that couple of years ago when on working hols

cadman

I think when he says public transport he means checking out the local public transport for when he lives there, not in order to get from town to town when he's on his reccie.

Bix

As it stands at the moment in QLD if you don't have a full drivers licence when you come here you will first have to pass a theory test and then wait 6 months before taking the practicle test.

So get it before you come.