Expert: Frank Denison - 10/25/2007

Question
QUESTION: hi Frank,
      After reading the advice you have given others on the delights of Queensland i was wondering if you could help. My partner and I are seriously considering emigrating to Australia. we have passed the points test and are soon to apply for a visa under the general skilled migration programme. We are 20 and 21 years old with no children so we are looking for somewhere livly (but not crowded) hopefully with a beach nearby where there will be enough work oppurtunities. My partner is a Joiner and i am a civl servant currently working for the british government. Although not totally sure where we want to live we are swung more towards Queensland , the Sunshine coast especially coloundra. We are looking for somewhere friendly as we don@t really know any body in australia and its a long way back to the U.K if we find ourselves lonely. my boyfriend is a keen (although very amatuer) surfer and i enjoy the nightlife. do you think Coloundra is the place for us? any suggestions most welcome xxx

ANSWER: G'day Terri-leigh,
         Good luck with your visa if you decide to emigrate to Australia. What a lot of people struggle with from the UK is the very high humidity in Brisbane and the Sunshine coast. It takes a summer or 2 to get used to it. Just be aware.  Of the 2 coasts I have always preferred the Sunshine Coast, which Caloundra is a part of. Caloundra has good safe beaches, and a great strip of shops and restaurants.  The other 2 places that may suit you as well are Mooloolaba and Alexander Headlands. Both are similar to Caloundra. Mooloolaba and Alexander Headlands are adjoining suburbs. I would suggest you get a short term rental contract, and try Caloundra for 3 months and Mooloolaba for 3 months. You well know what you are enjoying the most by then. Mooloolaba has a north facing beach, and is a better beach when the wind is strong.  

It is not easy fitting in to a new suburb, let alone a new country. What makes it hard is not having that circle of friends to fall back on when things get tough. Aussies can be a bit hard to get to know at first, but just give it a little bit of time, and I am sure you will make some very good friends quickly.  Let me know if you decide to come out, and I will give you my email and help you in any way possible.

Regards,
Frank & Sue

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thank you so much for the info both of you.
We are so excited about the prospect of joining you in sunny Oz!
we are attending some seminars this coming sunday and hoping that will help answer some questions we have and cement our decision to move.
one more thing you may be able to help with is the all important question of freaky critters, like most brits with a relatively non-dangerous population of creepy crawlies i have heard the hooror stories of Oz's spiders, jelly fish and snakes and am a little apprehensive to say the least! is there anything that can stop the spiders entering your property as i quite frankly would much rather face a ten foot snake than a red-back or funnel-wew spider. i'm ashamed to say i am the definition of agraphobic!!
hope to hear from you both soon xxx

Answer
G'day again Terri-leigh,
         You will never 100 % get rid of spiders around yards, but your home can be made very safe.  If you keep your place clean, and do not leave rubbish lying around the yard you will have no problems. The dangerous spiders like old bits of wood and tin to hide under so you just have to keep your area tidy and clean. You may get small spiders inside the house from time to time, but they are usually tiny, and not dangerous ones.  We also get our house sprayed for spiders yearly, which helps.  

Regards,
Frank