Have you moved from city to country?

I have lived in our near the city and largly populated areas my whole life. My DH came to me the other day and asked if I'd like to one day move to a country area. Within his job, he has the opportunity to move to remote locations for a minimum of 3yrs. This would entail us being given a house to live in almost for free (may need to pay a small amount like $50 a week rent). That would mean that I could be a SAHM full time and we could rent out our unit here and get some 'extra' money. I also think it would be a lovely opportunity for my kids to have a different lifestyle for a while. But I would be moving away from everything I know. My family, friends the area I have lived in my whole life. I would probably be several hours away from any kind of support.
So has anyone done this? Did you like it, regret it, love it and stay......what would the considerations be do you think? Other than the support thing, is there anything else? I like the idea of something different, but it scares the crap out of me to think I would be all alone in the world! (Aside from DH and the kids).

sounds to me you might be a coppers wife ;)

as for moving to small towns cant say I have moved to small towns but have moved from Melbourne/Sydney to Darwin Cairns and soon to be moving to Mackay from Melb.... now dont get me wrong I know these places arent small but they are regenal towns and compare to Melb and Syd...

we have been back in Melb for 12mths and its just too big I dont find the people friendly at all they all seem very closed off, but when I have lived in Cairns / Darwin ( and I hope Mackay will be the same ) that if you make the effort then if can be wonderful... But just know that it can take sometime for the locals to warm up expacally if they know your DH is in a job where you could move again then they kinda get sick of trying with the new girls...iykwim...

if you know that you could move away again in 3 years if you dont like it, then I would do it, its only 3 years which would mean you could be a sahm and be able to join playgroup and swimming so you will have pleanty of chance to make new and maybe long life friends...

I moved to Port Hedland for my hubby and I hated it!!! The closest big set of shops was Karratha. Let me tell you, as a city girl who's used to shopping whenever, having to drive 2hrs for a simple shopping spree sucks. I told him I'd move to a country town but only one that is big enough to have alot of shops!!!!

I have done this.

I grew up in the northern suburbs of Melbourne and lived inner city for a few years before we moved onto DH family farm.

Admittedly it took a while for me to get use to it. I didn't (and still don't) know many women out here aside from MIL friends who are all much older and Pam whom I met on here. I found it isolating and lonely for about a year.

Now I couldn't leave, I love the openess and the isolation funnily. I love the clean air, the no traffic, the wildlife. It does have its downside like having to drive everywhere (no more sneaking to the shops for chips hehehehe) but there is a freeness to country living.

You'll be in a different boat because you have children already so there you already have room to meet new people through the kids.

Occasionally I miss the convenience of the city but thats all I miss :lol:

best of luck making the decision it'll be worth the move i think

Nae x x

OOh come to the sunshine coast hinterland - thats sorta "country" ;)

I'm sure wherever you go - there will always be a BB member close to you for you to hang out with and not feel so alone.

I'd go for it - it sounds like an awesome opportunity.

Lol - you took the words out of my mouth Everchanging :)

I'm a cop and moved to the country for work - and I loved it. I was 23 at the time and found a great social network - not just of other police, but as I'm a fitness instructor I started working at the local gym too and made heaps of non police friends too...

I think it really depends on the size of the community - I went from Adelaide, to a town of 18,000 - and then loved it so much I went to a township of about 1,000 - and loved that just as much!

I only returned to Adelaide as the next posting I wanted was there.

I would certainly consider returning to the country one day - not too remote though ;)

Depends on where it is. There is remote and then there is remote!!! In a small town (about 3000) without too many *issues* it is usually friendly but it takes a while to fit in. More than 5000 gives you more options with getting to know people and more connections to your husbands work ;)

If you belong to a church it often creates connections quicker, as do the children. My family are 5-6 hours away in different locations and my sister has more support in her local community than I do in Sydney. On the other hand, she is 150km from decent shopping and 100km from a *bigger* supermarket like IGA. It really does depend on what your personal interests are.

If you have any more specific questions ask or PM me for specific rural locations. My connections run far and wide, both in the job and out :D

This was a long time ago but we moved from city to country when I was 15 for my father's job. It was pretty much the same deal as you, house was owned by the company and they paid very little to rent it. It took a LONG time for my family to adjust but we did move to a very remote area where the nearest shop was a 30 min drive. My mum is a teacher and found it difficult to get work but we did move at the time when primary schools were being closed and teachers were offered 'packages'. My brother and sister were in primary school so it was a little easier for them. I missed things like being able to jump on a train and go where ever I wanted to go and I couldn't have friends over after school becuase we lived so far away. I hated living here with a passion and always vowed I'd move back to the city but when I had kids of my own I realised this was a fantastic place to bring them up so I stayed. Now, almost 20 years later I absolutely love 'small town living' and would never go back to the city.

hi there!
yep we did it.
Moved from Brisbane to a town near airlie beach qld (population 4000).
Loved it!! loved it loved!!!
New no one! had my first baby there with no family.
But i found the small town had a real 'village' easy to make friends and networks who looked out for you!


however was sooo expensive to live we had to move back to brisbane last year so i could get work (work was scarce up there - and i am in a profession you would assume would work anywhere easily!)

Anyhow we are leaving again in 5 weeks to the coffs coast in NSW (population 60000).
Cant wait! this time with 2 babies in tow and no family or friends.

BUt we love the rural / semi rural lifestyle and would love to stay permanently! :)

LOL, yep girls, I am a coppers wife. Thankyou for all of your replies.

Mel, I'd love to move to the sunny coast! But these postings are only in NSW, since DH is a NSW copper ;) I did think about the BB community. But I just don't know how big these communities are. If there's like 200 people, or 2000. Obviously the more people, the more chance I have of making friends!

It's just a bit scary for me because I have never moved out of my comfort zone. THough a tree change does sound lovely. I'm not sure how remote these places actually are. I mean, I'd say they are pretty far from much, with only one or two cops for the area? I don't know. DH was just thinking out loud and I'm not sure if he was serious, but it really got me thinking. It's not really something we have discussed or anything. I don't really have anything keeping me here besides my family. It's not as if I love the area we live in. I hate it actually. So going somewhere pretty, or just different would be a positive thing I think. But the biggest hurdle for me is the personal support. Although it's not like I get that much at the momnet. But mum and my brothers are just up the road and if I need it they can be here in 10mins. It's still something DH and I would have to discuss anyhow!!

Another coppers wife here but in QLD - when DH graduated from the academy his first posting was Maryborough, about 2-3hrs drive from Brissie where we had both lived all our lives. I had a 6wk old and no family but it was great - met so many nice people and the slow lifestyle was perfect. Next move was to Mt Isa a mining town out near the border to NT.Loved that even more - still miss it to this day. Also spent some time in Boulia for about 6 wks - Tiny little one street town - fantastic!!!! Dh would have loved to taken a permenant position out there - as would I but we were expecting #2 and had complications so had to move to a more central location. . Now living in Townsville, although here is more hectic and more traffic then we have been use to it is still a small city and it has grown on us but the time has come to move back ome to brissie for family support so we are in the process of transfering again - neither of us are looking forward to the rat race again.

If you have the opportunity do it - but take it on as an adventure, yes it is a pain not to have big shops to go shopping in but they mail order and you get to drool over the catalogues with your friends and you are the envy of the town when you have a new shirt that doesn't come from the 1-2 stores in town :rofl: It is a fantastic experiece. Do your research and find out what the population is like - all the places we have moved to have been very family friendly. Google it and find out how many schools are in the area - this will give you an idea of whether it is a young community or an older community. One of our rules at frst was not to move toa town without a maccas - this was our measure of how big/small a place was- although Boulia didn't have a Maccas and it was lovely

Good luck and have fun on your adventure

We moved from Sydney to Darwin with the army which was a huge hange for me. I made friends quickly partly because I worked and I did love Darwin but I hated being so incredibly far away from my family. I also missed decent shopping LOL
Kim on here has moved to the country with the police hopefully she will come along, I know they love where they are.

K Nate's just done a big poo, but I want to post here. We did it and we're doing it again. Tell your DH I'm the EDO where we are and if he's serious I'm happy to have a chat......

Well, DH come home last night and had a position which is available waaaayyy out in the bush. Somewhere near Bourke. He said he has 10 days to put in an expression of interest. I think it's just toooo soon for me to do it! I need time to adjust to the though of it!! This place has a population of 1500 or so in the town and 2000 in the region. Has a shopping centre and coles and stuff in the 'city'. So it's not a really really tiny place, though it sounds small enough for me! So much for it being him thinking out loud!! I think we will do it, but I need time to get used to it. And it's not a great time right now for my family cause my step dad is really sick, but I can't keep on thinking about that sort of stuff can I?? I have to do what's good for my little family.

:hug: it can take some getting use to though 1500-2000 isn't so bad.

Will the position put your DH in a better position? ie finacially or stepping up the ladder etc? How does he see the move with your step dad being so sick?

So its 10 days for the submission of interest would he have to be interviewed etc? is there a chance he might not get the position? If he did get it how long would it be until you would have to move? Is there a chance your step dad will be better by then?

so many questions to answer - sorry bout that, I just think there are so many variables to consider aside from just the move. Maybe you should talk to your family about it and see what they think?

It'll work out just how its meant too so try not to worry ;)

Nae x

Thanks for those questions, Nae. There is so much to think about and take into consideration for me. It's not just a matter of up and going to me. TO him it's differnt because he has nothing keeping him here except us. My whole family is here and I've lived in the area my whole life, so it will be difficult for me. My step ad is really sick and mum would have a heart attack if we moved away now. I couldn't do that to her. She has my brothers who live close so she wouldn't be alone but she seems to lean on me alot more than them. I haven't mentioned any thing to her because she's having enough anxiety dealing with my step dad's situation.
The position won't necessarily put him in a higher place/position, but it's different experience for him. There are other incentives too, like being able to choose any area to live in after the 3yrs. We would love to live by the beach sometime inour lives and this could be a way to do it! That's if we don't absolutely love the country and decide to stay, LOL!
Finacially it will be a good step for us. And I can be a full time SAHM again. Another big incentive for me. We would also be living in a house (currently in a 2br, 3rd floor unit).
I don't know how long it would be from submission to actually moving. It has been such a spur on the momnet thing! So unlike me!! I really like the idea of moving, and I have a good feeling about it, but this is just too soon for me! I need to think about it and mentally prepare, LOL! DH said that these positions do come up fairly regularly, but it depends on where the place is, it could be a one street town next time, KWIM?? I don't want somewhere so small, I want to be able to make friends and stuff, so I think I would need the opportunity to go to playgroups and swimming lessons and stuff like that with the kids.
Ugh, sooo much to think about! But I think for this time, it will be a no. There is plenty of time to do it and there is no pressure anyway.....

sorry to hear about your stepdad, you will really have to way up the pros and cons but coming from someone who after 8 years living out of her home state and finely coming home only to have to tell my family that its not working and we will be moving again, there is never a good time for news like that, they will get over it they will understand why you are doing what you have chosen to do...

you have to also learn that you cant live your life for your family as they are no longer you primary family you and your DH with your children are your primary family and you need to put them 1st, you need to learn to look at whats best for your primary family and what you need to do. not how hard it will be for everyone else....Its not like you wont visit or will never see them again, could be worse could be interstate ( like I am doing ) or harder still OS... The best bit is you get to blame work ;) telling your family like you just told us your doing this so you can be a SAHM and so that you can one day move to the coast... ( dont blame you there I LOVE northern NSW coast.... )

wish you all the luck hope it works out...

learn to google the town and google images too...