Anyone ever worked in Australia?

[VirtualMonkey]

I'm tempted by the move out there and wondered what staories people on here might have.
I have been told I can earn a significant amount as a solutions architect but the cost of living is apparently massive and then there's convincing mrs vm that it's a good idea.

[Zoiderman]

I'm tempted by the move out there and wondered what staories people on here might have.
I have been told I can earn a significant amount as a solutions architect but the cost of living is apparently massive and then there's convincing mrs vm that it's a good idea.

Yes, worked there for a while not long back.

Cost of living isn't what I would call massive, if you are earning their type of wages. It's fairly high in Sydney, and Melbourne, and house prices are high, otherwise, it will be fine.

As for living there, depends where you go. It can be a bit backward in parts, and they are a, ahem, robust bunch in parts too. However, very metropolitain in the cities. Perth is very remote, I mean, very, very remote. Darwin is hotter than Hades, but very laid back, and Brissy is about as good as a city can get, and near some very mighty fine beaches.

We have residency in Aus, and I often think of going back, but it is such a long way away, and our parents are ticking on, so we decided to stay until they departed.

Other than that, I'd be off in a flash.

All in all, it depends what you want in life. I think it is one of the worlds great places. Like Mars in parts, cracking place. After a contract finished there last time, me and Mrs ZM drove around Aus for 7 months in a beaten up split screen and created Junior ZM #1.

[PRC1964]

Diary

August 31
Just got a new contract in Port Hedland , Western Australia ..
Now this is a town that knows how to live!
Beautiful, sunny days and warm, balmy evenings.
I watched the sunset from a deckchair by our pool yesterday.
It was beautiful.
I've finally found my new home.
I love it here.

September 13
Really heating up now.
It got to 31 today.
No problem though.
Living in air-conditioned home, driving air-conditioned car.
What a pleasure to see the sun every day like this.
I'm turning into a sun-worshipper - no blasted rain like back in Britain!!

September 30
Had the back yard landscaped with tropical plants today.
Lots of palms and rocks.
No more mowing lawns for me!
Another scorcher today, but I love it here.
It's Paradise !

October 10
The temperature hasn't been below 35 all week.
How do people get used to this kind of heat?
At least today it's windy though.
Keeps the flies off a bit.
Acclimatizing is taking longer than we expected.

October 15
Fell asleep by the pool yesterday..
Got third degree burns over 60% of my body.
Missed three days off work.
What a dumb thing to do..
Got to respect the old sun in a climate like this!

October 20
Didn't notice Kitty (our cat) sneaking into the car before I left for work this morning.
By the time I got back to the car after work, Kitty had died and swollen up to the size of a shopping bag and stuck to the upholstery.
The car now smells like Whiskers and cat tulip.
I've learned my lesson though: no more pets in this heat.

October 25
This wind is a bastard.
It feels like a giant fliping blow dryer.
And it's hot as hell!
The home air conditioner is on the blink and the repair man charged $200 just to drive over and tell me he needs to order parts from fliping Perth .....The wife & the kids are complaining.

October 30
The temperature's up around 40 and the parts still haven't arrived for the fliping air conditioner.
House is an oven so we've all been sleeping outside by the pool for 3 nights now.
Bloody $600,000 house and we can't even go inside.
Why the hell did I ever come here?

November 4
Finally got the fliping air-conditioner fixed. It cost $1,500 and gets the temperature down to around 25 degrees, but the humidity makes it feel about 35.
Stupid repairman.
Fliping thief..

November 8
If one more smart bastard says 'Hot enough for you today?'
I'm going to fliping throttle him.
Fliping heat!
By the time I get to work, the car radiator is boiling over, my fliping clothes are soaking fliping wet and I smell like baked cat.
Fliping place is the end of the Earth.

November 9
Tried to run some errands after work, wore shorts, and sat on the black leather upholstery in my car.
I thought my fliping arse was on fire.
I lost 2 layers of flesh, all the hair on the backs of my legs and off my fliping arse.
Now the car smells like burnt hair, fried arse and baked cat.
Flip. Flip. Flip.

November 10
The Weather report might as well be a fliping recording..
Hot and sunny.
Hot and sunny, Hot and fliping sunny.
It never fliping changes!
It's been too hot to do anything for 2 fliping months and the weatherman says it might really warm up next week.
Flip!

November 15
Doesn't it ever rain in this damn fliping place?
Water restrictions will be next, so my $5,000 worth of palms might just dry up and blow into the fliping pool.
The only things that thrive in this fliping hell-hole are the fliping flies.
You don't dare open your mouth for fear of swallowing half a dozen of the little bastards!

November 20
Welcome to HELL!
It got to 45 flipin' degrees today.
Now the air conditioner gone in my car.
The repair man came to fix it and said, 'Hot enough for you today?'
I wanted to shove the fliping car up his fliping arse.
Anyway, had to spend the $2,500 mortgage payment to bail me out of jail for assaulting the stupid prick.
Fliping Port Hedland!
What kind of sick, demented fliping idiot would want to live here!

December 1
WHAT!!!! The FIRST day of Summer!!!!
You are fliping kidding me!

[DodgyAgent]

Diary

August 31
Just got a new contract in Port Hedland , Western Australia ..
Now this is a town that knows how to live!
Beautiful, sunny days and warm, balmy evenings.
I watched the sunset from a deckchair by our pool yesterday.
It was beautiful.
I've finally found my new home.
I love it here.

September 13
Really heating up now.
It got to 31 today.
No problem though.
Living in air-conditioned home, driving air-conditioned car.
What a pleasure to see the sun every day like this.
I'm turning into a sun-worshipper - no blasted rain like back in Britain!!

September 30
Had the back yard landscaped with tropical plants today.
Lots of palms and rocks.
No more mowing lawns for me!
Another scorcher today, but I love it here.
It's Paradise !

October 10
The temperature hasn't been below 35 all week.
How do people get used to this kind of heat?
At least today it's windy though.
Keeps the flies off a bit.
Acclimatizing is taking longer than we expected.

October 15
Fell asleep by the pool yesterday..
Got third degree burns over 60% of my body.
Missed three days off work.
What a dumb thing to do..
Got to respect the old sun in a climate like this!

October 20
Didn't notice Kitty (our cat) sneaking into the car before I left for work this morning.
By the time I got back to the car after work, Kitty had died and swollen up to the size of a shopping bag and stuck to the upholstery.
The car now smells like Whiskers and cat tulip.
I've learned my lesson though: no more pets in this heat.

October 25
This wind is a bastard.
It feels like a giant fliping blow dryer.
And it's hot as hell!
The home air conditioner is on the blink and the repair man charged $200 just to drive over and tell me he needs to order parts from fliping Perth .....The wife & the kids are complaining.

October 30
The temperature's up around 40 and the parts still haven't arrived for the fliping air conditioner.
House is an oven so we've all been sleeping outside by the pool for 3 nights now.
Bloody $600,000 house and we can't even go inside.
Why the hell did I ever come here?

November 4
Finally got the fliping air-conditioner fixed. It cost $1,500 and gets the temperature down to around 25 degrees, but the humidity makes it feel about 35.
Stupid repairman.
Fliping thief..

November 8
If one more smart bastard says 'Hot enough for you today?'
I'm going to fliping throttle him.
Fliping heat!
By the time I get to work, the car radiator is boiling over, my fliping clothes are soaking fliping wet and I smell like baked cat.
Fliping place is the end of the Earth.

November 9
Tried to run some errands after work, wore shorts, and sat on the black leather upholstery in my car.
I thought my fliping arse was on fire.
I lost 2 layers of flesh, all the hair on the backs of my legs and off my fliping arse.
Now the car smells like burnt hair, fried arse and baked cat.
Flip. Flip. Flip.

November 10
The Weather report might as well be a fliping recording..
Hot and sunny.
Hot and sunny, Hot and fliping sunny.
It never fliping changes!
It's been too hot to do anything for 2 fliping months and the weatherman says it might really warm up next week.
Flip!

November 15
Doesn't it ever rain in this damn fliping place?
Water restrictions will be next, so my $5,000 worth of palms might just dry up and blow into the fliping pool.
The only things that thrive in this fliping hell-hole are the fliping flies.
You don't dare open your mouth for fear of swallowing half a dozen of the little bastards!

November 20
Welcome to HELL!
It got to 45 flipin' degrees today.
Now the air conditioner gone in my car.
The repair man came to fix it and said, 'Hot enough for you today?'
I wanted to shove the fliping car up his fliping arse.
Anyway, had to spend the $2,500 mortgage payment to bail me out of jail for assaulting the stupid prick.
Fliping Port Hedland!
What kind of sick, demented fliping idiot would want to live here!

December 1
WHAT!!!! The FIRST day of Summer!!!!
You are fliping kidding me!

[Zoiderman]

Port Headland is Hell, in more than just the heat. We drove through in December and it was 50 degrees. we didn't see a cloud for around 3 months until we hit Albany. If you are offered a job in Port Headland, abort, abort, abort. It's a large industrial town where all the ore and cows get shipped from.

tulip place.

[DodgyAgent]

Port Headland is Hell, in more than just the heat. We drove through in December and it was 50 degrees. we didn't see a cloud for around 3 months until we hit Albany. If you are offered a job in Port Headland, abort, abort, abort. It's a large industrial town where all the ore and cows get shipped from.

tulip place.

Do they have the internet there?

[Pondlife]

This

[Zoiderman]

Do they have the internet there?

If the cable doesn't melt or isn't beaten up, pissed on, stolen by the miners who got out there on their rota'd weekends off...

[VirtualMonkey]

Diary

August 31
Just got a new contract in Port Hedland , Western Australia ..
Now this is a town that knows how to live!
Beautiful, sunny days and warm, balmy evenings.
I watched the sunset from a deckchair by our pool yesterday.
It was beautiful.
I've finally found my new home.
I love it here.

September 13
Really heating up now.
It got to 31 today.
No problem though.
Living in air-conditioned home, driving air-conditioned car.
What a pleasure to see the sun every day like this.
I'm turning into a sun-worshipper - no blasted rain like back in Britain!!

September 30
Had the back yard landscaped with tropical plants today.
Lots of palms and rocks.
No more mowing lawns for me!
Another scorcher today, but I love it here.
It's Paradise !

October 10
The temperature hasn't been below 35 all week.
How do people get used to this kind of heat?
At least today it's windy though.
Keeps the flies off a bit.
Acclimatizing is taking longer than we expected.

October 15
Fell asleep by the pool yesterday..
Got third degree burns over 60% of my body.
Missed three days off work.
What a dumb thing to do..
Got to respect the old sun in a climate like this!

October 20
Didn't notice Kitty (our cat) sneaking into the car before I left for work this morning.
By the time I got back to the car after work, Kitty had died and swollen up to the size of a shopping bag and stuck to the upholstery.
The car now smells like Whiskers and cat tulip.
I've learned my lesson though: no more pets in this heat.

October 25
This wind is a bastard.
It feels like a giant fliping blow dryer.
And it's hot as hell!
The home air conditioner is on the blink and the repair man charged $200 just to drive over and tell me he needs to order parts from fliping Perth .....The wife & the kids are complaining.

October 30
The temperature's up around 40 and the parts still haven't arrived for the fliping air conditioner.
House is an oven so we've all been sleeping outside by the pool for 3 nights now.
Bloody $600,000 house and we can't even go inside.
Why the hell did I ever come here?

November 4
Finally got the fliping air-conditioner fixed. It cost $1,500 and gets the temperature down to around 25 degrees, but the humidity makes it feel about 35.
Stupid repairman.
Fliping thief..

November 8
If one more smart bastard says 'Hot enough for you today?'
I'm going to fliping throttle him.
Fliping heat!
By the time I get to work, the car radiator is boiling over, my fliping clothes are soaking fliping wet and I smell like baked cat.
Fliping place is the end of the Earth.

November 9
Tried to run some errands after work, wore shorts, and sat on the black leather upholstery in my car.
I thought my fliping arse was on fire.
I lost 2 layers of flesh, all the hair on the backs of my legs and off my fliping arse.
Now the car smells like burnt hair, fried arse and baked cat.
Flip. Flip. Flip.

November 10
The Weather report might as well be a fliping recording..
Hot and sunny.
Hot and sunny, Hot and fliping sunny.
It never fliping changes!
It's been too hot to do anything for 2 fliping months and the weatherman says it might really warm up next week.
Flip!

November 15
Doesn't it ever rain in this damn fliping place?
Water restrictions will be next, so my $5,000 worth of palms might just dry up and blow into the fliping pool.
The only things that thrive in this fliping hell-hole are the fliping flies.
You don't dare open your mouth for fear of swallowing half a dozen of the little bastards!

November 20
Welcome to HELL!
It got to 45 flipin' degrees today.
Now the air conditioner gone in my car.
The repair man came to fix it and said, 'Hot enough for you today?'
I wanted to shove the fliping car up his fliping arse.
Anyway, had to spend the $2,500 mortgage payment to bail me out of jail for assaulting the stupid prick.
Fliping Port Hedland!
What kind of sick, demented fliping idiot would want to live here!

December 1
WHAT!!!! The FIRST day of Summer!!!!
You are fliping kidding me!

But apart from that it's okay and you'd recommend it yes?

just trying to get in touch with a mate of mine who went out there a couple of years ago...see what his impressions are. He lives in Brisbane.
CV is over as well....might as well see what the potential is like

[Scoobos]

I loved it, I saved a considerable sum of money on a fairly modest daily rate whilst living in a small flat in Edgecliff Sydney (swimming pool and room for my wife and I for 450 dollars a month each. )

It is very far away from "likeminded" people though, its like a tiny part of Europe in the middle of Asia.

I thought it was a bit like stepping back in time, culture wise too , in both a good and a bad way. I'd recommend it to anyone.