Australia So Far

busyliving

Hey all,
I have been here for a month today, and I feel that I came over here totally unprepared but I’m starting to get a handle on it now. Just about to start a job and I have a house for the next while.

But I fell that most people who come over aren't fully prepared for a few basic things so I decided to write up a bit of blog about a few observations I have made since my time here.

Also I few things I would have liked to have own before arriving here.

Blog can be found here
http://mikelowesodyssey.blogspot.com/2011/03/australia-so-far.html

Really hopeful that this might be helpful to people considering whether or not to make the trip.

dabbido

some good advice there lad

lstars

hey there, just read your blog! very informative- thanks very much!
i hope the job goes well for you!
just wondering if could could add some insight- - myself and other half are heading to perth (we think) in july. himself is a brickie, and i work in legal field. do you think that perth has much going on construction wise? or would melbourne or sydney better be better?
also- im curious- why did you end up in perth, was that your plan?
thanks in advance!

busyliving

lstars wrote: »

hey there, just read your blog! very informative- thanks very much!
i hope the job goes well for you!
just wondering if could could add some insight- - myself and other half are heading to perth (we think) in july. himself is a brickie, and i work in legal field. do you think that perth has much going on construction wise? or would melbourne or sydney better be better?
also- im curious- why did you end up in perth, was that your plan?
thanks in advance!

Well at the moment, there is very little construction work around Perth; there is work, but a lot of Irish lads over here competing for the same jobs. But the reason for that is because a lot of jobs have just finished, but there are a few big projects starting up soon. I know all this because my housemate is a brickie, and he was working as a brickie before xmas and was on big big bucks.

I know a few people in Melbourne, who were looking for work for ages, one of the girls who is a qualified teacher couldn't get work as a waitress for a month, but she got work there last week.

I'd stay far away from Sydney...it’s so much more expensive than Perth, it’s also full of tourists and the locals aren't great.

I ended up in Perth, because I couldn't get any work in Sydney, my plan was to stay in Sydney and work...but that was a bad plan looking back at it, would have been better off coming straight to Perth if I’m being honest.

With regards to yourself and your half, are ye coming over on whv?

If ye are coming on whv, you might find it hard getting specific legal work because of the 6 month rule (only been able to work in a company for 6 months). But if you’re willing to work in an office doing temp work, or cafe work you should be ok...Also don't be afraid to lie on your cv over here

If you have any more questions please don't hesitate to ask or if I didn't explain something clearly enough

Warchild aka Lupton_Pittman

Perth is roasting hot 35c- a dry heat. Never rains, so outdoor work may be tough. The sun is really strong. cant go out in the sun for 15 mins without getting burned. need constant sunblock 30+.

Melbourne has the worst modern architecture I have seen anywhere on earth and is full of pretentious twats. Some hot women though.

Brisbane is full of seriously ugly women and aggressive bogans trying to "stare you out of it" to prove they are more of a man than you. Its so humid you sweat constantly and its always drizzling.

Sydney has the hottest women but is full of English idiots and is expensive as hell.

So, to summarize, it's 5hit. But for some reason Aussies think its the "best" country on earth, they doth protest too much methinks. Give me Irelands grey skies and shabby streets anyday.

Xavi6

Warchild aka Lupton_Pittman wrote: »

Perth is roasting hot 35c- a dry heat. Never rains, so outdoor work may be tough. The sun is really strong. cant go out in the sun for 15 mins without getting burned. need constant sunblock 30+.

Melbourne has the worst modern architecture I have seen anywhere on earth and is full of pretentious twats. Some hot women though.

Brisbane is full of seriously ugly women and aggressive bogans trying to "stare you out of it" to prove they are more of a man than you. Its so humid you sweat constantly and its always drizzling.

Sydney has the hottest women but is full of English idiots and is expensive as hell.

So, to summarize, it's 5hit. But for some reason Aussies think its the "best" country on earth, they doth protest too much methinks. Give me Irelands grey skies and shabby streets anyday.

Warchild aka Lupton_Pittman

Did you get sunburnt today? Now you're going to tell me how great Freemantle(yawn) and Margaret River is or something, isn't that it? lol. Or maybe something about the fascinating West Coast (yawn)..zzzzz.......lol:pac::eek::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Zambia

Jonjo is that you dude??

Vorsprung

Zambia wrote: »

Jonjo is that you dude??

Exactly what I was thinking!

busyliving

Zambia wrote: »

Jonjo is that you dude??

Is this directed towards me?

busyliving

Warchild aka Lupton_Pittman wrote: »

Did you get sunburnt today? Now you're going to tell me how great Freemantle(yawn) and Margaret River is or something, isn't that it? lol. Or maybe something about the fascinating West Coast (yawn)..zzzzz.......lol:pac::eek::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Haven't been to Freemantle or the margaret River yet...But it was hot today i went out for a walk, it was grand no burning today anyways but tomorrow's a new day:D

Zambia

busyliving wrote: »

Is this directed towards me?

Not in the least

Xavi6

Warchild aka Lupton_Pittman wrote: »

Did you get sunburnt today? Now you're going to tell me how great Freemantle(yawn) and Margaret River is or something, isn't that it? lol. Or maybe something about the fascinating West Coast (yawn)..zzzzz.......lol:pac::eek::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

I'm not going to tell you anything. You're the one with all the cool stories....bro.

ellaq

So what are you selling BusyLiving, in case you knock on my door. Hopefully not Modern Living.

Hot today, I think not. Wish it was like this all year round.

lstars

hey thanks for that! just another question, when you say it is hard to get work on a whv ( i knida thought that already for me) does that apply for my other half as well in the construction industry?? or are they ok in that regard do you think?
also - little worried if work has dried up there for construction- temporary or not?:eek:
thnmking melbourne might be better option...?

LaMer

Thanks for the blog. I'm thinking of heading to Aus or NZ this year to try look for something new while things aren't good here so that's given me a good bit to think about!

grace143

busyliving wrote: »

Hey all,
I have been here for a month today, and I feel that I came over here totally unprepared but I’m starting to get a handle on it now. Just about to start a job and I have a house for the next while.

But I fell that most people who come over aren't fully prepared for a few basic things so I decided to write up a bit of blog about a few observations I have made since my time here.

Also I few things I would have liked to have own before arriving here.

Blog can be found here
http://mikelowesodyssey.blogspot.com/2011/03/australia-so-far.html

Really hopeful that this might be helpful to people considering whether or not to make the trip.

Hey Dude, good post, lots of helpful info

Me and the other half are heading to Melbourne in a few months. We'll be looking for our own apartment. Did the whole flat share in London last summer - not going down that path again! I heard its pretty expensive, you have any experience in this? You herad of any areas worth checking out apart from St Kilda?!

hussey

Warchild aka Lupton_Pittman wrote: »

Did you get sunburnt today? Now you're going to tell me how great Freemantle(yawn) and Margaret River is or something, isn't that it? lol. Or maybe something about the fascinating West Coast (yawn)..zzzzz.......lol:pac::eek::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Mod Quit trolling - and one rolleye is enough, you made your point.

Warchild aka Lupton_Pittman

Xavi6 wrote: »

I'm not going to tell you anything. You're the one with all the cool stories....bro.

Ok, ok. I'm screwed. I'm gonna go to jail, and I'll pay, and Johnny Utah gets his guy, right? Well good for you. That's real good. Your gonna be a big hero now. But look at it Johnny, LOOK AT IT! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity man. Just let me go out there, let me get one wave before you take me, one wave. Where am I gonna go man, there's cliffs on both sides, I'm not gonna paddle to New Zealand.

My whole life has been about this moment Johnny.
Come on Compadre, come on.

COME ON!!!!

hussey

hussey wrote: »

Mod Quit trolling - and one rolleye is enough, you made your point.

Warchild aka Lupton_Pittman wrote: »

....

Mod One warning not enough? Please stop or you will be banned.

Now back on track

Warchild aka Lupton_Pittman

My opinion of Australia is as valid as anyone else's. If someone doesn't agree with it say where, instead of taking the piss with "Cool story bro".
Didnt see him getting any warnings.

CiaranC

Warchild aka Lupton_Pittman wrote: »

My opinion of Australia is as valid as anyone else's. If someone doesn't agree with it say where, instead of taking the piss with "Cool story bro".
Didnt see him getting any warnings.

Didnt you get the memo? You are supposed to affirm the life choices of everyone who moved to Australia on here, thems the rules :P So Australia is AMAZING, right!

Looks like I'll be off down to NZ for 6 months or a year myself towards the end of the year, am hoping its a bit more liveable than I found Oz

Zambia

CiaranC wrote: »

Didnt you get the memo? You are supposed to affirm the life choices of everyone who moved to Australia on here, thems the rules :P So Australia is AMAZING, right!

Looks like I'll be off down to NZ for 6 months or a year myself towards the end of the year, am hoping its a bit more liveable than I found Oz

Well we would be a right pack of eejits if we lived here by choice and did not like it.

Anyone is allowed criticise Australia as much as they want on here. But to expect a no one to disagree with you when you do is just stupid.

Its a Forum not a soap box.

hussey

Warchild aka Lupton_Pittman wrote: »

My opinion of Australia is as valid as anyone else's. If someone doesn't agree with it say where, instead of taking the piss with "Cool story bro".
Didnt see him getting any warnings.

Mod Firstly, you didn't get the warning for your first post, you got it for the smart response and all the ':rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:' I thought it was clear enough, then you reply with some unrelated quote from a movie, I warned you, you ignored it, so I gave you a yellow.

Also when you come on to a thread about life in Aus and say it's sh*t, with opinions such as 'Brisbane is full of seriously ugly women' that's just plain trolling, and complaining that Perth is hot, seriously?

So you have a choice either quit your trolling and drop the come backs or GTFO

and please no back seat modding ....

Now back on thread

Warchild aka Lupton_Pittman

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:!!!

God damn it that was worth it.
*breathes out slowly*

Oh and btw Brisbane is full of ugly women, didnt see one beauty there.
I'm not trolling, you're just too dumb to realise.
And you won't discipline the Xavi6 because he's a proven Austrophile and your busom buddy here in your little club, "mate".lol :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Zambia

Mod Warchild banned for a week.

busyliving

lstars wrote: »

hey thanks for that! just another question, when you say it is hard to get work on a whv ( i knida thought that already for me) does that apply for my other half as well in the construction industry?? or are they ok in that regard do you think?
also - little worried if work has dried up there for construction- temporary or not?:eek:
thnmking melbourne might be better option...?

Well to be honest you on average will be waiting 4 weeks to get work, but some people find work within the first week...the 4 weeks is just an average. If you’re willing to do Bar Work, Cafe work and have the relevant cards and experience you should be ok...but it could take 4 weeks.

With regards to construction...it’s really who you know, very like the way it is back home...But if he has his white card done and has experience in the field he should be ok as there is always new projects starting up, you just need to keep on top of it and keep checking jobs on a daily basis. Also if he has a full Irish Driving License it will be a massive bonus.

With regards to where is safer...I’d say Melbourne, only because you’re a stone’s throw from, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney which you can fly to fairly cheap. But if you’re in Perth it’s very expensive to go across the country to those cities...

But in saying that I know a lot of people who have really struggled in Melbourne and Sydney, well they all got work within 4 weeks, but because its more expensive in these cities your money will run out a lot faster than in Perth.

I know I’m not giving you a definite answer, but all I can do is tell you the options open to you and what I’ve seen over here.

Hope I helped

busyliving

grace143 wrote: »

Hey Dude, good post, lots of helpful info

Me and the other half are heading to Melbourne in a few months. We'll be looking for our own apartment. Did the whole flat share in London last summer - not going down that path again! I heard its pretty expensive, you have any experience in this? You herad of any areas worth checking out apart from St Kilda?!

All i know is St Kilda road, there are apartly alot of house for rent but i've heard nothing about apartments. And i'm sure the reason is, is because they are very expensive.

To be fair I don't know much about renting in Melbourne...

But i have asked a mate, and hopefully he'll get back to me soon.

But in thr meantime check out these sites
Domain
MyHome

There is another one but i can't remember it off the top of my head...sorry i couldn't be of more help

lstars

busyliving wrote: »

Well to be honest you on average will be waiting 4 weeks to get work, but some people find work within the first week...the 4 weeks is just an average. If you’re willing to do Bar Work, Cafe work and have the relevant cards and experience you should be ok...but it could take 4 weeks.

With regards to construction...it’s really who you know, very like the way it is back home...But if he has his white card done and has experience in the field he should be ok as there is always new projects starting up, you just need to keep on top of it and keep checking jobs on a daily basis. Also if he has a full Irish Driving License it will be a massive bonus.

With regards to where is safer...I’d say Melbourne, only because you’re a stone’s throw from, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney which you can fly to fairly cheap. But if you’re in Perth it’s very expensive to go across the country to those cities...

But in saying that I know a lot of people who have really struggled in Melbourne and Sydney, well they all got work within 4 weeks, but because its more expensive in these cities your money will run out a lot faster than in Perth.

I know I’m not giving you a definite answer, but all I can do is tell you the options open to you and what I’ve seen over here.

Hope I helped

thanks a million for getting back to me- your so good, and you have given me alot of useful info!
fingers crossed for us for july is all i can say!

busyliving

lstars wrote: »

thanks a million for getting back to me- your so good, and you have given me alot of useful info!
fingers crossed for us for july is all i can say!

Not a worry, if you have any more questions please don't hesitate to ask

busyliving

Hey all, my second blog is over due...but i want to know if there is anything you write about? (of course about australia)