vb2

just browsing sites offering real estate and came across these two places, just wondering if anyone lives there and can advise, is there direct transport to the main land? (i am assuming they are islands off the main land??)
good for families
schools

that sort of thing, i have looked on various sites and checked out suburb profiles but they only seem to throw up, how much houses are, median values, populations that sort of thing.

anyone know anything about these areas?
thanks
vb2

WESTLY

When I lived on Russell Island 20 years ago, there was a school, up to year 10, no cops, no town water (I put a bore down 90 feet through sandstone with a hand auger, took me 9 months), a ferry and a water taxi to the mainland. When you reach the mainland you will discover from time to time that the vehicle you left there to go to work has no wheels, if it is still there at all. At the time the longest trial in British criminal history was running - the Russell Island conspiracy trail, in which I was not involved. I panicked one when the place was lousy with gendarmes, it was only the Judge and the jurors having a day out to inspect the scene of the alleged crimes, they were not interested in my unregistered, vehicle with no windscreen and no brakes. I used to leave my house open and neighbours would come to borrow money or tools and leave me a note, I used to do the same at the ‘supermarket’, I don’t suppose I could now. The mosquitos were big enough and numerous enough to have won the Battle of Britain. Some people assert that 50 mg of vitamin B1 twice a day will deter them. It did not work for me. If your dog eats a cane toad, you have the choice of hitting over the head or hiring a water taxi and rushing to the nearest vet. There was a doctor there; he was 80+ and still going. There were Orange People there in droves, secure in the knowledge that social security could never find them a job. There was an Englishman there, who had 3 registered vehicles, including a Mercedes Benz, who threw a party to celebrate 7 years on the dole. If you have to travel to the mainland every day, eventually it will wear you down, and you can expect someone to backdoor your Mrs sooner or later. If you have never lived on an island, lease a place for a month or a year before you decide. If you ever get there, look in on 75 Kings Road and see whether my bore is still working. If you absolutely must live on an Island try Magnetic Island (Queensland) or Paros (Greece), in that order.

Best wishes

Westly Russell

scottyboy

Priceless!

NickyC

There have been previous threads on Russell Island that concur with what Westly has said...

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...Russell+Island

vb2

cheers for that - what an interesting tale!!! i guess the islands are definitely not for me!!!! although must admit the thought of driving around in a car without worrying about MOT etc. and popping into the local supermarket and leaving them a note is quite appealing lol!!!!
regards
vb2
Westly Russell[/QUOTE]

MrsDagboy

But he did forget to mention the sandflies & midges .

NickyC

That's the first thing I remembered when I saw Russell Island mentioned again - that MrsD reckoned there are huge numbers of mozzies.

Never been there but have to admit that Russell Island sounded great when I first came across it too - beachy island, not too far offshore with really cheap houses. Then read your post and realised why!

MrsDagboy

We often go out that way on the boat - the mozzies & sandflies in & around those mangrove areas south of Victoria Point down to the Gold Coast are seriously bad . We considered a holiday house there (& we could use the boat), but they put me right off :scared: .

webgum

Toptastic post!