Mackay - What's It Like?

[Bathsheba]

Have you spent much time in the tropics? I was born in Bundaberg.... but I can't deal with the heat... actually the humidity is what I struggle with: it makes me feel like I have asthma or when it's really bad like before a cyclone I feel like I'm drowning... but that's just my body... it's very "Northern" (think northern hemisphere). But maybe you'd get used to it

I found that living up there things go mouldy. A few of my canvas paintings have been ruined by living in humid locations. I would recommend storing most of your things down here.

I won't go on about too many other negatives. Maybe you should just view it as an extended holiday... you'll won't want to spend the rest of your life wondering...

I also can't comment too negatively because I would miss you if you went! (And it's not about me)

[Doing my best]

DP just rang me very excited. He could get a job in Mackay driving coal trains. They are offering absolutely ridiculous fall off your chair type money.

Think we might fly up there early December to check it out - hey, it's a holiday even if nothing comes of it.

I'm very open to moving -my only reservation is that it would mean yet another change for DSD who's about to start VCE.

But the shifts are 4 days on, 4 days off so I guess conceivably DSD, DD and I could stay here and DP could fly down.

Anyhow, what's Mackay like?

My DH has applied for a job up there too. Even as a trainee the money is pretty good..

There is also a good chance your DP will get one if he applies as they are wanting to fill the experienced driver jobs as a priority.

[fionas]

Thanks Bath!

Well, we have our first hurdle. I was actually nutting it out on BB while DP was asleep so we literally had a five minute conversation this morning and then I convinced myself it was a top idea.

Anyhow, when DP woke up after his afternoon nap (my timinng wasn't great) Itold him I thought it was a great idea and hey, I'd be willing to go almost anywhere for 18 months. At which point, he got very shirty about throwing in the security of his job down here JUST for 18 months and what would be the point? So, at the moment we're poles apart.

But the point is that in 18 months we would have got the mortgage down to almost nothing, we could then move back and add an extra storey to this house. In the meantime, I could pack in the job I hate and study.

DP doesn't seem to realise the irony when he talks about giving up his job down here. That's exactly what I did when I gave up my full-time job for a part-time one. Basically my career has gone backwards because I put DD first.

[Bathsheba]

My DH is beside me now saying that you're crazy to want to go up there LOL He's talking money mainly (as a banker would LOL). Says the costs of moving/living away REALLY eat into savings...said things are likely to be more expensive up there (even groceries etc). Maybe if the company paid all your moving costs and gave you some rental assistance then consider it... these are the terms that we would move... and as you know I'm also very keen! (but NOT the tropics!)

[Inanna]

Qld is one of the most expensive states in Aust now for cost of living... I heard it on radio national th other day!

I'm for adventure! Go forth to the hot tropics for a couple of years I say!

[Bathsheba]

Yep, I'd say my DH is aware of that too Inanna... he has several clients that partly reside up there.... good ole Radio National eh?

If you really want to view it as an extended holiday then go for it... but just be careful if the prime motive is money making...especially if you have to pay your own way.

[fionas]

Hmmm ... well we're still going to go up early December to see what's what.

Basically, DP would be happy anywhere he can drive trains, have an Apple computer so he can fiddle with his website (about trains) and have a bottle shop for beer. He's a man of very simple needs

I, on the other hand, like living in a city. Like eating out for good food. Like interesting shops. BUT, I like new experiences. I see it as an extended holiday. Not my ideal place. If I really wanted an adventure, I'd move to Paris IYKWIM but it makes a lot of sense financially.

It really is crazy money. DP is already on very good money and we're talking 3.5 times his current salary. I've checked out rental costs and we're talking $150 a week less than we could rent this house for. So that's $600 a month that we could put towards extra living costs.

[Janie]

Oh man Fiona, I say DO IT! Make it happen. You only live once, and even with some extra living costs, and those associated with moving etc, you're still going to come out way in front (sorry Bath , I know you don't want her to go). It doesn't have to be forever, but you don't have to put an absolute limit on it either. This could be the solution that you never dreamed of, to all those housing problems!!!!

I can't wait to hear how this pans out, good luck

[New Dawn]

Mmmmm you love city living.... well then you just might like it here very much, Mackay is a funny place, you are either a born and bred or your here for work and are counting down the days until you get to leave , Bath I correct the cost of living is more up here, I used to spend about $350 pf on food while now I am spending about $500, that could be just because I am now shopping weekly...

Rent up here is about $450+ for nice houses, dont let your DH choose your house without you there, I have made that mistake, so we now have a house which has NO AIR CON ! but so far we havent needed it, but like I said before I am a tropical person, so dont feel the heat as much as other might...

Have a good look around when you come up, the build up is well and truely here... so it is getting nice and sticky so at least you will get some idea of the weather, but do remember that its only sticky here for about 4 mths then its a very nice mid 20's all winter... I grew up in the hills of Vic so I know cold, but found after spending a dry a wet then a dry, the wet doesnt feel nearly as hot as it did the 1st time around...

there are plenty of houses with pools so look for on of those...

Dont forget you can swim in the beach over the wet ( the hotest pasrt ) as with the wet we get stinger and trust me you dont want to get hit by one of those, hence why most people get a pool...

we are saving a great deal of money living here, even though the cost of living is up, the money BHL gets at the mines more than makes up for it...

its cost us about $3800, to hire a U-pack- it container to get up here, which isnt too bad, ( it will be cheaper to more back south as there are more people going nth than there are sth so they are just happy to get a load back down there )...

thats about it for now I think...

[fionas]

Thanks Green Frog!

It's looking less likely this morning. DP has gone off the idea and is trying to clarify salary - I think the 3.5 times his current salary might be for a short time only and perhaps because they're so short of drivers at the moment. They're looking to recruit 200 drivers in Jan so presumably if they succeed in doing that then wages will drop.

But he does know three blokes who've jointly bought a flat up there which they share and who then fly down to Melbourne on their days off shift - so they must have weighed things up themselves and still reckon it's worth it.

DSD was quite funny when we told her (she's used to us coming up with various plans so I knew it wouldn't worry/freak her out too much) - when we told her that one option instead of us all moving would be for DP to be based there and fly down to Melbourne, she said, "oooh, that sounds good - we could have our own bachelorette pad." DP said, "what you and your friends?" She said, "no, me and Fiona." So that was nice.

[New Dawn]

Hate to tell you it doesnt work FIFO from Melbourne we tried it for a year and that was with BHL doing 14 day on 7 off, you lose a day each way in flying time... plus the cost of the flight on any day but tuesday and wednesday if just rediculas, plus you have the school holiday time flights which goes up everytime, for about 3 or so weeks as QLD has differnt holiday times too VIC... there are no direct flights from Mackay to Melbourne, so you have to change at brisbane, I lost count the amount of time BHL's flights were delaide....

it just didnt work out too well for us... so really really really look into FIFO before you commit too anything, look at flights for every day of the week plus school holiday times...

[fionas]

No worries - thanks Tali!