AndyandAnge

Hi guys
We are from the UK and the wife has applied for a post as a senior staff nurse in Townsville in a 430 bedded hospital in Oncology and i was wondering whats it like in Townsville for things to do. If she gets the post, is there work there for me over there (no apprentiship but have worked in Engineering for years with a Masters in Manufacturing Systems). We have 4 kids boy 13 who loves football (soccer), a girl 10 who likes gymnastics, boy 7 who wants to be a scientist and a girl 3 (learning to be cheeky).

Is it a nice place to bring up children and is there alot of things to do for them. Whats the crime like? Housing 4x2x2 whats the prices like. Is renting easy

sorry but ive a thousand and one questions and will probably ask them as i go along.

cheers

brissydeb

No idea what it is like but I'm sure some folk in Oz will come on in the next few hours who are their and will be able to advise you.

Stitch

Hi guys,

Here's the link to the city's council website...

http://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/

and a link full of the tourist stuff...

http://www.queenslandholidays.com.au...ns/townsville/

JimandTrish and The A Team are two posters I know of in the Townsville region. The A Team was really helpful when I posted earlier. I'll search out her replies and let you know...

There's been a few posts about Townsville. Put in a search.

Cheers

Ginny

cufc

Townsville is not very geared towards outdoor living too humid for 6 months of the year... a very racist redneck town with an active Klu Klux Klan group..
The health system is falling apart as is the NHS... give it a try we did but have moved on. Sorry just being realistic

jad n rich

Didnt appeal then

To the OP, yep its hot as hell in summer, humid too. North qld places like cairns/townsville photograph well but OMG bloody hot in summer most aussies would tell you that too.

Suppose it depends what you do, if your in the AC at home, lucky enough to have it at work, it might not bother you much, hardly a outdoors lifestyle tho if you need AC most of the time. Townvilles been done up a bit in recent years, so got the typical boats, beach broadwalk look, go inland and not much but mining towns.

Edit, if you put townsville into the search box above load of posts will come up.

Olias

Have been there twice and loved it. We intend to move there as soon as our house in UK is sold.

There is loads to do outdoors, sailing, boating, fishing, diving, cycling, bushwalking, team sports, horse riding etc etc. Don't know what the other poster was on about?
There have been loads of posters on this and other forums who work in the hospitals in Townsville and I have never heard a negative comment until the one above!
I don't have kids, but those that do and post have said there is loads to do for kids including free outdoor pools, loads of parks etc.
You are near rainforest/reef/outback for outings and you also have a large airport so you can get pretty much anywhere in Oz cheaply.
The icing on the cake is the beautiful Maggie Island just a short ferry ride away.
For house prices check out www.realestate.com.au - just type in Townsville and you will find hundreds of homes in the $300000 to $500000 range, most with 4x2 and quite often a pool!
Think hubbys best bet might be mine work as there is loads of it available mostly on fly in/out from Townsville

Hope this helps

Olias

The A Team

It's a shame things didn't work out for you in Townsville but I have to say this hasn't been our experience at all. We've been here over a year and absolutely love it

cufc

Im sure it does suit some people, but the humidity is stifling for 6 months of the year... so you live in airconditioning. It is a racist town...and that is among the so called educated professionals .. not some chav from a rough estate in the UK. Crime is higher here than most parts of Australia... fact!!
Yes lots to do in the winter months but it is a place you can grow out of!!
i wish all well who can call it home. Not for us too much of a parochial small minded mentality.

drdan

Hi Andy,

I went for a visit & interview at Townsville Hospital a few weeks ago & to be honest was impressed. It is very clean and has all the facilities of a teriary referral centre. The management I met were friendly, but I guess that is to be expected during an intervew of course. When I was there everyone was moaning about the cold weather but I was walking around in shirtsleeves & lovin the warmth

I met one of the Oncologists who was doing a v. busy clinic at the time but she took the time to chat & was very enthusiastic about her (rapidly expanding) department.

In terms of things to do locally my impression was that there was plenty and I'm sure you've found lots on the web. Have you been reading the Bulletin which will give you an idea about daily life (http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/). Also we have been looking at rental and properties to buy on http://www.realestate.com.au/

I'm going into it with open eyes - yes it does appear that Townsville has its share of trouble, but that is everywhere. As long as it doesn't affect your daily life and you can insulate yourself and your family from it, especially as the kids get older then that is the main thing. Townsville may not perfect but it seems to offer what I need work-wise and is geographically close to paradise.

Some photos from my visit:
http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/3093448

Good luck with things!

Danny

bombsaway

I've been in Townsville for the last 7 month's and haven't found the heat and humidity to be as much of a problem as I thought it would be. Sure it rains a lot Jan-March and the temps are in the mid 30's but it's amazing how quickly you adapt. Am finding the winter temps , down to about 10-12 at night more of a problem now and I'm from Scotland. Don't even think of renting/buying a house without AC in all rooms. There's plenty for kids to do sports wise. Don't imagine the Barrier Reef is on your doorstep, it isn't, the nearest reef is at least 40 miles out from Townsville apart from a few small reefs aroung the Palm Islands.
Have to agree with poster re rednecks and racism. It's shocking listening to some( not all by any means) so called educated people talking about the Aboriginies, as if they haven't been persecuted for the last 200 years. But then they only let them vote 40 years ago. KKK group is true as well.
I've been in Darwin for the last week and it's light years ahead of Townsville in both attitudes to Aboriginals and quality of living in general. There's much more to do but it's even hotter and more humid than Townsville in summer. I know where I'd live given the chance. Shopping in Townsville is generally very poor as regards choice. Cost of food is not any cheaper than UK and selection in supermarkets is no where near as broad as in any UK supermarket.
Property prices are rising quickly in Townsville but you should still be able to get a 4 bedroom for less than 500K, depends on area you wan't to live in.
Renting a 4 bed would likely cost from $400-500 a week with local rates on top of that, thats if you get accepted. There's a shortage of good rentals in Townsville and thats going to get worse when the Army move another battalion here in the next year or so.
There is a huge number of job vacancies in North Queensland for someone with engineering qualifications. The initial problem is getting UK quals recognised in Queensland. Queensland is a total bureacratic nightmare in that regard, with requirements for numerous and ridiculous courses at your expense. Its a money making scam of huge proportions. That said finding a well paid job in mining or engineering afterwards would be easy and relatively well paid.
Crime rates are probably on a par with most of the UK, we have the usual drug, drink and car theft problems over here. Standard of driving is generally piss poor ( as are a lot of the roads), people don't seem to know what ' keep left unless overtaking' signs mean. Man in ute with pig dog on back in right hand lane is the norm, as is above 3 feet from your bumper at 100k/hr.
Bear in mind if you come over on 457 visa you can't buy property without goverment approval, which effectively means you can't but at all as property is selling really quickly at the moment. You need permission for each property you try to buy and it will be sold to someone else before government even bother to look at your application.

Simon.and.Kate

I was just checking in quickly and spotted this thread, I haven't had chance to read everyone's comments, and I'll come back later to do so, but we're in Townsville at the minute visiting my partners ex-pat parents who have lived in Townsville for the past 7 years.

This is my 4th visit, and I love it. Originally we said if we moved out we'd head somewhere a bit more built up like brisbane, but I've seen a lot of development in Townsville during my visits and love it. We're now hoping to move here ASAP, and start a family.

Although we haven't faced a summer yet though. And I'm told that it can get tough, especially to start with. But I'd rather face a hummid summer than depressing english weather any day!

I'll definately be keeping an eye on this thread...

wayne/kerrie

Hi ,

We Live in townsville and been here for a year , this place is beauitfull its great to go out in the car and see scenery all around you .

All i can say is come and see it for yourself and i bet you will be blown away , Townsville is getting bigger and bigger with more people from all over Australia choosing to live here .........they can't all be wrong about the place....

kez

AndyandAnge

I'm really worried about this racism and KKK (if thats the truth) if the wife does get the job in oncology its will be a big decision. Very big end of spectrum comments still in a bit of a confusion. Oh Well! thanks for lowdown

Stitch

My sister in the UK buys the Auz/NZ mag and apparently Townsville is on the next big hit list as far as property boom, influx of people. I find that Brisbane has it's own fair share of the racism etc. I think the more different cultures a city can bring in the more dilute the problems are. That's not to say they go away there's just a lot more stuff to get through before you notice it as much. Much the same as the UK, or the part that I came from anyway.

Cheers

Ginny

cufc

yes there is a property boom and that doesnt help migrants on average wages in the health system either.... yes i agree there are problems everywhere but if you want your children to socialise with the children of "middle class" profesionals who hold extreme racist views its a great place.
Look it is an attractive town.. but you cant swim in the sea for 6 months due to deadly stingers and their is now an increase in days when beaches are closed due to crocodiles. People in Townsville thing the world starts and ends here...there are many more beautiful places in OZ with less difficulties.
As i said good luck to anyone who can call this home.