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Even if you need a phone, you can buy one for under $AU100 from supermarkets. Probably could line one up on a travel site or something for cheaper (in fact, if you come to Sydney I can give you a Nokia that's ~3 years old for free).
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Mar 26, 2011 05:43
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I think you really have a choice - fly to Cairns/Whitsundays as others have suggested, or spend your week driving Gold Coast to Sydney, which is a pretty nice drive and will get you to your destination and have some time in the Gold Coast, Sydney and everywhere inbetween.
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May 18, 2011 06:25
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webmeister posted:The flight is only a couple of hours and you can get budget tickets from Virgin or Jetstar for pretty cheap prices. Bear in mind that those are discount airlines, so if you want anything beyond a chair and a seatbelt like drinks or a blanket you'll be paying extra. Might not be relevent in this case, but just a note for anyone else wanting cheap fares. Tiger Airways is almost always the cheapest carrier, but is generally a piece of poo poo. As I fly between Melbourne and Sydney a lot, I look up the Tiger Airways flight then look up a Jetstar flight that leaves within the same hour (has to be within the same hour), then call Jetstar and get them to price match. Not only do they price match, but they minus 10%. Last time I traveled, Jetstar was going to cost $69 each way, per person. Tiger had a sale on - $39 one way, $1 back. I got Jetstar to price match this, so instead of my wife and I paying $276 dollars return to Melbourne, we paid $72. The more you know!
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May 18, 2011 09:00
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I dont know the visa implications, but as for the actual process of getting married it's quite easy. You fill out an intent to marry form, send it off, they send you a certificate and you're pretty much set, sans ceremony etc.
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Jun 1, 2011 23:53
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The Pillowman posted:I've heard that its a relatively dead town, rather isolated and made up of lots of suburbs. Housing wise, I'm sure someone can point you to a more exciting place to live at. If you're outdoorsy, however, there is a lot of hiking and such to do around there, a couple of national parks, stuff like that. Also you're close to the Little Creature Brewery. It's delicious delicious beer. You might also want to move into the brewery. Pretty much this. I really like Perth, it's a nice city and the beaches are awesome, don't expect a big city nightlife but that said once you've settled you'll find plenty of places to have a drink and to eat with workmates.
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Aug 18, 2011 00:53
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Pompous Rhombus posted:I dunno, they have clubs and stuff. Sure, it's not Sydney or Melbourne, but there was plenty to do when I was there in 2004/2005 at least. Don't live in Joondalup though, lovely neighborhood, lots of mugging (when I was there anyways, but a guy from Perth I met a few months ago said it was still pretty poo poo). Oh I agree - I didn't mean drink as in just pubs - I more meant that there is generally plenty of stuff to do in Perth if you don't go in expecting big city living.
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Aug 18, 2011 06:21
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unixbeard posted:Sydney people about what do you budget per week for food/bills/transport (i.e. not rent or tax)? As someone who has lived in Melbourne, currently lives in Sydney and is heading back to Melbourne, although I can't give you figures, Melbourne is a lot cheaper. Transport is waaaaay cheaper for public transport, a metcard/myki gives you travel on buses/trams/trains to anywhere in Melbourne for about $6.80 a day (There is a zone 2, but that is way out in the outer suburbs). In Sydney, I'd need to pay for the multi-pass at $24 or whatever for the same amount of freedom. I understand it's cheaper for a multipass if you're buying monthly/yearly etc, but Melbourne's monthly/yearly still works out way cheaper. Food is a tricky one as food prices have risen a lot while I've been in Sydney. I used to go down and get my fruit and veg from Queen Victoria Market and it cost me around $15. In Sydney, from a Woolworths, it costs me $30-35. Not apples to apples, but once again, I'd predict it'd still be cheaper. Electricity is cheaper in Victoria, the rates are far cheaper. I can't remember the reason why, but I remember freaking the gently caress out and assuming there was something wrong with my bill in Sydney when I first got it as it was nearly double what I had paid in Melbourne 3 months previous. Not quite what you were after - but as a guide, i'd say Melbourne is safely cheaper.
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Aug 20, 2011 00:26
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Montalvo posted:Fantastic, thanks so much for the information! I quite like electronic music too, so I'll keep an eye out on those sites. The scuba diving stuff is good to know too, as I'll be going into it as a complete newbie. Internode and iiNet are the best. TPG is the cheapest.
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Aug 24, 2011 12:29
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Bigpond have came a long way recently, I don't not like them now. They're in a weird price point though. If you're willing to pay $70-90, go with Internode and iiNet. If you're wanting to go budget, go with TPG.
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Aug 24, 2011 22:36
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taladel posted:I'm a big AFL fan and a neophyte cricket watcher, so obviously Melbourne is the place to be. On a side note, Melbourne has a good small group on goons that get together every few weeks. Might help you set up some sort of social network in Melbourne and perhaps network through to find some work.
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Oct 3, 2011 21:57
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Sharks Below posted:Are you being sarcastic? Genuine question. Surfer's Paradise is foul. Just my opinion obviously, but I find it plastic, soul-less, vapid and trashy. And that is popular opinion. Don't forgot the fact it's a culinary wasteland
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Oct 7, 2011 23:00
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Mucktron posted:I should have some down time in Adelaide before the hike, so I'll definitely check it out! http://www.ozanimals.com/travel/symbio-wildlife-gardens-helensburgh-near-sutherland Edit: it actually has times in the above link for Koala hugging, so the guy posting before about it being illegal is incorrect NoArmedMan fucked around with this message at 01:50 on Dec 9, 2011 |
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Dec 9, 2011 01:47
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teacup posted:Book it in advance, January is PRIME summer time and prime holiday for Australian tourists who will be flocking to those areas, Whitsundays especially. Do Australian tourists usually head there in Summer? Most people from Victoria I know tend to head North as it gets colder down south in order to enjoy the warmth.
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Dec 10, 2011 21:51
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Yeah, I know, I'm from Melbourne. Every Victorian I know heads to the Whitsundays in winter, when it's the northern dry season to get away from the rain. I'd be surprised if the summer, cyclone and wet season, is the high season for domestic tourists.
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Dec 11, 2011 01:41
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Ani posted:I'm going to be moving to Melbourne in April for two years. Where should I live? Using the above criteria, look at Fitzroy, Northcote, Brunswick. They have plenty of apartments and places to live as well as some great restaurant/cafe/shopping strips (Brunswick St, High St, Sydney Rd respectively). Melbourne is really easy to get around without a car - Trams and Trains are a really quick walk from nearly anywhere in the inner suburbs. There are also car share programs like flexicar and goget if you want a car from time to time. I have also previously lived in East Melbourne - the residential area is quite dead, but its a 5-10 minute walk to the centre of the city. Be sure to check out the Melbourne Goon Meet thread also - http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3057894 - we're not scary at all, but we get together semi-often for drinks/trivia/movies/etc.
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Feb 28, 2012 01:18
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I've always liked Perth, there are some awesome beaches in and around Perth, it's generally nice, has a good local music scene. The main problem (for me) is the small size and lack of international gigs/events. Melbourne/Sydney/Brisbane get a lot of entertainment through festivals of different kinds an that rarely flows on to Perth. That said, another pro for Perth is getting really cheap international fares to Asia if you like to travel.
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Apr 22, 2012 00:31
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plasmoduck posted:I don't mind living anywhere really, although, since Melbourne has a lot of universities/research institutes and my friend called it her "dream city" I'm a bit partial to it. Suburbs are also fine if I can get by with public transport (I usually ride my bicycle to anywhere here, but Australian cities are probably too big?). My boyfriend tends to prefer smaller/cozier cities, but I'm afraid it will be harder to find jobs there maybe? Melbourne is eaaaaasy to get around with both public transport and on your bike. Heaps and heaps of bike lanes and trails, bike hire schemes, etc. It's also completely flat so you won't find it hard getting anywhere on your bike. If you've got Melbourne questions or choose Melbourne, get in touch and I can give you a hand. I'd recommend Melbourne over other cities (and you'll find most Australians will defend their city blindly) but it has a great combination of food, art, culture, transport and sport.
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Jun 12, 2012 21:40
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4liters posted:I'm not sure which part of Melbourne you live in but the Eastern Suburbs are not what anyone would call flat. The basalt plains out west are flat but they are also bleak and treeless and full of bogans and I wouldn't recommend anyone live there if they could avoid it. Well, North, West and South are flat. I was talking in general. Melbourne is dead flat compared to most other cities in Australia and the world.
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Jun 13, 2012 02:34
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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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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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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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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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It'll be hot (in Sydney, Melbourne) and also wet (in Cairns). Assuming you're around for the whole 14 days, I'd do 5 in Cairns, 4 in Sydney and 4 in Melbourne. Cairns I'm guessing you'll be doing more day trips - checking out rain forests/reefs/the areas around Cairns, so that's why I suggest 5. Melbourne and Sydney being cities are more condensed so take less time to cover. Since it'll be hot, be sure to spend a day or two at Sydney's beaches. Theres Manly, Bondi, Coogee and a heap more that are all awesome. Sydney has great beaches and the Opera House, Harbour Bridge and The Rocks are all around the same general area - Circular Quay. Sydney is great for sights. Melbourne doesn't have the big name sites like Sydney does and takes a little more exploring - it's known for it's food, coffee, art and sport. Being Februrary, I'd recommend checking out a 20/20 game of cricket if you can. It's a fast, condensed form of the game and you'll get to go to the MCG - a big Melbourne landmark. Other than that - let us know what you're in to, Melbourne has heaps of things to offer - street art, markets, big shopping centres, good live music venues (especially in the summer months as it's when a lot of big acts are touring with festivals) and pubs/bars.
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Aug 13, 2012 05:56
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Just crossposting this (as I've posted in this thread a few times and there are a number of Aussies that read it). If you're a local or tourist, we're having a Melbourne Goon meet on October 20th at 7PM - details here - http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3509626
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Oct 3, 2012 06:22
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plasmoduck posted:And do you guys have something like Netflix (movie/TV streaming service) here? I saw Quickflix mentioned in some article, does that one work? Seconding iiNet Also, Netflix. You can get Netflix with an Australian credit card using a US address. Hulu Plus doesn't allow you to do this. You'll also need some kind of DNS forwarding/VPN - I recommend http://unblock-us.com/ You punch some DNS settings in your router/pc/device (depending on how you want to set up, all explained in their support) and pay 4.99 a month and you have access to all major geoblocked services - including netflix.
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Oct 5, 2012 07:22
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Going to those locations I'd recommend Telstra only, which may be pricey. You can check out telstra.com for pricing. I'm pretty sure they have prepaid internet, I'd check myself but I am posting from my phone 
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Oct 29, 2012 22:49
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Aquila posted:Thanks, it looks like Telstra has a pre-paid for $170 with 5GB for one month. I also found TEP Wireless and Cellular Abroad for similar prices. I couldn't find which network those other providers use (optus/vodafone most likely), but the biggest problem you will have is quality coverage. Telstra has the best coverage and (generally) the fastest speeds. You'll even get 4G coverage in major cities. One thing to note though if you havent already, you'll need to unlock your iphone so you can put another SIM in the phone.
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Oct 30, 2012 08:26
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Bulging Nipples posted:
Yep, a cab to the city is around $45-50. Unless you have 2 or more people, skybus is the cheapest/easiest way quote:-I've started looking for housing on gumtree, any red flags on ads so I don't travel 45 minutes to look at something that turns out to be a bunkbed room with 5 exchange students crammed in? Don't need anything fancy, just looking for a small room in a shared apartment/house. Not really red flag checking, but keep in mind that everything in Melbourne rotates around the inner city. On a night out, everyone heads towards the city/Carlton/Fitzroy/Collingwood/St Kilda. Ideally you want the best value place close to a train/tram near the city. I'm not sure where you're heading from - but not all cities do this. Sydney for example is quite the opposite - everyone heads to the suburbs for a night out. quote:Other than that, any quick little tips for someone's first few days in Melbourne? Thanks guys. Melbourne is a great city to explore - just walk around the city. Heaps of great cafes, laneways, shops and all sorts of things. Degraves St in the city is great for finding a good and cheap meal. Also, if you're hanging around either check the Melbourne Goon Meet thread or the Facebook Group. We get together once every 4-6 weeks, especially over summer for some drinks. There seems to be quite a few international goons turning up lately which is awesome to see.
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Nov 4, 2012 07:00
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plasmoduck posted:What are some cheap staple foods/dishes in Australia? My boyfriend and I have been struggling to translate our usual "cheap cooking habits" - stuff like chicken and bell peppers are more pricey here, so the usual cheap stirfry/fajitas become expensive treats... My cheap meals consist of chicken, onion, capsicum (or bell peppers  ), zucchini, asparagus. I think if those things are too pricey you're really looking at lettuce, peas, corn, lentils, potato, broccoli and so on. Lentils are cheap and filling. Theres always pasta/noodles if you're looking even cheaper and can burn off all the carbs from constantly eating it.
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Nov 17, 2012 06:51
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HookShot posted:But yeah, cash is really good in Australia. A lot of places won't take debit/credit. ???? I never have more than $20 in my wallet, usually nothing, because EVERYWHERE takes debit/credit. Where are you going that doesn't?
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Nov 27, 2012 19:50
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kells posted:I live in Sydney and compared to New Zealand where I used to live there are a stupid amount of places that either don't take eftpos or have a minimum spend to use it. But you're in Homebush aren't you? That's the Wild West.
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Dec 3, 2012 10:03
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I prefer adioso.com for broad searching. You can type stuff like "Melbourne to somewhere warm in summer under $2000" and it'll work.
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Dec 6, 2012 10:28
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You can find furnished stuff but its generally pretty rare. Nearly every property will be unfurnished. You really just have to keep looking/filtering to find furnished. Or, you can go to some of the (I dont know a better word..) specialised real estate agents that specialise in inner city apartments which are usually furnished. They may have stuff on their books not on their website in my experience though. For Melbourne, http://www.micm.com.au/ is one of them - not sure of others.
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Dec 7, 2012 23:01
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gently caress Off We're Full is actually Queensland's license plate motto
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Dec 11, 2012 06:37
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teacup posted:The state of Queensland, under asian dictatorial rule. Have fun in your concentration camp known as Brisbane, RIP white rule of this fine nation, etc I heard they have their government headquarters, far away in Castle Hill. Plotting for the eventual downfall of the Australian white male.
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Dec 16, 2012 21:58
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Lord Dangleberry posted:I've booked 5 nights in an apartment 30 mins on foot from the CBD so I can get settled in, and also so I have a base of operations for the many things i'll need to sort out. I plan on securing a house or flat share at first (there seems to be an abundance of these), before eventually getting my own rented apartment. I'm sure I read somewhere that there is an inlux of students in January/February so there is lots of competition for accomodation, is this true? It's true but I've never had any problems finding an apartment at that time. Since most leases are 12 months it means that a heap of people are also moving out in January/February as well. Competition for rentals in Melbourne is pretty crazy all year round. It's not uncommon to go to a rental inspection and have 20-30 people waiting out the front in nice areas. I've got every apartment I've applied for though - if I like the apartment I just chat to the real estate agent at the inspection enough to put name to a face and then apply asap. As in, overnight, try and make it the first email/message he/she gets. Most rentals are done on first come first serve and applications are only rejected if they find something in your letter/application/financials that they don't like. quote:I have finance administration and telephone customer service experience, so hoping I should be able to secure something. I also have enough funds to support me for a few months of unemployment. My wife used Dixon Appointments for temp work a year or two ago and found them the best - lots of admin/telephone support roles. quote:I'm going it alone, and have no friends or family out there, so I only have myself to worry about. This thread as been helpful, and i'll no doubt have more questions, and would also appreciate any tips for someone starting afresh. The Melbourne Goons facebook group is here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/280122712098666/ We get together on a regular basis - theres a few people from the US lately that have moved over here so you may be able to find people in the same situation. They're all nice people. Theres even a nurse who might be able to help you find some work. Other than that, Melbourne is sports, coffee and bar mad. You'll be able to find groups that do just about everything or easily socialise.
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Dec 27, 2012 21:04
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Vanilla posted:Wow, I just had a quick look for January flights and it's as expensive as ever. Where did you find this? One way flights Mel > LHR are $1485 nearly every day in January with Qantas and are the same price as most other airlines. Sydney was only a few dollars more expensive.  http://adioso.com/au/sydney-to-london-uk-january
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Dec 28, 2012 23:43
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Vanilla posted:I just went to the Qantas website. No one mentioned one way. Ah, no one mentioned return in the post that was asking or yours. I assumed since you just had syd > lhr that you were talking one way, it all make sense now  Thanks for that link though, I'll be doing that next long haul flight. Usually I just go Qantas and get seat 71D, the best seat in economy.
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Dec 29, 2012 00:38
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Yeah, just to chime in, iiNet or Internode. iiNet has less of a setup fee iirc
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Jan 11, 2013 01:21
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Gloomiebat posted:I had no idea that facebook group existed! Where are you guys playing pool? I don't have PM's but my email is [redacted] if you want to give me details? We play at Room 8 in the city, its pretty rad and $10 an hour. Just noticed you're another scot. There will be more scottish expat melgoons than australian melgoons soon. It's an invasion. Stop the planes.
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Jun 26, 2013 01:16
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