Almost 4 years on in Queensland
Jun 10th 2008, 6:20 am
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: QLD
Posts: 34
Almost 4 years on in Queensland
Almost four years, and life's... Changed.
Hi. My name's Paul and the wife's Gill. We came to Australia because we wanted to give it a go before we got too old. Oh yes, we didn't like the weather much and the pressures of work were getting to both of us. We left behind hi-profile jobs and settled back into comfy Singapore Airlines economy seats, vowing to give it our best shot. We're still here.
Our destination was Toowoomba. Not through choice, but because I had a brother there. For those that don't know, Toowoomba is a largish city with great heritage. It's 9 o'clock out of Brisbane, just less than 100 miles west. That's all it takes to be in a drought. The city has a water problem and a recent referendum by its inhabitants turned down the possiblilty of recycled water. 'Poowoomba', the negative campaign run mostly by the older generation who should know better, won the day and so Toowoomba is running out of water.
We only stayed there a couple of weeks, finding accommodation closer to the coast in the greener fields of the Sunshine Coast hinterland. We left Toowoomba's parched earth and entered an almost similar terrain of dried yellow grass and skinny cows. The drought had also caught up with people here and it took 5 months before decent rain fell on the coast. Whilst today that problem isn't so obvious, it is something newcomers to Australia ought to be made aware of.
A precis of the next three and a bit years seems an unlikely prospect, given the space, but in essence we bought a block of land ('block', not 'plot' - that's your grave to an Aussie) after failing to source a property that reminded us of the one we left behind. No, we weren't homesick, but you want the best possible start, don't you? The block gave us a view and the house that we built, 12 foot above ground level, maximised that view and enabled a covered yet open-air space to magically appear below - enough to cater for our junk - 4 vehicles (2 rusty classics, 1 not so rusty classic and a posh Subaru Outback). We have solar heated water and a gigantic water tank that collects almost anything that falls onto the roof and is caught by the gutters.
Jobs were fairly easy to come by. Migrants in demand should, theoretically, have good opportunities. I was employed by a UK company and with a little flexilibility I managed to continue that employment, giving us the security on arrival we needed. Gill took a little while before gaining employment as a community pharmacist. She had her heart set on the pharmaceautical industry (the work that she had left behind) but that simply doesn't exist here. We would have had to move to Sydney or Melbourne if those dreams were to have been realised.
The house took a year to build and our accommodation during that time was a rental house, just a couple of miles away, that lacked any roof and wall insulation. Summer's were unbearably hot indoors and winters were quite chilly. At this point I should say that we were renting about 1200 feet above sea-level, overlooking the coastal towns. Spectacular views of a metropolis we really didn't want to be part of, having left behind rural Wales, with Spring lambs at the bottom of the garden. Today we look at cows, eagles and snakes.
That's enough for today. If the response is good and it's helpful, I'll try to upload a few photos of the house build later in the week.
Cheers
Paul & Gill
Hi. My name's Paul and the wife's Gill. We came to Australia because we wanted to give it a go before we got too old. Oh yes, we didn't like the weather much and the pressures of work were getting to both of us. We left behind hi-profile jobs and settled back into comfy Singapore Airlines economy seats, vowing to give it our best shot. We're still here.
Our destination was Toowoomba. Not through choice, but because I had a brother there. For those that don't know, Toowoomba is a largish city with great heritage. It's 9 o'clock out of Brisbane, just less than 100 miles west. That's all it takes to be in a drought. The city has a water problem and a recent referendum by its inhabitants turned down the possiblilty of recycled water. 'Poowoomba', the negative campaign run mostly by the older generation who should know better, won the day and so Toowoomba is running out of water.
We only stayed there a couple of weeks, finding accommodation closer to the coast in the greener fields of the Sunshine Coast hinterland. We left Toowoomba's parched earth and entered an almost similar terrain of dried yellow grass and skinny cows. The drought had also caught up with people here and it took 5 months before decent rain fell on the coast. Whilst today that problem isn't so obvious, it is something newcomers to Australia ought to be made aware of.
A precis of the next three and a bit years seems an unlikely prospect, given the space, but in essence we bought a block of land ('block', not 'plot' - that's your grave to an Aussie) after failing to source a property that reminded us of the one we left behind. No, we weren't homesick, but you want the best possible start, don't you? The block gave us a view and the house that we built, 12 foot above ground level, maximised that view and enabled a covered yet open-air space to magically appear below - enough to cater for our junk - 4 vehicles (2 rusty classics, 1 not so rusty classic and a posh Subaru Outback). We have solar heated water and a gigantic water tank that collects almost anything that falls onto the roof and is caught by the gutters.
Jobs were fairly easy to come by. Migrants in demand should, theoretically, have good opportunities. I was employed by a UK company and with a little flexilibility I managed to continue that employment, giving us the security on arrival we needed. Gill took a little while before gaining employment as a community pharmacist. She had her heart set on the pharmaceautical industry (the work that she had left behind) but that simply doesn't exist here. We would have had to move to Sydney or Melbourne if those dreams were to have been realised.
The house took a year to build and our accommodation during that time was a rental house, just a couple of miles away, that lacked any roof and wall insulation. Summer's were unbearably hot indoors and winters were quite chilly. At this point I should say that we were renting about 1200 feet above sea-level, overlooking the coastal towns. Spectacular views of a metropolis we really didn't want to be part of, having left behind rural Wales, with Spring lambs at the bottom of the garden. Today we look at cows, eagles and snakes.
That's enough for today. If the response is good and it's helpful, I'll try to upload a few photos of the house build later in the week.
Cheers
Paul & Gill
Jun 10th 2008, 10:24 am
#2
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: Almost 4 years on in Queensland
It will be. Photos please! More info required. Toowoomba voters were and are idiots but when you have the PM of the state and most of the councillors believing everyone would die of drinking poo, there's not a lot you can expect.
We've got a desalination plant opening up in October, I look forward to letters to the local rag about how the water suddenly tastes very salty
Give them time. Everyone says Aus is xx years behind the UK (insert whatever number), so presumably in xx years they'll realise the benefits.
We've got a desalination plant opening up in October, I look forward to letters to the local rag about how the water suddenly tastes very salty
Give them time. Everyone says Aus is xx years behind the UK (insert whatever number), so presumably in xx years they'll realise the benefits.
Jun 10th 2008, 11:27 am
#3
Victorian Evangelist
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Re: Almost 4 years on in Queensland
Please post photos! We're building on a block with views too and we'd love to hear your experiences.
Buzzy
Buzzy
Jun 10th 2008, 6:37 pm
#4
markj
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 460
Re: Almost 4 years on in Queensland
Ditto
Jun 11th 2008, 12:25 am
#5
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 184
Re: Almost 4 years on in Queensland
Think it is great you have given any newcomers and wanna be's an insight into the water crisis over here. Until you are living it, it is sometimes hard to know the impact it can have on your life.....not watering gardens and losing all the grass and having a dust bowl for a yard being just one aspect ...and no matter how many tanks you install you gotta have the bl**dy rain fall to fill em...
Fantastic post and look forward to reading more from you
Fantastic post and look forward to reading more from you
Jun 11th 2008, 1:52 am
#6
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: QLD
Posts: 34
Re: Almost 4 years on in Queensland
Thank-you all for such positive comments. To be honest I wasn't sure that what I had to say would be so well received - does BE have a word filter in operation? Moowoomba? There are lots of cows eating dust on the west side. Loowoomba? Probably too close to the mark...
We bought a block of land overlooking a lake. Ironically, it's this lake that feeds the big population that resides 1200 feet below us, whilst we require the services of a 10,000 gallon water-tank to feed ourselves from. Hopefully the picture of the lake (Lake Baroon) will indicate to you why we chose the block. The view extends a full 180 degrees onto hills and valleys.
We were very lucky, now I think about it. The block is a small fronted kite shape. If you think of the pointy lower end of the kite as the entrance and imagine the house now sitting in the widest part, you'll have a good idea. From driveway entrance to house is about 70 metres - or so our concreters told us. It is also very steep, heading down to the house. Before the concreting, cars that visited on a 'damp' day would get stuck trying to get out. Even now some visitors insist on walking down the drive in preference to driving down. I had a car delivered once on the back of a tow truck. It rained quite hard that day and the truck got stuck. This, on the concrete driveway.
The steepness and roughness to the muddy track that became our driveway was our blessing. People - if you inspect a block of land don't let it slip you by without venturing into the possibly snake ridden undergrowth. Tread carefully and look beyond the comfort of the roadside. Any sales agent worth his weight in gold will take you to the viewing points. It was only because we ventured down the track and through the bush that we discovered the breathtaking views. The land had been on the market for a little while and, speaking to another real estate agent who lived opposite the block, many potential buyers had not bothered to walk down the pathway. What a missed opportunity!
The pictures were taken on the 3rd of August 2005.
We had been living in the country about a year by then and during that time had chosen a builder and worked with them to build a house that we ended up designing. It wasn't that we didn't like their own designs, it was simply that each design didn't work well with the lay of the land. Our block was, and still is to some extent, awkward in its shape and gradient. However, what we created was unique and purpose built for the block. We worked with a draughtsman who costed our designs and made amendments to them as we went, in order to fit within the constraints of our budget. If anyone out there is looking for a good and trustworthy draughtsman to draw up and cost your designs let me know and I'll try to find the chap's details.
More pics to follow. Incidentally, the house is a classic Queenslander design. We still haven't got around to adding the twiddley corner brackets on the verandas but that's just one of those jobs on the to-do list.
Paul & Gill
We bought a block of land overlooking a lake. Ironically, it's this lake that feeds the big population that resides 1200 feet below us, whilst we require the services of a 10,000 gallon water-tank to feed ourselves from. Hopefully the picture of the lake (Lake Baroon) will indicate to you why we chose the block. The view extends a full 180 degrees onto hills and valleys.
We were very lucky, now I think about it. The block is a small fronted kite shape. If you think of the pointy lower end of the kite as the entrance and imagine the house now sitting in the widest part, you'll have a good idea. From driveway entrance to house is about 70 metres - or so our concreters told us. It is also very steep, heading down to the house. Before the concreting, cars that visited on a 'damp' day would get stuck trying to get out. Even now some visitors insist on walking down the drive in preference to driving down. I had a car delivered once on the back of a tow truck. It rained quite hard that day and the truck got stuck. This, on the concrete driveway.
The steepness and roughness to the muddy track that became our driveway was our blessing. People - if you inspect a block of land don't let it slip you by without venturing into the possibly snake ridden undergrowth. Tread carefully and look beyond the comfort of the roadside. Any sales agent worth his weight in gold will take you to the viewing points. It was only because we ventured down the track and through the bush that we discovered the breathtaking views. The land had been on the market for a little while and, speaking to another real estate agent who lived opposite the block, many potential buyers had not bothered to walk down the pathway. What a missed opportunity!
The pictures were taken on the 3rd of August 2005.
We had been living in the country about a year by then and during that time had chosen a builder and worked with them to build a house that we ended up designing. It wasn't that we didn't like their own designs, it was simply that each design didn't work well with the lay of the land. Our block was, and still is to some extent, awkward in its shape and gradient. However, what we created was unique and purpose built for the block. We worked with a draughtsman who costed our designs and made amendments to them as we went, in order to fit within the constraints of our budget. If anyone out there is looking for a good and trustworthy draughtsman to draw up and cost your designs let me know and I'll try to find the chap's details.
More pics to follow. Incidentally, the house is a classic Queenslander design. We still haven't got around to adding the twiddley corner brackets on the verandas but that's just one of those jobs on the to-do list.
Paul & Gill
Jun 11th 2008, 3:14 am
#7
Victorian Evangelist
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Re: Almost 4 years on in Queensland
Marvellous. It looks like your build had many of the challenges ours is going to end up having.....
Buzzy
Buzzy
Jun 12th 2008, 5:37 am
#8
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Sydney beachside
Posts: 3,505
Re: Almost 4 years on in Queensland
You guys are Koala Konnection, aren't you?
http://britishexpats.com/forum/member.php?u=48323
Same names, same location, same Montville house build.
Why the name change?
http://britishexpats.com/forum/member.php?u=48323
Same names, same location, same Montville house build.
Why the name change?
Jun 12th 2008, 6:12 am
#9
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: QLD
Posts: 34
Re: Almost 4 years on in Queensland
Tis true Nicky! I wanted to escape the plug in the name as I always felt that I couldn't be myself on the board; I seemed to be representing the company whenever I posted - and it was getting to me. It was a bad choice. It got me into trouble on this board once 
but no harm was done. Years have passed and I thought it time to re-join and let other's know how we're getting on and, if the interest was there, run some text and pictures of an Australian house build on a difficult block.
So a new name and a fresh start.
Paul.
I wanted to escape the plug in the name as I always felt that I couldn't be myself on the board; I seemed to be representing the company whenever I posted - and it was getting to me. It was a bad choice. It got me into trouble on this board once but no harm was done. Years have passed and I thought it time to re-join and let other's know how we're getting on and, if the interest was there, run some text and pictures of an Australian house build on a difficult block.So a new name and a fresh start.
Paul.
Jun 12th 2008, 6:35 am
#10
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: QLD
Posts: 34
Re: Almost 4 years on in Queensland
Sorry the drawing's not bigger, but it will give an idea of shape and the ground-levelling that had to be done.
The other picture is a compilation - I couldn't get the whole area in with the camera.
The other picture is a compilation - I couldn't get the whole area in with the camera.
Jun 12th 2008, 7:01 am
#11
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Sydney beachside
Posts: 3,505
Re: Almost 4 years on in Queensland
Tis true Nicky! I wanted to escape the plug in the name as I always felt that I couldn't be myself on the board; I seemed to be representing the company whenever I posted - and it was getting to me. It was a bad choice. It got me into trouble on this board once but no harm was done. Years have passed and I thought it time to re-join and let other's know how we're getting on and, if the interest was there, run some text and pictures of an Australian house build on a difficult block.
So a new name and a fresh start.
Paul.
I wanted to escape the plug in the name as I always felt that I couldn't be myself on the board; I seemed to be representing the company whenever I posted - and it was getting to me. It was a bad choice. It got me into trouble on this board once but no harm was done. Years have passed and I thought it time to re-join and let other's know how we're getting on and, if the interest was there, run some text and pictures of an Australian house build on a difficult block.So a new name and a fresh start.
Paul.
You're certainly in a nice part of the world. I was up in Montville a couple of weeks ago and was mightily impressed with the whole region - the town and its surrounds. Lake Baroon was lovely - you're lucky to have found such a great spot.
Jun 12th 2008, 8:53 am
#12
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Nov 2003
Location: Noosa Heads
Posts: 3,507
Re: Almost 4 years on in Queensland
ahhh we love kayacking on lake baroon!!!
Jun 12th 2008, 9:50 am
#13
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: QLD
Posts: 34
Re: Almost 4 years on in Queensland
Shush, Nicky! Don't tell everyone... Oh, alright. 
Yes, it is a great part of the world to live. However, it does take 35 minutes to drive to the coast from here and 40 mins to drive back. It's the price that you have to pay.
Montville is a little strange though - if you bear in mind that about 200 people live here, spread over a large area. Blocks of land range from about half an acre to, well, a massive vineyard's worth, so neighbours needn't be that close and you can feel a little isolated if you're used to crowds. Some people up here find going to the Maroochydore shopping mall a little overwhelming!
At the bottom of the lake lives a village, flooded years ago to feed a thirsty, growing population on the coast.
Nice website Annie.
Yes, it is a great part of the world to live. However, it does take 35 minutes to drive to the coast from here and 40 mins to drive back. It's the price that you have to pay. Montville is a little strange though - if you bear in mind that about 200 people live here, spread over a large area. Blocks of land range from about half an acre to, well, a massive vineyard's worth, so neighbours needn't be that close and you can feel a little isolated if you're used to crowds. Some people up here find going to the Maroochydore shopping mall a little overwhelming!
At the bottom of the lake lives a village, flooded years ago to feed a thirsty, growing population on the coast.
Nice website Annie.
Jun 12th 2008, 10:06 am
#14
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Nov 2003
Location: Noosa Heads
Posts: 3,507
Re: Almost 4 years on in Queensland
Shush, Nicky! Don't tell everyone... Oh, alright. Yes, it is a great part of the world to live. However, it does take 35 minutes to drive to the coast from here and 40 mins to drive back. It's the price that you have to pay.
Montville is a little strange though - if you bear in mind that about 200 people live here, spread over a large area. Blocks of land range from about half an acre to, well, a massive vineyard's worth, so neighbours needn't be that close and you can feel a little isolated if you're used to crowds. Some people up here find going to the Maroochydore shopping mall a little overwhelming!
At the bottom of the lake lives a village, flooded years ago to feed a thirsty, growing population on the coast.
Nice website Annie.
Yes, it is a great part of the world to live. However, it does take 35 minutes to drive to the coast from here and 40 mins to drive back. It's the price that you have to pay. Montville is a little strange though - if you bear in mind that about 200 people live here, spread over a large area. Blocks of land range from about half an acre to, well, a massive vineyard's worth, so neighbours needn't be that close and you can feel a little isolated if you're used to crowds. Some people up here find going to the Maroochydore shopping mall a little overwhelming!
At the bottom of the lake lives a village, flooded years ago to feed a thirsty, growing population on the coast.
Nice website Annie.
Jun 13th 2008, 8:05 am
#15
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 757
Re: Almost 4 years on in Queensland
Shush, Nicky! Don't tell everyone... Oh, alright. Yes, it is a great part of the world to live. However, it does take 35 minutes to drive to the coast from here and 40 mins to drive back. It's the price that you have to pay.
Montville is a little strange though - if you bear in mind that about 200 people live here, spread over a large area. Blocks of land range from about half an acre to, well, a massive vineyard's worth, so neighbours needn't be that close and you can feel a little isolated if you're used to crowds. Some people up here find going to the Maroochydore shopping mall a little overwhelming!
At the bottom of the lake lives a village, flooded years ago to feed a thirsty, growing population on the coast.
Nice website Annie.
Yes, it is a great part of the world to live. However, it does take 35 minutes to drive to the coast from here and 40 mins to drive back. It's the price that you have to pay. Montville is a little strange though - if you bear in mind that about 200 people live here, spread over a large area. Blocks of land range from about half an acre to, well, a massive vineyard's worth, so neighbours needn't be that close and you can feel a little isolated if you're used to crowds. Some people up here find going to the Maroochydore shopping mall a little overwhelming!
At the bottom of the lake lives a village, flooded years ago to feed a thirsty, growing population on the coast.
Nice website Annie.
Enjoyed your update