[bpk]

Hello Folks

As I have mentioned before, I have already a job in NZ :yes . Recently I have got another job offer in Australia :raebanana (Townsville) and I have to make up my mind.

The job of NZ is in the goverment and that of Australia is at the University.

Assuming the job in Australia has a bit higher salary than in NZ, and both jobs are permanant, so what would you prefer??


Note that, I have some criteria for decision making. These criteria are: the best place for children, the more secure place, the easy one to get citizen, and the place of less racisism agaist foregioners.

Any assistant is appreciated.

[firstkings]

I have a friend who lectures at JCU, who lives in Townsville, and swears by it as the centre of the universe - can't understand why us Brits are heading for NZ!

If you are interested I could put you in touch with him...friendly guy...likes answering questions!

Cheer

David

[foolsgold99]

the easy one to get citizen, and the place of less racisism agaist foregioners

You get citizenship in aussie in 2 years vs 5 years in NZ. If you want the passport it's not a hard decision, go to Aussie. Better weather, and more money too

[Diny]

I've lived in Australia (Melbourne and Darwin) and now live in NZ.

There's no way I would ever consider living in Oz again. If you're looking for favourable attitudes towards foreigners and a good education for your children my advice would be to cross it off your list immediately.

Best thing you can do is visit both places before making any decisions. What appears to be paradise to one person can be pure hell for another.

Diny

[sarahw]

Well NZ and no question for us!! We had this decision to make, my hubby's sis lives in Melbourne and initially we were going to move there. (I spent 6 months in Aus - 3 months in Melbourne a few years ago so had a pretty good idea of what its like) Luckily the decision was taken out of our hands because of the fact at the time neither of us had a uni degree & it seemed to be the only way in. However, since we moved to NZ we've made a few observations (we've been repeatedly asked by his sis if we could see ourselves in the same country in a few years time - the answer is yes so long as you move to NZ!!)

OK weather is warmer but frankly you can keep your 40 degrees c - I like to actually be able to do something outdoors on a nice day rather than sitting in an air con'd building or in a pool. I also like having seasons - I couldn't stand hot hot hot and hot rain!

People are friendlier in NZ (Aussies in general are a bit more loud & brash - having said that we do have good friends here that are Aussies) - when hubby's sis & Australian partner came over to NZ for a holiday they were shocked that complete strangers started chatting to us on the beach & invited us over for drinks one night and found it quite uncomfortable and strange.

Bigger creepy crawlies (spiders especially) & dangerous bugs/wildlife... plus nasties in the sea...

The salaries might be higher... but is the cost of living cheaper? They've done a few studies (many Kiwi's go over to Aus thinking the streets are paved with gold to find that although they're earning more... they're worse off because they're spending more too!) check this before you make your decision.

If at the end of asking all these questions you still think Aus is still for you over NZ then go for it - Ian's sis would hate to live in NZ just as much as we would hate to live in Aus, she loves the heat, isn't so worried about creepy crawlies - uses chemicals to banish them from the living area & the brashness after moving from the UK is probably minimal - we only notice it because of where we live now! so its each to their own!!

Good luck with your decision!

[K&CS]

Hi

I tend to go along with what Diny and Sarah have said. I'm not a big fan of Aus (and no way would I want to live in Townsville!!). However, we're all after different things and if the weather is important to you, then it will be consistently hot in Townsville (apart from the hot and wet season!). Good luck whatever you decide.

Kate

[bpk]

Dear all,

Thanks a lot for your contributions. As I mentioned above, there are some criteria for me to make a decision. The weather is not a big problem for me as long as the other things are OK. For the time being, I am not in favour of NZ or Auss. So I have never visted any before, and all my Info just what I got from media, forum, friend,...etc.

David: It will be great to get contact with you friend at least to have a close idea about Auss.

Is there a big difference in weather between NZ and Auss?? I thought they are more or less the same, except at some places in mid Auss, which are so hot. So what the weather in NZ like? is it like west Europe? or like Spain for example?

Thanks you all again

[bpk]

You get citizenship in aussie in 2 years vs 5 years in NZ. If you want the passport it's not a hard decision, go to Aussie. Better weather, and more money too

I am confused. You say the weather in Aussie is better but the others said it is worse??!!

[All_Blacks_Fan]

I am confused. You say the weather in Aussie is better but the others said it is worse??!!

Townsville (as with most of Oz North of the Tropic of Capricorn) has a wet season from Nov-March in which the temperature reaches LOWS of 30 C (85 F) and it rains (pours) a lot. Also the wet season is also the season that the lethal box jellyfish migrate to the oceans making swimming there risky (except for designated areas). During the dry season it's flooded with tourists.

[Diny]

So what the weather in NZ like? is it like west Europe? or like Spain for example?

Thanks you all again

Certainly nothing like Spain !!!!!!

It's only my humble opinion, but I think if anybody moves to NZ for the weather they're going to be mightily disappointed !!! We have 4 seasons here (most of the time all in the same day).

The summers are a tad warmer than the UK and the winters are a tad milder (depending on where you live) ....... and always remember, there's a reason NZ is so green ...... rain !!!! And lots of it !!!!!

NZ has a varied, mild-ish climate, don't be fooled into thinking anything else.

Diny

[veronica]

I have lived in Australia for 6 years and NZ for two. wouldn't like to chose between them as have enjoyed living in both. we had no troubles with australians and have so far had no troubles on a personal level with New Zealanders. the money is better in Australia, New Zealand gets blooming cold (at least indoors) and Townsville will be horribly humid at certain times of the year. think it may pay you to do some research and then perhaps resort to tossing a coin.

[Moorf]

It's so easy to be generalistic with the NZ weather when, in fact, it's so different from north to south that you can't actually say "the weather in NZ is x, y, z". You really need to be more specific - for instance I don't associate NZ weather with rain and green because where we live in NZ is one of the driest areas in the country, much as people at the top of the north island probably don't associate winter with scraping ice off windscreens (I've already had to do that twice this year) and snow.... it is so varied across the length of the land yet you still find tourists and immigrants alike turning up in autumn, in Canterbury, with summery outfits! :laugh

I'd go so far to say that it could make or break whether you stay or go, because many people put a huge emphasis on climate. Not saying that's a bad thing, we are all where we are for different reasons, but climate is going to play a huge part in your day to day living and affect your "lifestyle".

Probably got a bit sidetracked with the weather aspect of things there (how British!), but after having a distraught friend on the phone the other day saying they couldn't believe how cold it was and was this freak weather (no, it's autumn/winter weather :roll) and that they didn't realise NZ got this cold and how they'd planned to be drinking wine on the deck and swimming in the sea most of the year, I politely suggested they might have confused NZ with Oz and that the North Island may be more to their liking!

But as Woz says - there's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes :D - glad my flack jacket is thermal lined!!

[Diny]

But as Woz says - there's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes :D - glad my flack jacket is thermal lined!!

I thought it was Billy Connolly who said that?

[Moorf]

I thought it was Rannulph Fiennes ..... :o but turns out it's attributed to John Ruskin in 1857... certainly sounds like something Billy would say though...

[Diny]

Sure does - like the wonderful way he described the colour of his skin as pale blue.

[foolsgold99]

fair point about the weather, I sometime forget how long NZ in, I think it's something like 2,200kms plus "from cape to bluff", pretty much like the distance between London and Barcalona.

Living towards the top of the north island I sometimes forget how cold it gets down south on the resource island. I've been here over a year now, and have never seen any ice or frost. My comparrison with weather at the top of the north island vs south west scotland, is that there is 9 months where it's equivalent to a british summer, 4 months of which are substanially better, equivalent to say the south of france. The other 3 months the year could best be likened to Autum / Spring in the UK.

There is nothing like winter in the UK.

[Diny]

There is nothing like winter in the UK.

I remember one year being in Invercargill around January/February and it was WORSE than a UK winter !!

I think the reason people think NZ is so much better (climate wise) is that while we're here enjoying Christmas in the heat our folks back home are shivering. However, we're shivering now and the folks back home are enjoying alot warmer temps than we are. Swings and roundabouts.

Diny

[Smiler]

fair point about the weather, I sometime forget how long NZ in, I think it's something like 2,200kms plus "from cape to bluff", pretty much like the distance between London and Barcalona.

Living towards the top of the north island I sometimes forget how cold it gets down south on the resource island. I've been here over a year now, and have never seen any ice or frost. My comparrison with weather at the top of the north island vs south west scotland, is that there is 9 months where it's equivalent to a british summer, 4 months of which are substanially better, equivalent to say the south of france. The other 3 months the year could best be likened to Autum / Spring in the UK.

There is nothing like winter in the UK.

I think FG was saying there is nothing like the UK winter in his experience of 'Living towards the top of the north island'

[Diny]

Yeah I know he was, I was just talking about the whole country in general.

How British of us - talking about the weather !!!

[Moorf]

Surely that's the point - that you can't generalise about the NZ weather? To say people will be disappointed with the climate is missing a big point, and that is what defines a "wonderful climate" - to us it's somewhere that has the potential for snowy winters - others are shuddering at the thought of a light frost. NZ has it all - just not all in one place - so you really need to think hard about what you want out of your life here.

That's not to say that the warm-loving north can't jump on a plane and head for the slopes and that us sheep-skin clad southerners can't don our togs and head for the beaches of the Coromandel.... (although blinding passing pilots with our lack of tans could prove disastrous...)... :D

[foolsgold99]

I remember one year being in Invercargill around January/February and it was WORSE than a UK winter !!


Was that a typo, isn't jan / feb the middle of summer ?? Or is it really so cold at the bottom of the resource island ??

ps,

I'm obsessed with the weather

[Moorf]

Oh I dunno, the penguins seemed at home... :D

[Diny]

Not sure if that's typical or not, I would hazard a guess that it was a bit away from the norm. The reason I was amazed was because it was 'meant' to be summer. That was 15 years ago, maybe the hole in the ozone layer has warmed things up abit since then.

And yeah - you ARE obsessed with the weather !!!

[Diny]

Resource island? Never heard it called that before - neither has my Kiwi hubby, is it some kind of 'newbie' name for it?

[foolsgold99]

Resource island? Never heard it called that before - neither has my Kiwi hubby, is it some kind of 'newbie' name for it?



Dunno, some of my "Jafa" friends use the term for the south island, they claim it's only purpose is to serve Aucklands needs, by generating elctricity, producing food, growing trees to build houses in Auckland etc etc.

Like a giant agricultral colony if you will.

However these people also claim there are in fact Dragons south of the bombay hills though.....

[JCM]

There are lies, damned lies and weather statistics.

Plants don't lie though. Around Christchurch there are olive groves, vinyards and citrus orchards. I don't think any British city quite has the climate for these yet. ;)

[K&CS]

JCM - I couldn't have said it better myself! (must remember that statistic for my friends back in the UK who tell me that our climate here is the same as that of Wales!)

[bpk]

Well, I was thinking that if we fliped the NZ map, it will be from the southern France (Auckland) to the north. Anyway, It is certainly true that the weather is variable from place to another. But I hate having 4 season in the same day.
To be more specific, what is the weather in Hawk's Bay like? I was informed that it is like meditteranean. Is that true? how cold is the weather there? and is it raining all the time even in summer there?

[willsken]

Best weather in NZ apart from Northland! :D We were there in winter and while the evenings were chilly, we were in tee-shirts in the day.

Napier has the highest sunshine hours in NZ according to Wikipedia!

[Diny]

Plants don't lie though. Around Christchurch there are olive groves, vinyards and citrus orchards. I don't think any British city quite has the climate for these yet. ;)

Plymouth - UK - there's a company called East Of Eden - they specialise is growing olive trees, and state that the older trees can withstand winter temps of (down to) -12. But now I'm just being picky (lol).

I guess NZ must be dotted with hundreds of little micro climates, all of us claiming that we live in the mildest, hottest, driest, sunniest place. The simple facts are that NZ has good weather and bad weather - a sub tropical sun drenched haven it aint. No matter what the glossy mags say.

Diny

[StevieD]

What are you going on about Diny?!! :laugh Seems you are a bit weather obsessed too :eek:

[Diny]

Me? Nooooooooooooooooo !!!!!!!!!

Rain, shine, sleet or snow ........... I remain the same level of bitter and twisted whatever the weather !!!!!

[ruthyroo]

And I know that this is a boring old record but can't help it as I am currently sitting at work with blocks of ice for feet!!

Since we moved to the SI people keep telling us we must feel at home with the crappy, cold, wet, windy weather (being from Scotland). My response (usually through tightly clenched teeth and a forced smile) is along the lines of "Yes, that's true but in Scotland we've adapted to the climate with these wonderful inventions - they're called double glazing and central heating. So it's actually quite pleasant to stomp around outside in the cold weather, then snuggle up in a house which is actually warmer and drier than it is outside." Cue blank looks, vaguely nodding heads.

It's not the weather itself that I find depressing - I actually like getting rugged up and working outside when it's cold, stomping around in snow, or just being amazed at the sheer volume of water that can fall from the sky in one event here etc. But I want a warm house to come back to when I've finished doing that! It's the challenge of keeping the cold / damp at bay in the average brick / wood built, non-insulated, single glazed, wood burner in one room, kiwi house. I'm getting rather bored of having one room heated to thermo-nuclear proportions (where the burner is) while the rest of the house goes sub-zero and just nipping to the toilet becomes a flipping Fear Factor challenge!!! And winter has only just begun!!!

Rant over.

BTW to the original poster. You might also like to consider the job offers that you have in front of you and which one will help you have the lifestyle that you are seeking / which career direction you want to go in. Lifestyle is one thing, but you spend a lot of time at work so it needs to be something that you are happy doing as well. A bad job had a very negative impact on our first 18 months here. Also - neither Oz or NZ are going anywhere! If you don't like one, you can always try the other. And if you live in one you can always visit the other.

[Diny]

And I know that this is a boring old record but can't help it as I am currently sitting at work with blocks of ice for feet!!

Since we moved to the SI people keep telling us we must feel at home with the crappy, cold, wet, windy weather (being from Scotland). My response (usually through tightly clenched teeth and a forced smile) is along the lines of "Yes, that's true but in Scotland we've adapted to the climate with these wonderful inventions - they're called double glazing and central heating. So it's actually quite pleasant to stomp around outside in the cold weather, then snuggle up in a house which is actually warmer and drier than it is outside." Cue blank looks, vaguely nodding heads.

It's not the weather itself that I find depressing - I actually like getting rugged up and working outside when it's cold, stomping around in snow, or just being amazed at the sheer volume of water that can fall from the sky in one event here etc. But I want a warm house to come back to when I've finished doing that! It's the challenge of keeping the cold / damp at bay in the average brick / wood built, non-insulated, single glazed, wood burner in one room, kiwi house. I'm getting rather bored of having one room heated to thermo-nuclear proportions (where the burner is) while the rest of the house goes sub-zero and just nipping to the toilet becomes a flipping Fear Factor challenge!!! And winter has only just begun!!!

Rant over.

.

Fantastic post - agree with every word of it - good on you.

Diny

[veronica]

they did a survey of student accommodation in Dunedin and the tempreture of some of the flats was lower than the temp inside their fridges. damp makes the houses harder to heat as well.

[bpk]

I have heard a lot that houses are not properly heated, and there is no double glazing. So I am wondering how the people could adapt living there particulary in the southern island?? Are all houses like this or there are other properly heated??
How cold can it be in Hawk`s bay in winter?? and can one live without heating??

[willsken]

Hawkes Bay doesn't get that cold, but I wouldn't have been without the heater in the evenings in our camper van...... and by the sound of it that was probably better insulated than a lot of the houses over there!!!!!

[Diny]

Hawks Bay is one of the milder areas of NZ but you'll need a fire/some kind of heating in the winter.

[jonSE]

they did a survey of student accommodation in Dunedin and the tempreture of some of the flats was lower than the temp inside their fridges. damp makes the houses harder to heat as well.



They wear a lot of clothes, drink a lot and suffer one of highest asthma rates in the world.

I have a friend (Native Aucklander) whose comment on Auckland weather is "just wait ten minutes it'll be a different season then.

[jonSE]

Well, I was thinking that if we fliped the NZ map, it will be from the southern France (Auckland) to the north.



Map below shows NZ starts in North Africa and bottom of the Resource Island if only as far North as Southern Brittany.

[bob_the_engineer]

Here’s the weather forecast, but quite honestly its usually wrong!

http://www.metservice.co.nz/default/index.php


honestly in my experience ignore the forecast except for the current day, its usually wrong. Tomorrow will be almost right, after that its anyone’s guess. I think its because we live on a relatively small island in a big ocean rather than the weather forecasters are bad.

The forecast is usually very very sceptical, right now (on the forecast) there is a big cloud over Napier with rain poring out of it. There is however no evidence of this in the Napier sky.

I guess you get kicked harder for a nasty surprise, so hay being sceptical is the best option.

Really make a note of the weather for say Friday, then check back on Friday, I bet the forecast has changed!

Bob

[Jenny & Mark]

Map below shows NZ starts in North Africa and bottom of the Resource Island if only as far North as Southern Brittany.

Interesting attachment. I would not have predicted the comparison to be that far "South-North??".

Mark.

[K&CS]

Totally agree, Bob. On Friday, Monday here in Chch was predicted to be 16 degrees - well as we all know, that didn't quite happen... I had people in the UK emailing me last week gloating that their weather was good because we were having awful weather (according to the BBC), when in fact the weather here was glorious all week until that weird snow storm! We've got photos of people playing on the beach in shorts & t-shirts! The most inaccurate of all is Accuweather - they definitely just make it all up!