# Life in Rockhampton, Queensland



## Kleynhansdownunder (Jan 1, 2009)

Hi all, I am moving to Rockhampton with my husband and todder in two weeks time. We have never been there before (or to Australia in fact) and as our departure date nears we are becoming increasingly more nervous!!! Does anyone here live in Rockhampton who could share some reassuring information regarding the place that would alleviate our nerves? We're expecting it to be hot and small (we live in London at the moment so most places would be comparatively small!!). 

Happy new year!
Jina


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## kaz101 (Nov 29, 2007)

Hi Jina, 

Welcome to the forum. 

Sorry I can't help you with Rockhampton since I'm in South Australia. 

What visa did you apply for to come over?
There is a link to a time line post in the 'PLEASE READ....' sticky if you'd like to fill it out - it just gives others an idea of how long things take depending on your visa. 

Not only could it be a culture shock but also a temperature shock since we hear it's pretty cold in the UK right now. 

We moved over from the UK (just north of London) in July 2007 and we love it here. 

Good luck with the move,
Karen


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## Martinw (Jan 2, 2009)

Kleynhansdownunder said:


> Hi all, I am moving to Rockhampton with my husband and todder in two weeks time. We have never been there before (or to Australia in fact) and as our departure date nears we are becoming increasingly more nervous!!! Does anyone here live in Rockhampton who could share some reassuring information regarding the place that would alleviate our nerves? We're expecting it to be hot and small (we live in London at the moment so most places would be comparatively small!!).
> 
> Happy new year!
> Jina


Hi there,

I will be quite frank with you on this. We were from Durban, got a job in MtIsa( Outback QLD) possibly the biggets culture shock ever. Stayed there for 3 days and moved to Townsville North QLD. Also a culture shock. We drove down to Brizzy and only went through Rocky. Small place( it sort of has the nickname of druggycentral or something - but that is only what we have heard) but on the other hand, most of these things will not affect you if you do not associate ijn those circles. We are south of Perth now, and it is great. We hear lots of drugs and ice, but like I said we dont mix in those circles so does not affect us. We sleep safe and peacefull and kids lplay in frnceless front lawn. Rocky will be hot yes, but prob not as muggy as NQ. You might be a bit depressed for a while, but after that you will see life is awesome. Also suppose how well you are off, if husb has a good job etc. It helps if you have a good job, especially if you have kids, and you would want to put them in private school, which is not too much, but still. So if you have OK jobs, thing should be OK. Also see it only as a start. We knew we wernt going to live in Townsville forever, and moved as soon as we could. We now live in Mandurah, hour south of Perth. Close enough to visit the mall on weekend, and far enough to not have the traffic. Rocky is prob not to bad seeing only couple of hors from Brizzy. Anyway hopes this helpd a bit. Just be strong and look on the bright side. Awesome country and awesome life you will have here
( BTW in the small towns like TSV and Rocky you will get a lot of people you WILL see as Hillbillies - Advise, try to assosiate with people from the city, engineers etc. You will see what I mean when you get there - No one can actually explain it to you, but you weill see for yourself - Prob a lot of South African Tradesman, Engineers and professionals there anyway.)


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## AussiePool (Aug 22, 2008)

Hi there,

Rockhampton is a city of approximately 80,000 people and yes, it does get hot there! Tends to be less humid than other places in central Queensland but very hot (it's built into an old crater).
Take absolutely NO notice of parochial, snobbish statements like; _"Advise, try to assosiate with people from the city, engineers etc. You will see what I mean when you get there - No one can actually explain it to you, but you weill see for yourself - Prob a lot of South African Tradesman, Engineers and professionals there anyway.)"_
Most Aussies are good people and are great to associate with (the person who wrote the above can't even spell so who's he to comment!). Rockhampton does have its problems but which city in the world doesn't?
Geographically, it's a seven hour drive from Rocky to Brisbane and a seven hour drive to Townsville from Rocky. Gladstone is an hour south and Hervey Bay is 4.5 hours south (my place of abode).
Best suburbs? Frenchville, The Range, Mt Archer. If you want to travel a half hour to work each day then I would suggest Yeppoon or Emu Park/Zilzie (growth areas on the coast, beautiful beaches, beautiful scenery).
I hope this helps somewhat. It's like with anything in life, you've got to try it first to see what its like. You WILL love Australia (especially Queensland) but there will be hard times to start with. You're in a foreign country, with a foreign culture and EVERYTHING is different. Don't expect UK on a larger scale....it's not!
Go with the flow, get to know local people and enjoy! If you have any more questions on Australia/Queensland etc please feel free to ask!


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## Martinw (Jan 2, 2009)

*Durban to Rockhampton*

Jina

Reading from your reply on Clarewood, I know we both come form the same city. Now I do not know where Aussiepool comes from, but I would think not where we are from. So if he is not from there, I suggest you dont listen to everything he says. Australia is a great place believe him and me on that one, but there are( for us, well at least for us there was) some issues you have to come to terms with, deal with etc. Like I said, coming from where we do, I can almost 100% say that you might not like Rocky. Please do not be scared off, be depressed, but see at as a stepping stone and pass your time till you can go to a town or city you want to go. I know Aussiepool will have 1000 words to throw back but believe me on this one. We hated the outback, and wernt to happy with Townsville either. Lets put it this way, if you used to frequent the Pavilion( forgetting about how black it was) and you did not go fishing, and 4X4 and things like that chances are, you are not going to like Central and North Queensland. Like I said, Brizzy and Gold Coast, and even place like NSW Cetral coast - between Sydney and Newcastle. Close enough, but far enough from the city, just the way we are here in mandurah to Perth. Like I said I am nottrying to scar you, but We wish someone had given us information like to prepare ouselves a bit better. My boss of 3 days in Mt Isa tied to convince me that Mt Isa (outback) was the same as Brizzy, because he didnt know that we spent 2 days in Syd and Bris. So what Iam saying is that for an Aussie and maybe a POM they do not see things perhaps the way we do. Think about it and let me know. That is coming from one Durbanite to another.


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## april (Jul 22, 2007)

I lived in Rockhampton for two years and Yeppoon, a small coastal town on the coast near Rocky, for a year about 15 years ago.

At first I didn't like Rocky because I found the humidity too much to bear, but then I just got used to it. If possible, I recommend living in Yeppoon and commute Rockhampton every day, if you don't mind the drive. The weather is much nicer in Yeppoon and the beaches are beautiful. 

Rocky isn't an exciting city, but it has everything a family needs and once you make friends you should have no troubles. 

The parks and gardens on top of the hill are beautiful, as are the old houses in that area. When i was feeling a bit down I would always visit the zoo there and pat the kangaroos.

I am not sure what else to tell you about living in Rockhampton.


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## ausinsd (Jan 3, 2009)

Oh wow, your going to be in for quite a culture shock that's for sure. Rocky is a different place, even for Aussies. It's very hot, lots of native Australians and pretty far away from big metropolis's. 
I would try and join community groups on arrival to meet others and learn about our culture. I really wish you and your family the best of luck.x


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## phat-dave (Nov 19, 2008)

I reside in Brisbane but often travel to Rockhampton for work purposes, I'm not a fan.

Rocky is 600km North of Brisbane or 50 minutes via plane (approx $120return), the town is known as Beef city and the quality of the meat is sensational but unfortunately stinks of cattle. Rocky is a main hub in Central Queensland so there is a reasonable tilt train service & highway (Serviced by a lot of prime movers) but I'm not too sure on local public transport, maybe a bus ?

It would provide the basics for you family and I would probably suggest residing 30minutes to the coast to a town of Yeppoon. Rocky is a major blue collar town and is quite hot'n'humid (42degrees + 95-98% hudmity) in summer and bearable in winter (30 degrees). Real estate and rental properties have also seen a vast increase in values in the past two years on the back of nearby mining areas.

Rockhampton probably isn't that bad, but being a city slicker/white collar worker... it doesn't offer much excitement but as a family town, it'll tick the right boxes i think.

It'll certainly be a shock from London anyway 

Good luck!


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## BuddysMum (Sep 10, 2008)

We visited Rocky last August because my mother was born and raised there and I wanted to see the old houses etc.

It is true what they have said about the heat in summer (we didn't experience it obviously, but it really is in a bowl and about 20km inland so no sea breezes), and it is kind of cowboy country as it is the beef capital of Australia. We had the best steak ever there!

It may be small but, actually I liked it there. But then I'm not really into cities any more.

None of the water shortages of southern Qld apparently.

We loved Yeppoon and Emu Park. And the properties there are so affordable. I would love to live there! Sadly there are few of the right sort of jobs for us so it may be Brisbane for us, but even more likely, Sydney.


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## Giancarlo (Feb 27, 2009)

*Rockhampton State Schools*

Hi we will be moving to Rockhampton in April and our 5 yr old daughter will need to start school there. Is there anyone who has a child in a state primary school and which ones are recommended and which ones should be avoided?
Thanks
Giancarlo


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## phat-dave (Nov 19, 2008)

I believe The Rockhampton Grammar School is the best school in town. They also accommodate boarding.


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## Giancarlo (Feb 27, 2009)

Thanks mate. Is that a private school? Probably only be able to send her to a state school, which of these is ok?


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## phat-dave (Nov 19, 2008)

it's private mate, the best there is..... no doubt expensive too...

not sure about public schools but to be honest, in a regional area like rocky mate most of the schools will be great.


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## Giancarlo (Feb 27, 2009)

Thanks - will see what I can find on the state school side of things!


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## sprintman (Feb 3, 2009)

Live in Yepoon, Rocky is a dump


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## Martinw (Jan 2, 2009)

*Private the way to go*



Giancarlo said:


> Thanks - will see what I can find on the state school side of things!


Hi,

We were from Durban and went to Townsville(North Queensland) couple of years ago. My oldest daughter started in Townsville Grammar School, and it was the best school. Lets just say, that coming from SA, and the quality of schools we were used too( it is prob not like that anymore) the stae schools, in Townsville at least just did not cut it. No disspline. Kids wearing diferent shoes with pink and gereen laces, looking sloppy, piercings and just overall looking absolute terrible for how school children should look. TGS was very much the same as our model C schhols in those years( if you can remember - 1980's -1990's) Neat, and perfect dissipline. Just like we remembered our schooling.

The good thing about Aus vs SA is that inorder for you to send your kids to private school you dont have to be rich. When we were heading over here, unlike in South Africa, we knew that we WOULD have the oppertunity to be able to make a choice. For the beginning we knew we could drive a small car and put our kids in private school or drive a big car and have them in state school. Guess it is up to the idividual what is the most important thing to spend his money on. Now seeing that you cant prob even afford the small car in SA let alone even think of EVER having your child in private school, the choice for us was rather easy. And now a couple years on, we are able to have both. All depends what you want. The private schools in the little towns are not as expensive as in the big cities. TGS was prob half the price of the schools in Bris or Melb. Just find out and then decide instead of just assuming that it is. 

Not sure where you ar from. If you are from a big city in SA(even with it looking like it does today, you are in for a big shock going to Rockhampton. Any person from any other country would not be able to describe it to you, but we have been to rural/rgional QLD from Durban and believe me you will most likely be in for a shock If you have not lived in a rural Aus area yet.


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