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What's it like in Townsville?

What's it like in Townsville?

Old Aug 6th 2010, 8:35 pm
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Cool What's it like in Townsville?

I am moving to Townsville with my husband and 2 children. What is it like there?

My husband loves it and can't wait to get back. i would like some real views on the place and what it is like for renting, schools, jobs etc. The usual stuff I guess.

Any views?

and need to know if it will be good for the family there.
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Old Aug 6th 2010, 11:40 pm
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Default Re: What's it like in Townsville?

Originally Posted by kellz
I am moving to Townsville with my husband and 2 children. What is it like there?

My husband loves it and can't wait to get back. i would like some real views on the place and what it is like for renting, schools, jobs etc. The usual stuff I guess.

Any views?

and need to know if it will be good for the family there.
I love it, It has everything you need but without the stress of a city and still has a township feel to it. It's a great location for exploring/camping. A good selection of schools. Lots of rentals and property development.

The only negative I have is the lack of 'high quality' shops but hey that's what Cairns is for

There are lots of posts on Townsville with pic's, just do a search

Feel free to fire away any specific questions

John
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Old Aug 7th 2010, 1:08 am
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Default Re: What's it like in Townsville?

This group might be one worth joining if you're on FB?

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gi...all&ref=search

We're over here with the ADF and might well end up in TV for our next posting, we'd be quite happy about that!
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Old Aug 7th 2010, 6:49 am
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Default Re: What's it like in Townsville?

Originally Posted by kellz
I am moving to Townsville with my husband and 2 children. What is it like there?

My husband loves it and can't wait to get back. i would like some real views on the place and what it is like for renting, schools, jobs etc. The usual stuff I guess.

Any views?

and need to know if it will be good for the family there.
I haven't rented for a while so can't help with that personally, but I think it's quite expensive from what a friend of mine told me recently.

Schools, I have been very happy...do you have a particular suburb in mind? I think Townsville is a great place to bring up a young family. For us not so great now as our 15 year old wants to study architecture and he can't do that at JCU, so we're looking to move to Melbourne in the next couple of years.

Jobs...depends what you're after but I've actually been unemployed since beginning of June for the first time in my life, to be fair I have a frozen shoulder so this has limited me in the roles I can apply for at the moment. However competition is always fierce in office jobs.

Townsville has three indoor shopping centres. Willows has pretty decent shops, Castletown is about to be expanded, Stockland is an absolute mess but is being re-built in parts and when completed we'll finally have a Myer. The CBD is also a mess but if the work gets finished as planned it will be lovely. Palmer Street is the main dining area near the CBD, out of town in Kirwan near Willows there is another dining area and cinema complex at Cannon Park. Nearby there at Riverway are the free and gorgeous swimming lagoons. The Strand area is beautiful (seafront) and there is so much for kids to do. I do recommend you get a pool for the summer months as it is very hot and humid, the winters are usually lovely.

Hope this helps but feel free to ask more questions
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Old Aug 7th 2010, 7:45 am
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Default Re: What's it like in Townsville?

We really like it here. Perfect weather and not to big nor too small.

We found our rental pretty quickly. check out realestate.com.au for an idea on rentals. It'll depend on what you're looking for and in what area.

We are pretty happy with the primary school our 10yr old daughter goes to as well.

Out of the 3 shopping centres mentioned earlier, we like the Willows the best (we also live in the area so do our shopping there).

The Strand is a lovely 2.5km stretch that runs along side the beach...has a waterpark, exercise stations and restaurants etc. It always has a crowd there and once a month they hold the night markets (craft markets).

Its a nice city, we like it here
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Old Aug 7th 2010, 7:50 am
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Default Re: What's it like in Townsville?

Transport links are shocking if you dont drive

Personally I think the kids clothes are pretty useless not much choice for the older child (my opinion only) was back in the UK recently had to bring back more up to date clothes for my two girls.

Have to say though the Aussies are real nice folk .....
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Old Aug 7th 2010, 9:35 am
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Cool Re: What's it like in Townsville?

Hi again.

Where did you rent from? I am looking on web every day and am happy with what is on offer. It does seem expensive but the price difference between a really nice place and a dodgy old place can be only about $30-40. So we will pay the extra I think.

As for schools. Any idea on Primary schools in Kelso, Kirwan, Aitkenvale, Annandale? I am looking for schools depending on where we rent. Any web addresses for the schools?

Job wise, I am looking for retail management, office work, anything that pays a fairly decent wage.
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Old Aug 7th 2010, 9:55 am
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Default Re: What's it like in Townsville?

Hi there,

We have lived here almost 5yrs and absolutely love it. We have 3 children an almost 15yr old daughter (next week bday) and 13 and 10yr old sons. Our youngest goes to Cranbrook state primary school, the others went there and to be honest there is very little difference from the uk schools they went to.Main difference for your kids would be that they don't get changed for P.E and the classrooms are airconned...plus they spend heaps of time outside.
My older two go to Kirwan State High School, which has had bad feedback, however, I have to say since attending this school both of my children have turned into high achievers. The school is big by aussie standards, around 3000 kids, but from where we came from this is pretty standard.
I love Willows shopping centre and Domain central, heaps of fab places for clothes, Salt 66 and Jay Jays...all young and trendy and my kids love them as they stock Billabong, Roxy, Quicksilver etc....not bad prices either.
We rent and we pay $470pw for a large 4 bed lowset with big yard, pool and double garage and we are lucky that we are a 5min stroll to the local shopping centre. Our rental is quite high but you pay extra to be in some suburbs...silly really but we have been really happy in Annandale.
www.ljhooker.com.au are superb, we have been with them 2.5yrs now.
feel free to ask me anymore, I am a nurse here but work within the community too so I do know lots about areas etc. I have lived in a few suburbs too....some not so good.
Its been very cold here today....24c!
Cheers for now


Trish
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Old Aug 7th 2010, 10:06 am
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Default Re: What's it like in Townsville?

Originally Posted by kellz
Hi again.

Where did you rent from? I am looking on web every day and am happy with what is on offer. It does seem expensive but the price difference between a really nice place and a dodgy old place can be only about $30-40. So we will pay the extra I think.

As for schools. Any idea on Primary schools in Kelso, Kirwan, Aitkenvale, Annandale? I am looking for schools depending on where we rent. Any web addresses for the schools?

Job wise, I am looking for retail management, office work, anything that pays a fairly decent wage.
Kelso is quite a drive out and not near the shopping centres. Annandale is very nice but can be a bit pricey. Aitkenvale is close to Stockland which for the next couple of years is having major works done to it, it's quite central in Townsville if you're not sure where you're going to be working but parts of it are very busy. Kirwan is good for families and a bit cheaper, some parts are old some very new. Willows is in Kirwan which I think is the nicest of the shopping centres at the moment and it's also where the Cowboys play. Links to a couple of schools. Out of the suburbs you picked I would look closer at Kirwan and Annandale both great for kids but quite different.

http://kirwanss.eq.edu.au/wcmss/
http://thewillowsss.eq.edu.au/events.html

I've never had problems finding clothes for my teen
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Old Aug 7th 2010, 11:15 pm
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Default Re: What's it like in Townsville?

Totally agree with you Julie, Willows is fab for shopping and when I take the kids we usually come back loaded with clothes for them
I think Kirwan is lovely, like absolutely anywhere in the world you have good areas and bad. I wouldn't move to Kelso again, but thats just personal experience, I have friends that love it there.
There are excellent reviews on here of suburbs relating to Townsville..Rabc did some brilliant ones.

My kids love Kirwan high...but again its your personal pref, there are some good private schools too.

happy searching

Trish
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Old Aug 8th 2010, 6:22 am
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Default Re: What's it like in Townsville?

Each to their own I guess regarding the clothes on offer here
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Old Aug 8th 2010, 6:38 am
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Default Re: What's it like in Townsville?

I think the choice here is fine, however you can just go 4hrs north to Cairns and get more variety or plan a nice weekend in Brissie for a shopping spree. ..all depends on what you are wanting
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Old Aug 8th 2010, 9:03 am
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Default Re: What's it like in Townsville?

Pah!

It's really difficult finding what you want up here in Far North Queensland.

I've been trying to find one of these coats for ages but no luck.

Shame, cos they are all the rage with the Inuit.
Attached Thumbnails What's it like in Townsville?-tnfaw0705.jpg  
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Old Aug 8th 2010, 9:19 am
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Cool Re: What's it like in Townsville?

Love the coat, we have something similar. I was going charity shop it but will bring it with me if you promise to wear it on a day to day basis photo evidence required.
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Old Aug 8th 2010, 9:21 am
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Cool Re: What's it like in Townsville?

Thank you all for your replies, I am really starting to look forward to the move. I don't do well in the heat, but as someone said in a PM, you have aircon in your house, car and work.
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