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Pompous Rhombus posted:As a general thing I'd be interested in knowing about this too. Planning to do a Master's in Secondary Ed (Social Sciences and English). I've so far heard that demand for teachers is high (even Social Sciences, although the shortage isn't as acute as maths/science), but it'd be nice to have some more firm projections. If you look at the jobs site of the relevant state government department you can see the open positions (eg DET for NSW). I think they always have a lot of trouble finding teachers for more remote areas. It used to be the deal that if you spend some time teaching somewhere remote/less desirable you would get bumped to the front of the queue if you applied to transfer to a more desirable location, I am not sure if that is still the case. I'm not sure where private schools advertise but there are a lot of them in Sydney as well
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Jul 19, 2012 00:25
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ASIC v Danny Bro posted:That said, I'd think you'd be able to find a job quicker at the Gold Coast. There's plenty of bar jobs there with plenty of turnover. It still is a somewhat tacky place, though. The Ettamogah pub (well, one of them) is just off the M1 highway northbound, its quaint but not amazing. AussieWorld is next door. never been in there. The Big Pinapple has closed down and the land is for sale since it used to be right alongside the main road north but the Highway bypass went in, and patronage dried up. Bribie Island is quite lovely, and if you have a 4x4 and some knowlege on how to use it you can get a recreational pass to drive it on the beach and all the tracks crisscrossing the island. There are some interesting old bunkers and naval gun emplacements up on the northern end of the island, and great swimming holes further down the beach. On the opposite side (mainland side) there is some good camping sites and fun tracks to drive. Tin Can Bay and Rainbow beach are at the top of the Double Island Point reserve which is a strip of beach about 50kms long with camping all the way down, great if you have a 4x4 and want to wake up to the sound of surf 50ms away. However in the last few years they now require a permit to drive on the beach and police patrol it. The speed limit on the beach is 70kph. Be careful of the rocks near Rainbow beach, ONLY attempt to pass those rocks near low tide. they are trecherous and if you get stuck the sea will claim your vehicle. Gypie is the major town in that area and all normal facilites will be there including cinemas and shopping centres. A tip if you are driving through regional towns and need a place to stay, look out for the two story Hotels, there will generally be one or two of them in most towns and they are good for cheap rooms upstairs, food and drink. Ask at the bar and you can expect to pay between $30 and $60 per for a single bed room. Far cheaper than the caravan parks and Motels that usually sit on the outskirts of town. A word on Beer. Each state has their own 'state beer' or beers which varies in quality but nonetheless draws quite a loyalty among the native drinkers of the state you are in. Most however are owned by Lion Nathan or Fosters United, excepting Little Creatures and Coopers. Some are only available in their state however twenty first century logistics (ok, 1990's) has allowed many to be available all over Australia. Australia is also experiencing somewhat of a craft beer revolution and all sorts of styles are cropping up from small breweries now. The majority of beer in Australia is Lager style. QLD has XXXX or Fourex, XXXX Bitter comes in a red can and is terrible. XXXX Gold is drunk by a lot of people, comes in a yellow can and is better than Bitter, but still not great. NSW produces Tooheys. Tooheys Extra Dry is a very popular beer and you can ask for a TED almost anywhere in the country and will receive a an amber lager in a clear bottle with a green label printed directly on the bottle featuring a Stag. Quite drinkable. Tooheys also produces Super Dry, Tooheys New (blue label and cheap, popular among students) and Tooheys Old (dark ale) and a few others South Australia features Coopers which is available australia wide and is drinkable if unexciting, and Southwark and West End. Which I have never tried so wont comment. Victoria is iconic for its ubiquitous Victoria Bitter or VB. You can ask for a VB anywhere and get a green labeled short brown bottle with a pedestrian lager inside, previously australia's best selling beer it has recently been overtaken by XXXX Gold. Good after a hard days work in the sun, but not fancy at all. Less popular is Melbourne Bitter, similar in style but wears a red label, and Carlton Draught which is better known for its quirky advertising than its quality beer. Tasmania wins the state beers with its Boags and Cascade brands, both are quality brews with Boags being the alcohol heavyweight out of the two. Both are available australia wide. Western Australia features Swan and Emu, steer clear of both especially Emu Export. Instead travel to Fremantle and go to the Little Creatures Brewery. Little Creatures produces some excellent beers and features a full restaurant inside the brewery proper where you can have a beer pulled straight out of the tanks, I highly recommend the experience, food and beer. Creatures is available australia wide while Emu and Swan are only available in WA. Northern Territory produces Redback, a flavoursome and appealing beer available all over Aus. Canberra produces nothing Noone within australia drinks Fosters. If you ask for it, you'll get at best told they dont have it, at worst laughed at. If you actually like Fosters and want one, ask for a Crown Lager, or Crowny. Its the same thing in a different bottle.
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Jul 22, 2012 14:59
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I'm going to Australia for three weeks in October-November and only have plans for one week so far (solar eclipse in Port Douglas). Can anyone recommend some wilderness tours or guides. I'll ostensibly be in Sydney, but will fly anywhere else in the country to start from for good scenery, wilderness, wildlife, emptiness, etc.
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Jul 22, 2012 22:30
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Aquila posted:I'm going to Australia for three weeks in October-November and only have plans for one week so far (solar eclipse in Port Douglas). Can anyone recommend some wilderness tours or guides. I'll ostensibly be in Sydney, but will fly anywhere else in the country to start from for good scenery, wilderness, wildlife, emptiness, etc. You'll love Port Douglas. If you spend a bit of time in that area try to get up to Cape Tribulation. Pretty awesome place with heaps of wilderness-related activities. Do the Bloomfield Track (in a 4WD, can't stress how important that is) .. depending on the season. Could be cut off.
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Jul 22, 2012 23:26
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Does anyone have any advice about searching for internships, rather than an actual job, from abroad? I'm a law student in the US and have thought about trying to find a job there after I graduate in two years since Barristers/Solicitors are on the skilled profession list.
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Jul 23, 2012 00:38
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Aquila posted:I'm going to Australia for three weeks in October-November and only have plans for one week so far (solar eclipse in Port Douglas). Can anyone recommend some wilderness tours or guides. I'll ostensibly be in Sydney, but will fly anywhere else in the country to start from for good scenery, wilderness, wildlife, emptiness, etc. You could do worse than the Blue Mountains.
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Jul 23, 2012 03:51
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KIM JONG TRILL posted:Does anyone have any advice about searching for internships, rather than an actual job, from abroad? I'm a law student in the US and have thought about trying to find a job there after I graduate in two years since Barristers/Solicitors are on the skilled profession list. If you've got really drat good marks and want to go to a corporate firm, I might be able to help.
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Jul 23, 2012 06:11
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KIM JONG TRILL posted:Does anyone have any advice about searching for internships, rather than an actual job, from abroad? I'm a law student in the US and have thought about trying to find a job there after I graduate in two years since Barristers/Solicitors are on the skilled profession list.
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Jul 23, 2012 10:13
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Kommando posted:
I didn't actually know that about Crown Lager. No wonder I find it pretty meh. Also don't forgot about each state having their own sizes/names for a glass of beer. Pint, Schooner, Middy, Schmiddy, Pot etc etc. This catches me out all the time as an Australian going to other states. Schooners all the way!
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Jul 23, 2012 21:12
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Fists Up posted:I didn't actually know that about Crown Lager. No wonder I find it pretty meh. I dont think it is quite true, I couldnt say about the exact recipe but im pretty sure they are brewed in different places. I havent had fosters for ages but it didnt taste very good and whereas crown is good. Boags is my go to beer. It's more like a European lager, my dad really likes cascade but i find it has quite a fruity taste. Most of my friends drink coopers pale, which i find too heavy if you drink a lot. The tassie beers are good. unixbeard fucked around with this message at 03:26 on Jul 24, 2012 |
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Jul 24, 2012 03:24
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Also if you are in NSW be sure to ask for a schooner, not just "a <beername>". Some genius came up with the idea of a schmiddy, which lies between a middy and a schooner. So it holds slightly less than a schooner but costs about the same, most people just ask for "a beer" and are none the wiser. It might just be a sydney thing and i usually take it as a sign of a lovely place to be.
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Jul 24, 2012 03:28
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unixbeard posted:Also if you are in NSW be sure to ask for a schooner, not just "a <beername>". Some genius came up with the idea of a schmiddy, which lies between a middy and a schooner. So it holds slightly less than a schooner but costs about the same, most people just ask for "a beer" and are none the wiser. It might just be a sydney thing and i usually take it as a sign of a lovely place to be. Ugh, drat New South Welshmen. That is so dumb. Can't play footy, campdraft* or serve beers correctly. Schooners are fine but I'm a pint girl myself. Especially at a busy bar when you have to wait in line for a beer. *I went to a campdraft on the weekend and there was a "state of origin" comp which the Queensland team won just saying~
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Jul 24, 2012 05:54
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unixbeard posted:Also if you are in NSW be sure to ask for a schooner, not just "a <beername>". Some genius came up with the idea of a schmiddy, which lies between a middy and a schooner. So it holds slightly less than a schooner but costs about the same, most people just ask for "a beer" and are none the wiser. It might just be a sydney thing and i usually take it as a sign of a lovely place to be. The lovely bars will still serve you smaller than a schooner even whenn asking for one. It really pissses me off.
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Jul 24, 2012 08:42
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Does anybody have any idea how long it takes a Work & Holiday visa (462) to clear once you've got the chest x-ray done? I'm planning on hopping over around the middle of August but I can't get in for the x-ray until about 10 days beforehand. The joys of working (currently) in the middle east. On the upside, after a 3 month tryout with the new company, I should be switched to a 457 and ride out in Perth for a long time indeed.
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Jul 25, 2012 11:06
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Sharks Below posted:Ugh, drat New South Welshmen. That is so dumb. Can't play footy, campdraft* or serve beers correctly. I had never even heard of a Schmiddy until I started doing barwork up in Central Qld. Until reading this thread, I was convinced it was purely a Queensland thing!
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Jul 26, 2012 06:33
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bee posted:I had never even heard of a Schmiddy until I started doing barwork up in Central Qld. Until reading this thread, I was convinced it was purely a Queensland thing!  E: Do you still live here bee?
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Jul 26, 2012 06:37
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Sharks Below posted:E: Do you still live here bee? I've not lived in Queensland, I just used to fly up to Emerald/Rocky/Biloela once a month, work for about two weeks then fly back home. I'd just crash at whatever pub I was working at the time. I'm from Newcastle, and I've lived here my whole life. I actually got a few pretty appealing job offers while I was up there, and considered moving (I LOVE your weather) but had a fair bit of family poo poo happening at that point in time, so it just wasn't feasable. Maybe one day though... 
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Jul 26, 2012 12:53
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bee posted:I've not lived in Queensland, I just used to fly up to Emerald/Rocky/Biloela once a month, work for about two weeks then fly back home. I'd just crash at whatever pub I was working at the time. I'm from Newcastle, and I've lived here my whole life. You love the weather? Let me guess, you were here in winter? Summer is bloody shocking. Except for the admittedly spectacular storms.
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Jul 26, 2012 13:51
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Sharks Below posted:You love the weather? Let me guess, you were here in winter? Summer is bloody shocking. Except for the admittedly spectacular storms. You guess correctly, it was winter/spring when I was up there. However I really don't mind the heat, it has to get above 32ish before I start feeling a bit uncomfortable.
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Jul 26, 2012 23:52
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bee posted:You guess correctly, it was winter/spring when I was up there. However I really don't mind the heat, it has to get above 32ish before I start feeling a bit uncomfortable. It's a rare day that it doesn't get to at least 32 here in summer, and the humidity uuuuuugh! But yes the weather here in winter is absolutely glorious! We've had an unusual amount of rain this winter (ie, more than none) but days like today where the fog burns off to a bright, breezy, clear day are just lovely .
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Jul 27, 2012 00:18
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I live in Brisbane southside. Ask away.
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Jul 27, 2012 06:14
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Guni posted:As for the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast debate, I think it's important to consider what type of person you are. The Gold Coast is definitely a lot bigger with more shopping and the like, more night clubs, more things going on. However, SC is definitely a lot quieter and classier. Though if you were worried about class (as in, la de da class), places such as Main Beach on the Gold Coast are full of them. I think on the Gold Coast it would be somewhat hard to find a job, though I haven't tried in things like bars/restaurants to get one I guess. Thanks everyone for the help. We ended up at the Gold Coast - we have work, but it's lovely. And there isn't seem to be a whole lot on offer. But that was to be expected. People tell me it'll get better come summer. In the end one of the biggest deciding factors was I'm planning on going to uni and both Griffith and Uni of Sunshine Coast offer the degree. Whenever I told people I was deciding between the two the common response was "Uni at Sunshine Coast? Are you sure it's a real uni?", so Griffith seemed like a better option. Our lease is short and I'm not attached to the city. Does anyone know if the Uni of the Sunshine Coast is that bad? The degree is also offer at UQ and QUT in Brisbane, but I'm really not a big city person. rex banner fucked around with this message at 10:50 on Jul 27, 2012 |
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Jul 27, 2012 10:47
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Moving to Melbourne soon - what is the coldest weather I should expect and prepare for? If I believe Wikipedia, Melbournian winters seem only a few degrees chillier than most north-German summers (it was ~18°C here until last week). So I assume I won't need my winter jacket and boots? Also, since I don't plan on getting a car, is it worth getting a year subscription for myki?
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Jul 27, 2012 15:22
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During the day your ok but at night it can get cold, not hugely cold but I do see the temperature drop to around 1 to 3 but I finish work at 3am in the morning.
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Jul 27, 2012 20:12
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plasmoduck posted:Moving to Melbourne soon - what is the coldest weather I should expect and prepare for? If I believe Wikipedia, Melbournian winters seem only a few degrees chillier than most north-German summers (it was ~18°C here until last week). So I assume I won't need my winter jacket and boots? quote:Also, since I don't plan on getting a car, is it worth getting a year subscription for myki?
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Jul 28, 2012 16:16
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Any ideas what to do / take pictures of in Sydney in early August (good tours, etc)? I'll be there for about 5 days. Around Brisbane would also be helpful.
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Jul 28, 2012 17:31
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The harbour/circular quay/botanical gardens are always nice, might be a bit chilly around then but ok during the day. The wind blows off the water and can be cold so expect it to be a few degrees colder there vs where you leave from. The blue mountains are a nice day trip/overnighter. You can do it in a day if you get on a tour that will drive you there & back.
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Jul 29, 2012 10:40
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imnotinsane posted:During the day your ok but at night it can get cold, not hugely cold but I do see the temperature drop to around 1 to 3 but I finish work at 3am in the morning. 1 degree is hoodie weather. God I can't wait to be in Australia.
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Jul 30, 2012 00:39
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Archives posted:1 degree is hoodie weather. God I can't wait to be in Australia. Where do you live where you look forward to 1 degree weather? I hate Melbourne's weather its too drat cold. Think I will move to Perth where its warmer.
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Jul 30, 2012 06:01
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That said, it only gets to 1 degree about once or twice a whole winter. 4-5 is normal.
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Jul 30, 2012 06:05
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imnotinsane posted:I hate Melbourne's weather its too drat cold. Thanks! This is great news for my boyfriend though - he's moving from Alaska and I was worried it wouldn't get cold enough. 
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Jul 30, 2012 13:00
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Lediur posted:Any ideas what to do / take pictures of in Sydney in early August (good tours, etc)? I'll be there for about 5 days. Southbank has several photogenic locations, It also looks directly out over the whole city and several bridges, good for night shots. A short walk along the river will lead you to Kangeroo Point where the 20m tuff cliffs provide majestic shots of scale, or panoramas of the city. Some climbers will probably be there for you to snap shots of. Wilson Outlook Reserve will give you a great view of the city behind the steel suspension Storey Bridge. Like this:  or take some from a CityCat:  Mt Cootha is the look-out point in the city and always has people photographing the city from here. And just down the hill is the botanical gardens with small regional themed gardens which are delightful to walk about. The Roma St Parklands is particularly nice and varied with sculptures and a variety of gardens. Getting out of the city, Wyvenhoe dam is a stunning piece of engineering that is supposed to stop the once-in-a-century floods from wrecking brisbane, and is a really great drive out through The Gap and over Mt Nebo and Mt Glorious, a windy picturesque drive past thick forests and small creeks. Stradbroke Island is a great visit and has some of the best beaches, Surfers Paradise at the Gold Coast can suck a dick The Glasshouse Mountains up near Beerwah has some great walking trails, but then so do many closer national parks near brisbane. There is a book called Brisbane's Best Bush, Bay and City Walks by Dianne McLay and should be available in touristy info places. Brisbane City Council also produces a hand sized book of all the bikeways and cycle paths if you are inclined. Never mind with Fortitude Valley, its a pretty seedy suburb in daylight, and a terrible meat-market at night. New Farm, the suburb next to it is far nicer, if a bit hipster. The China Town isnt very authentic, if you want real asian, you'll find that in Sunnybank on the southside. The Market Square is renowned for its asian food catering to the large local asian population. The German Club in Wooloongabba is great for its German food and imported beers. Very busy on friday night. If you do Geocaching, there are about 9000 caches in and about Brisbane. I've found many hidden spots i'd never know about secreted away, all while looking for caches.
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Jul 30, 2012 14:24
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imnotinsane posted:Where do you live where you look forward to 1 degree weather? I hate Melbourne's weather its too drat cold. Think I will move to Perth where its warmer. Canada, and im looking forward to having the first snowless winter of my life since my WHV just got approved (gonna leave in november). So guys, which city is better to land in, Sydney or Melbourne?
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Aug 4, 2012 02:43
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Archives posted:So guys, which city is better to land in, Sydney or Melbourne? Welcome to the biggest can of worms in Australia. Everyone from Melbourne will say Melbourne and everyone from Sydney will Sydney. The correct answer is Melbourne. Really though, both are quite different. I've lived in both and it really depends on what you're looking for - Sydney has great beaches and lots of iconic tourist locations - opera house, the rocks, the harbour bridge, bondi beach, etc. It's a city where you can quickly go through a checklist of 'stuff to see in Australia'. Melbourne on the other hand doesn't have huge landmarks - it's more about culture. Melbourne is known for being a city that loves it's sports, coffee and music. It has quite a good street art scene as well. It's a city where you have to explore a little bit to find interesting places and things to do. So, really depends what you're after when you land - if you're planning on hanging around in the city for an extended period of time, I'd recommend Melbourne. If you're looking to land, hang around a city for a week or 2 then head off and do something else, I'd say Sydney. You can 'do' Sydney much faster.
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Aug 4, 2012 07:06
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Sydney is hosed, Melbourne 4 life
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Aug 5, 2012 01:17
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If you don't mind melting, Perth is a pretty cool place to end up.
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Aug 5, 2012 03:24
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Is there anybody here from / in / experienced with Tasmania? I'll be moving to Hobart for 4 months, end-October to end-February, as a kind of exchange program in my PhD, working with some people at the University of Tasmania, CSIRO, and the Australian Antarctic Division. I guess I need to figure out the visa thing, but since I'll technically still be a PhD student in Canada (University of Saskatchewan) I don't think I have to worry about employment stuff - I'm assuming the Government of Australia will just consider me a self-supported, ticket-home-in-hand bum, and hopefully ignore me. I'm 34 years old, which might matter for visa issues. My advisor spent February in Sydney and March in Hobart (which is why I get to go - he met some great people), and he's been telling me horror stories about phones. According to him, I won't be able to get a local cellphone while I'm there, which would be horribly inconvenient. Something about having to be a resident for at least a few months. Is that in any way accurate? Is there a way for a foreigner like me to get a phone for a few months? Also, I'd like to do some driving, and explore around as much as I can in between working. Ideally, I'd like to buy a car for the time I'm there, and sell it just before coming back to Canada. I've read if I get an International Driver's license I should be OK for up to a year or more, but I don't understand Australian (or maybe it's state-by-state? and Tasmania is different?) car insurance & registration. I've been browsing gumtree, and I noticed many ads specify the length of time the car is registered for. Is there an insurance company or government website I can find with the right keyword search?
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Aug 8, 2012 05:53
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Pretty much any convenience store sells prepaid sim cards so no it's not going to be hard to get a cell phone. Some people sell car with some registration left otherwise you will have to pay about 600 for a years worth of rego. Unlike Canada and USA we do not require insurance to drive a car so you can organise insurance when you have brought the car. Student visa's usually allow 20 hours of work a week so you should be OK imnotinsane fucked around with this message at 06:41 on Aug 8, 2012 |
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Aug 8, 2012 06:34
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imnotinsane posted:Pretty much any convenience store sells prepaid sim cards so no it's not going to be hard to get a cell phone. Yeah, this. I don't know why your advisor had so much trouble. Walk in to a 7/11 or supermarket, buy $2 sim, register and put money on it via the internet or with a phone call. Done.
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Aug 8, 2012 06:54
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Awesome, thanks! The phone will be a priority as soon as I get off the plane, I can wait and see on the car. Looks like it's about time for me to upgrade my phone anyways, it's good to hear I can just buy a local sim card and be fine.
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Aug 8, 2012 15:39
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