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watteau
Member Since: 20 Dec 2005
Location: Dubai, UAE
Posts: 40
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| Some inside knowledge please |
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I'm considering a move to Australia, Gold Coast, Cairns, Port Douglas, I have been offered a project management job on a new construction in the centre of Cairns and another just outside, about 300 residential units, I can keep my tax free status in Dubai, be paid offshore if I want, visa and house is provided, just wanted to shed some light on the cost of living in Australia from a neutral source.
The How much Section, (not in a particular order 8) )
A case of heiniken
A packet of Marlboro Lights
1kg Sirloin Steak
A chicken
1kg large prawns
1kg apples
a case of good red wine
a case of good white wine
1kg potatoes
a litre of milk
a dozen eggs
6 pack of coke
A cheap meal out
A medium meal out
Top end dinner for two the works
A large beer in a bar
a large vodka and coke for the wife in a bar
tickets to the movies
Full Pay TV package per month
cleaning service 3 times a week
A disco 3 4.4 HSE++++
Petrol
a car service
Monthly utility bills, water, broadband, electric, for a 4 bedroom house, approx 350 sqm
The house section
(how much again)
rent per month on a 4 bedroom coastal house
rent per month on a 4 bedroom town house
rent per month on a 4 bedroom middle of nowhere house and approx 3 acres
Weather
How hot is it?
How cold is it?
how much rain?
Humidity?
The wife
10 years Intensive Care unit management for International Hospitals, will there be work for her?
Thank you very much in advance for your assistance, just want an outsiders take on it, there is only Suzy and I, no kids, Dubai is doing our heads in, so we are seriously looking at it, any advice suggestions are most appreciated.
ATB
Alex
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 10th Mar 2006 11:20 am |
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k1w1
Member Since: 02 Jan 2006
Location: High Wycombe
Posts: 90
  
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I'm sure the Crims will be on in a while and will answer your questions, but you could also try asking the same on www.lonelyplanet.com
Use the "Thorn Tree", create a user and post your questions to the Australia branch. Or better still, search the threads - this sort of question is often asked.
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| 10th Mar 2006 11:40 am |
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Baggy
Member Since: 11 Feb 2006
Location: sydney.....in the land of oz
Posts: 183
  
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Alex,
You certainly have your priorities sorted out - well done!!  Hieniken, smokes, steak, prawns, wine, vodka, pay tv, disco3 (that should have come first  ), then a roof over your head, then the weather and finally the wife! (hope she didn't see u write the post  ).
The following might help:-
Firstly the climate - my wife lived in Cairns for just under a year when in her early 20's (this was 15 yrs ago). She loved it - no polution, lots of fresh fruit/veg's, people were great, typical tropical environment. Summer, high 30's (degC), winter mid-20's deg (cooler at night). Always humid. February is cyclone season, high winds and rain (she wasn't there for that!). But then there's the Great Barrier Reef, rain forests, and AMAZING PLACES TO GO IN A 4WD  - Kakadu for e.g..
http://www.kakadunationalpark.com/
Brisbane in comparison has a milder climate and not as humid (and is a lovely city). This is unbiased as I live in Sydney.
Cairns has at least 2 major hospitals (there's probably others in the region) -
1) Cairns Base Hospital (public hospital i.e. State govt run)
The Esplanade Cairns, QLD 4870. PH: +61 7 4050 6333
2) Cairns Private Hospital
1 Upward St Cairns, QLD 4870 PH: +61 7 4052 5200
For climate details, temps, etc... go to our Bureau of Meteorology at:-
http://www.bom.gov.au/
If you click on Queensland it will take you to a bunch of info including historical data...see "climate info". If you select climate averages, look down the list and you'll find Cairns.
For grocery prices, try this link to Woolworths, one of our major national store chains. Just select QLD, there is a store in Cairns (for Brisbane, you can select "Garden City"; for Gold Coast select "Southport"). This will take you to the weekly store specials catalogue for a whole bunch of products (back page has some booze as well):-
http://www.woolworths.com.au/weeklyspecials/
for booze, try:-
http://www.beerwinespirits.com.au/asp/index.asp
select "far north queensland".....check out page2...."beez neez" is very nice! Heiniken is priced about the same as Stella Artois. Qld booze prices are bettr then in new south wales (I think cigarette prices are cheaper as well). This is another liquor store link:-
http://www.danmurphy.com.au/07-qld/index.html
For fuel prices check out:-
http://www.racq.com.au/cps/rde/xchg/SID-34...A_HTML.htm
Under Quick Links is "Fuel Price Reporting". They have 9mths worth of avg prices. The RACQ is the equiv of the RAA in the UK.
For housing (rent or buy) go to:-
http://www.domain.com.au/
there are "buy" and "rent" tabs at the top.
For dining out, try:-
http://www.cairnsdining.com/
or for QLD, try:-
http://www.yourrestaurants.com.au/?state=QLD
Good luck. Cheers, Vic. '11 TDV6 - Stornoway Grey.... still lovin' it!!
REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASSES.......Eat more BEEF!!
Addendum: Red wine goes REALLY well with BEEF
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| 10th Mar 2006 1:42 pm |
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Baggy
Member Since: 11 Feb 2006
Location: sydney.....in the land of oz
Posts: 183
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Quote:I'm sure the Crims will be on in a while......
>200 yrs later and they still keep reminding us of our roots 
Check out where it all began..... http://www.rocksvillage.com/
On the LHS is an icon "View Sydney Harbour Live", click on it and you can take control of the web-cam....check out Bridge, Opera Hse etc...
When u open up the web-cam, click "start control", you get control of the camera when the timer goes green. '11 TDV6 - Stornoway Grey.... still lovin' it!!
REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASSES.......Eat more BEEF!!
Addendum: Red wine goes REALLY well with BEEF
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| 10th Mar 2006 1:59 pm |
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watteau
Member Since: 20 Dec 2005
Location: Dubai, UAE
Posts: 40
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Thanks Vic, I am having a look at all that now, fuel is the same price per litre as it is for a gallon here in Dubai, that will have to be a consideration.
Would you happen to know about import tax on my car from Dubai, my D3 is due in less than a week, it will have cost the equivalent of 80k AUD, all singing all dancing 4.4 HSE with winch, everything, I can see that I will be 100k AUD plus for the same vehicle.
great help Vic, thanks again
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| 10th Mar 2006 2:12 pm |
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k1w1
Member Since: 02 Jan 2006
Location: High Wycombe
Posts: 90
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Just kidding Baggy. I'm from NZ, so you know we like to get the boot in at every available opportunity. In fact, it's rude not to!
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| 10th Mar 2006 6:00 pm |
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Baggy
Member Since: 11 Feb 2006
Location: sydney.....in the land of oz
Posts: 183
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Hi Kiwi, no offence taken !!!! ...Check my Gallery to see how we're preparing for our next Rugby encounter........ 
Cheers, Vic. '11 TDV6 - Stornoway Grey.... still lovin' it!!
REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASSES.......Eat more BEEF!!
Addendum: Red wine goes REALLY well with BEEF
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| 11th Mar 2006 12:01 pm |
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Cliff H
Member Since: 27 Oct 2005
Location: Home of the Pork pie and Stilton
Posts: 1304
 
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Is that the latest advert from the Austrailian tourist board????? Zermatt silver 06 reg.
Gone but not forgotten !!!
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| 11th Mar 2006 12:08 pm |
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Baggy
Member Since: 11 Feb 2006
Location: sydney.....in the land of oz
Posts: 183
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bl##dy h#ll - -you guys taking the p#ss!!!!!
PS> so our insidious strategy did work........expect to see more of u down here then!!! '11 TDV6 - Stornoway Grey.... still lovin' it!!
REDUCE GREENHOUSE GASSES.......Eat more BEEF!!
Addendum: Red wine goes REALLY well with BEEF
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| 11th Mar 2006 12:15 pm |
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Cliff H
Member Since: 27 Oct 2005
Location: Home of the Pork pie and Stilton
Posts: 1304
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 Zermatt silver 06 reg.
Gone but not forgotten !!!
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| 11th Mar 2006 12:16 pm |
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Husky
Member Since: 29 Jan 2006
Location: Lake Macquarie
Posts: 109
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| Re: Some inside knowledge please |
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watteau wrote:
The How much Section, (not in a particular order 8) )
A case of heiniken
A packet of Marlboro Lights
1kg Sirloin Steak
A chicken
1kg large prawns
a case of good red wine
a case of good white wine
a dozen eggs
6 pack of coke
A cheap meal out
A large beer in a bar
a large vodka and coke for the wife in a bar
Full Pay TV package per month
cleaning service 3 times a week
10 years Intensive Care unit management for International Hospitals, will there be work for her?
Alex
We have a government funded health system called 'Medicare' so caring for you after you ingest your weekly groceries should not be a problem. Best part is you will get to spend time with your wife as she should have no problem getting employed at the local hospital (We really do have a shortage of nurses)
So as we now say in Australia "WHERE THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU M8"
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| 11th Mar 2006 9:03 pm |
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drivesafe
Member Since: 23 Feb 2006
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Posts: 867
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Hi watteau, not sure what side of the road you drive on over there but if it’s the opposite to us then from memory, if you are taking your vehicle back with you, all you have to do is sign some documents to that fact and fit stickers to the top of your headlights to stop what would normally be your off side peak on your headlights blinding on coming vehicles here in Australia and you are pretty well able to do what you want and with no taxes to pay.
A mate is Sydney had some friends come over from Germany and they bought their VW Combi with them and thats all they had to do.
Cheers and you’ll have loads of fun out here.
BTW, you do know that 20 of the worlds top 25 deadliest snakes live in Australia and many of them in Nth Qld and the worlds deadliest spider is in residence near Cairns. 
All helps to make your trip memorable 2008 TDV8 RR Lux + 2009 D4 2.7
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| 12th Mar 2006 11:28 am |
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