An Expat Talks about Moving to Rockhampton, Australia

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Rockhampton

Name three things that you wish you had brought and three you wish you had left at home.

I wish I had brought sheets, towels, and lots of summer clothes. Many items are seconds or horribly expensive!! However, bedding and clothes are getting better in the 10 yrs I have been here.

I wish I would have left at home - nothing.

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What advice would you give someone preparing to move to your area about the actual move, choosing a neighborhood and finding a home?

My advice would be more based on a comparision of what they are used to with what it is like here.

For example, for me it was EXTREMEM CULTURE SHOCK. I was living in Detroit, very cold most of the time, lots of shopping, entertainment, sporting events etc. I moved to a place where it is "HOT" most of the year, minimal shopping - entertainment-sporting events etc. Not to mention that I did not understand one word when I arrived. I would give advice on the type of clothing neeced, bedding, housing styles, furniture, cost of living is considerably higher than Detroit etc..

What type of housing do you live in? Is this typical for most expats in your area?

We live in a 4 bdrm house on 65 acres. Most expats live in the city on a small block of land.

How did you choose your neighborhood and find your home or apartment?

We used the local papers. My husband is Australian, so this made the search much easier.

Are your housing costs higher or lower than they were in your home country? What is the average cost of housing there?

If one takes the conversion of the dollar into consideration, the costs would be similar.

However, housing is beginning to skyrocket in this area. For a decent sized 3-4 bdrm house one can expect to pay $200,000.