Moving towns / jobs, Q's about Brisbane??

[RB30X]

Hello fellow Queenslanders. I'm looking at potentially moving from Townsville to the Brisbane area for better access to jobs which suit my profession in the Minerals Processing industry.

 

Any of you guys do the same thing?

 

Just looking at the daunting task of relocating etc and would like to know where in Brisbane you guys are located. I've heard both noth and south sides are nice places to live but housing is a lot dearer than up here and there were no houses with a shed like mine for sale, and a shed is the first thing we look for in a house right?

 

Somewhere within driving distance to a race track would be good too as I've been bitten hard by the bug since attending the Phillip Island classic etc.

 

Any advice?

 

cheers

Tim

[Wayne G]

The main race track is willowbank, so head west! Also much more affordable homes and likely to find something with a shed or space to erect one.

[Zedman240®]

You can head waaaaaayyy down south near Philip Island if you prefer..Loads of tracks in Victoria

[RB30X]

It was 8'C this morning on our way to the airport in Melbourne.

 

The only time I see 8'C in Townsville is when I quickly open the freezer after its been closed all day.

 

I don't even think we saw single figures last winter.

[gilltech]

We came here 5 yrs ago, rented for a while to get the hang of the place, & finally ended up buying an old do-up of a place on north-side, an area we've come to appreciate & enjoy. We had been keen on the S-W suburbs out along the river, but there had already been a price boom so there wasn't much at all we could afford, & in any case we were warned off buying in any of the flood plain suburbs - good advice as it turned out. North-side was a bit more affordable at the time so here we are. But there are many many nice areas of Brisbane, so much depends on where one works, access to facilities, transport, rental or house prices, etc etc. Personally we like the leafy old suburbs with the old timber & tin houses, generally closer to the city, as do many people, but others prefer the newer estates which tend to be further out but with modern houses & facilities. Our advice - move here & try it first, rentals can be hard to get so make sure you bring good references. I find the public transport very good, although many Brisbanites grizzle, but it's way better than I'm used to previously, & I find that it's pretty reliable & it saves us a bundle only having to run one everyday-type car.

I think the Zed community here is scattered all over the place; I don't know how many others live north-side?

[Z]

I'd say that inner south brissy is a little easier to get around than inner north, I live in Kedron about 8k from the cbd. If you don't have to report to a desk anymore I'd say go the coasts - sunny is great but redland bay (just south of brissy) is nice too.

[RB30X]

Thanks guys there's some good advice there and a few suburbs to check out. I'm more of a block home person myself so maybe have to check out the newer (10-15yr old suburbs).

Brisbane would be pretty self sufficient even if you did live way out of town wouldn't it, its own big shopping centres and what ever else you'd need wouldnt be too far away. Rarely would you need to go into the actual city. I may need to get to the airport quite often so have to consider that as well.

cheers

[PZG302]

Thanks guys there's some good advice there and a few suburbs to check out. I'm more of a block home person myself so maybe have to check out the newer (10-15yr old suburbs).

Brisbane would be pretty self sufficient even if you did live way out of town wouldn't it, its own big shopping centres and what ever else you'd need wouldnt be too far away. Rarely would you need to go into the actual city. I may need to get to the airport quite often so have to consider that as well.

cheers

 

Tim, depending on budget looking at what you said, there are some nice suburbs northside. Eatons Hill is around the 10-15 year old executive type suburb with large blocks up to acerage. Also convenient to the airport, shopping and so on. Only downside public transport can be a bit ordinary if you need to go door to door. Train to city is about 10 minute drive then 40 minutes, bus about 50 minutes in peak. And even better, 15 minutes to Lakeside.

[260DET]

Lakeside is a way better circuit than QR near Willowbank and that is just to the north of Brisbane, near Petrie and Kallangur. Anywhere from there back to Brisbane, it all depends on the particular locality.

[Lynton]

If you are going to the airport frequently you are way better to be northside of the river, to avoid tolls.

Brisbane city basically sits on the north side of the river, convenience is 5 km of the city, outer is 15km - 25km traffic can be a nightmare.

I drive to North Brisbane every day from the Sunny Coast it takes 50mins and then anything from another 30-45mins into the heart of the city.

Older areas do have some shedding or large under house garaging it just depends what you are after.

Wear and tear on the car needs to be budgeted I do 800kms per week. Depending on where you work the Sunshine Coast has an airport provided there are flights to where you want to go? Otherwise living close to inner Brisbane is the answer. Lynton

 

[gilltech]

Lynton is absolutely right regarding airport access for those living north-side. We get overseas visitors several times per year & it's real handy living north-side for that airport access, both for us & them.

If you do have to work in or somewhere near the CBD then public transport makes sense. Houses/suburbs along the train lines are popular for that reason. The buses, trains & ferries are well integrated & all use the same integrated ticket/fare system except the airport trains which is provided by a different company.

Like most big cities, the trick if you must commute by car is to organise your start/finish times to avoid peak-times, & organise your work or employment to suit that. Brisbane City is building new infrastructure flat-out to tackle the traffic issue but Brisbane is growing so fast & the current traffic problem is pretty bad.

[24 Dat]

Hi there RB30X i agree with 260DET If you want to be near a race track and a great one at that, look somewhere on the northside and the  closer to Lakeside raceway the better. If your working in town the drive in, is a nightmare from any direction but which capital doesnt have that? If you end out on the westernside near Queensland Raceway it is only a 1 1/2 drive up to Morgan Park Raceway at Warwick which is as good as Lakeside but with lots of run off areas. If you stuff up at Lakeside, you and your car might end up on a flat bed

 

Cheers

Dave

 

[RB30X]

If you stuff up at Lakeside, you and your car might end up on a flat bed

 

You have a good point. That's all I could think about driving to and from the Phillip island circuit, damn that would be an expensive toe if you broke something big.

 

[garvice]

Brisbane would be pretty self sufficient even if you did live way out of town wouldn't it, its own big shopping centres and what ever else you'd need wouldnt be too far away. Rarely would you need to go into the actual city.

I live 5kms from the town on the northside and for a period of about 2 years worked outside of town. I don't think I set foot in the CBD for those two years. So yes, CBD is not required.

 

I had to build my own shed to get something that I wanted (and figure if i move again will have to do it again).

I personally would recommend Kepera/Arana Hills/Ferny hills. Older areas, but definitely undervalued. I reckon it is one of those areas that can eventually only go up (around the 10kms mark from town). There are some brick homes, but mostly older 2 story places, with lost of large blocks (got a place with 1000m2 for around similar money to my 550m2 block 5kms from town).

[Scottz]

Hi Tim,

 

Not much mineral processing in Brisy mate, so I'm guessing it's the airport access and bright lights that you are looking for.

But Townsville like Cairns and Brisy have international airports and every other Qld coastal satellite city also has a domestic airport. They're all the same + or -.

There are more flights in and out of Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Rocky, Gladstone (and a few from Bundy & Maryborough) than Brisbane going to/from Qld mine sites. So how come you want to leave the North? Really ?

If you are looking for interstate or international work, then stick to the 3 Qld cities with international airports.

 

If it's other reasons, then there is nothing bigger or better about the big smoke. Having said that, my 2 brothers moved to Brisy and stayed there so their kids could get better schools, medical access, etc. There are lots of advantages for families that have special requirements.

 

I left the North and lived in Brisy from 1987 to 1995 so I could get a trade and go to uni. The last few years I was living in Ferny Hills and the north west suburbs were good for me. A long way from the oil refinery but running east/west across the traffic (instead of north/south with the traffic), in the early dawn was fast and easy. Going to the uni after work was a drag with peak traffic. Paying for parking is something I have avoided since leaving the big smoke. My few and rare visits remind me of why I left the city and moved away.

I left in 1995 for similar reasons. Back then mining and contract companies were employing labour closer to the work location (going local). The recession was over and the economy was starting to crawl back to life. So I left Brisy and went back North to get a better income and more experience. Funny actually - going the circle.

 

If you really don't need to leave Townsville but just curious about a change, there are plenty of contracts doing FIFO from Townsville.

Don't burn your bridges to fast and what ever direction you go, I'm wishing you the best of luck mate.

The beauty of FIFO work is you can choose to live just about anywhere. The down side is going to the airport is not something you look forward to anymore.

 

Scottz

 

[RB30X]

Thanks again for the info guys. Not after the bright lights just a change of atmosphere really. Townsville doesn't have an international airport, domestic only and a lot of mines do fly out of here but vacancy is low at the moment and there seems to be a lot more availabilities in my profession FIFO or local Brisbane at the moment. What sort of work do you do Scottz?

 

There's a lot of oppertunities in WA too if you don't mind moving to Perth for a while, although some places over there will fly you to and from Brisbane for a WA job. Thats a lot of flying. They have to do that to get the people they want. A lot of competition in this industry.

[garvice]

Depends what work you are chasing, but I have never had a problem getting mineral and metals work in brisbane as an engineer. Worked for several consultants as a design engineering role which included construction/commissioning work and also worked on site in brisbane refineries in similar roles. Definitely good paying work for engineers or designers in brisbane (never involuntarily been out of work), never had the need to leave brisbane to chase money/work.

[Scottz]

Hi Tim,

 

I often get asked ... "What exactly do you do Scott?"

 

My standard reply is ... "I do exactly what I am told to do, and that is how I have survivied"..

 

Seriously, I started working for my dad as a surveyor's labourer (chainman) when I was at school. I worked in survey and geololgy jobs in NT and FNQld.

After High School I tried uni full time, and hated it. So I dropped out and did an apprenticeship as a Fitter and Turner, working in Brisy. While doing the apprenticeship I went back to uni part time (nights) and completed my AD Mech Eng in 1990.

Time ticked along and jobs came and went. Aust, PNG, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and past 5 years in Africa. Along the way I did a 2nd trade as a licenced gas fitter, completed a BSc and a bit later a MSc.

That's how it was for us graduating from high school in the 80"s. No jobs around so you got work where-ever and kept studying to get some thing better. Thanks Bob&Paul - not !

 

If you are interested in FIFO work send me an email and I'll give you some contacts. Be prepared, they can be gruelling if you have a family. I've worked (weeks on/weeks off) 13/2, 6/2, 6/1, 4/1, 4/2, 3/1 and now 4/4.

I currently choose to work away for the time on / time off. I was making more $ in Aust but never got time off to do anything. Contractors will pay big $$ for a tradie but won't pay decent $ for an Engineer / Scientist and they never want you to take a day off. Hence I work as a 'Project Engineer - Mechanical' (Subsea Pipeline Integrity) offshore southwest Africa for an American company.

2 of my mates work in WA and do FIFO 2/2 here from Gladstone. That's a good rotation if you can get it. One's a dual trade sparky/instro the other is a procurement/contract guru.

Pritty soon there will be lots of FIFO work for Gladstone CSG and LNG projects, so the head hunting will get crazy with West Vs East for these big Gas Projects.

Biggest question is what will carbon tax do to all these prospective energy projects?

 

Like I said before, doing FIFO lets you live almost anywhere. And if that's the tropics with less traffic, more sunshine, less stress, affordable living, and open spaces, then you are in the right place. Just got to find the right job to go with it.

 

Wishing you the best mate.

 

Scottz.

ps. Do you still have front and rear suspension fs (260 2+2)? I need some strut tubes to mess with for my lowering experiment.

pps: Interesting data - The Bowen Basin area currently employs 28% of its labour on FIFO contracts. The mining industry predicts this will increase to 40% over the next 5 years.