Queensland! Land of... queens.

[crowtribe]

I have an opportunity for mine work based in outback Queensland quite possibly coming up in the next few months.

While the money is amazing, life isn't about wealth, and I was looking at the pros and cons of living over there. The swings are apparently the best possible at 4 on 4 off while living in town with a daily shuttle bus picking you up and dropping you off each day, meaning I spend each night in my own bed at home with my girlfriend. The only reason we are available for this work is because the town has extremely limited housing, and we have someone who works there already offering to put us up immediately.

I'm not sure where to begin looking to find this sort of information, but I was hoping to find either news articles or reports on median property, vehicle and cost of living in Queensland as compared to WA or the rest of Australia - so far the search has yielded a complete lot of zilch.

Is anyone able to point me to somewhere that would publish this stuff, or have any other information I should take into consideration before taking the plunge?

[Barfridge]

whereabouts in Qld, it's a big place

[Desmo]

Weipa?

[crowtribe]

3 hrs inland, near Emerald apparently. I can't remember the exact name from memory.

Will post it later once I speak to them (they're in town and want to discuss the possibility of us moving over while here).

[Barfridge]

Blackwater, Moura?

Ask Flamedance all about Moura

[Shady7/8]

So you're specifically looking for somewhere with Queens?
Cos you don't need to goto QLD for that...

[Commander Keen]

Moranbah maybe or Clermont, Coppabella, Dysart?

Which site?

[Seb]

Sounds like Bowen Basin, Dysart or Blackwater?

Edit: Beaten... Yeah what everyone above me said. Stupid phones ringing while in the middle of reading a thread.

[crowtribe]

Coal mining, job as an operator. As stated, will confirm later. Possibly Foxleigh? rings a bell at least.

Anyone able to help me on the information front in the meantime? Or regale me of the awesome times they had working in similar areas?

[Intherough]

Try looking up the local or regional newspaper websites. They'll usually have info there about property prices, classies for car prices,etc. have you considered doing FIFO from Townsville or Cairns? Cairns is awesome and they're starting to promote it as a viable FIFO base. I lived there for a while before coming back to Perth. Property prices there are cheap as compared to here but doesn't look like moving either.

[Rich]

I went to QLD for 16 months, 2 years ago...

Way happier in WA...

I earn bigger $$$ for less stress in WA...

The cost of living is no cheaper in QLD I found. Car and bike rego is way more expensive. I keep my vehicles rego'd in WA...

If you were living on the coast then the trade off for having an nice lifestyle could make it worth while...

But it sounds like you won't be at the arsehole of Oz, but you can see it from there...

Think long and hard, gather as much info as possible...

I don't regret going to QLD, but it sure wasn't all good...

[Intherough]

Rego is def cheaper here. If you look hard enough towards the SW when in Qld you might get a glimpse of SA - now that is Sphincter Australia. Yep, lived there too.

[Flamedance]

I know that region fairly well - we are just selling the lease on a motel we setup over there. Once you know the location pm me and I'll give you a run down.
general info for area - hot and humid, mainly coal country but the Dawson valley and surrounds is also prime beef and cotton growing region which means you not only have everything (including your lungs) covered in coal dust, you also get some really nasty poisons from the cotton gin.
Costs are reasonable if you live basically but you will find nice toilet paper and toothpaste overpriced because they can. Rego is expensive and you need rwc whenever you buy sell or transfer vehicles. Give me a location and I can give you specifics as I lived there for 5 years setting up business. Lots of dealings with the mines too.

[Aufitt]

With an (the 2nd biggest) Iron ore company in WA crying out for 8000 vacancies to be filled this year in WA doing 7/7 FIFO from wherever you choose to be based ... yours would want to pay very very well crow.

[scotch]

If you believe everything you read then you may want to think about the possibility that there could be a minor recession this year with jobless rates going up over east. If you're in the mines then WA is the place to be for now. IMO.

[Rat750]

What motel did you have out there Flamedance?

[Waikikablukar]

With an (the 2nd biggest) Iron ore company in WA crying out for 8000 vacancies to be filled this year in WA doing 7/7 FIFO from wherever you choose to be based ... yours would want to pay very very well crow.

this!

All 3 iron ore companies will be trying to find upward of 20,000 people over the next 2 years and will be throwing $$ at people to come work for them. Rio has just announced another retention scheme which is a $10,000/year bonus on top of all wages and current bonus scheme.

I would be impressed if coal could match what Iron ore will be offering in the near future.

[Flamedance]

Rat750 - we bought the old burradoo and redeveloped it into Moura motel.

[Rat750]

True? I know it well. Used to pass through there quite a bit.

[KiM]

I am currently working in civil work over here in Central Queensland, fixing the highway up due to the flooding which occurred. Went back home to Perth for chrissie and I will jump back to WA as soon as I can get a job on the mines. But I guess if kids and wifey was here with me it wouldnt be too bad. I just dont like the whole 90% humidity thing.
weigh up your options, it isnt THAT bad over this way and if the money is good, hey why not?