Tree change...I'm moving to Toowoomba

[stevo68]

G'day all,

Anyone who knows me has known I have wanted to get into goat farming (boer goats) and general farming, living off the land. Last couple of years have been a bit rough, lost my father, quit my job when I found out and then spent 2 yrs doing work to pay the bills. Being mid 40's, degree qualified and trying to find work in my old area of expertise was difficult. So I found a new passion and started studying financial planning whilst being a traffic controller and fork lift driver. I got my first job as an adviser last year.

Over Christmas I realised a few things. I wasn't getting any younger and I had stopped doing the things I love like camping/4wding, hanging with mates, spending time with the children. A big part was overcoming loss of my father and almost 3 years of dealing with will crap. Thank god for my friends and family for their support including many on here.

Soooo decided time for a tree change, a fresh start, clean slate. I was looking at it later in the year but a great job role came up which after almost 3 months of interviews and hoops to leap through, I got the job. So all going well we all should be up living up on the mountain.

We're going to rent first ( still working on areas to live), sort out kids schooling, then once settled start looking for a farm to buy. My older children who live in Brissy have done the greyhound trip up and a plus seems to be wi fi on the buses ;-).

Now with all that said, once settled in, am keen to catch up with locals for 4wding and camping. Of course when my mates are up this way they can expect Stevo on a highway somewhere waiting to tag along :-). Also up for any local info, good schools-private and public, things to do, places to see, good areas to rent both city area and acreage and any other tips. We were up there over long weekend, so we have figured out the "rugging" up deal.

Well thats it, some of what I have written probably goes along way to why I went from being a regular to an absent forumite. I am looking forward to having Stevos Inaugral Beer and BBQ Festival when I get the farm. My mates down here in the coast are already lining up, would be great to invite some new faces I may meet up that way.

Regards

Stevo

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[waz]

Nice! Welcome. Some really nice spots around here.

[Ean Austral]

G'day Stevo,

Great to read of the move closer to that dream. I wish you best of luck and look forward to reading of it becoming reality.

Onwards and upwards ( to the mountain )

Cheers Ean

[incisor]

let me get this right...

your moving TO toowoomba at the start of winter?

;)

interesting move!

hope it works out for you....

somehow this song is sticking in my head..

The Lonely Goatherd - The Sound Of Music, Sung by Julie Andrews as Wonderful Original Maria on Vimeo

i'll have a side when your up and running....

[Bigbjorn]

You will need to join the Redneck Party. The Downs locals still think JBP was "a great man".

[weeds]

Is Towoomba big enough for you and pedro

[LandyAndy]

Dont wear the leopord skin panties whilst the goats can see you.Best your neighbors dont catch you either:p:p:p:p:p
GOODLUCK
Andrew

[BMKal]

Some terrible visions flashing through my mind here ..................

The song that inc posted playing in the background, and Stevo in his leopard skin attire herding goats on a mountain .................. :eek:

Best of luck to you Stevo. Good to see you back on here again. I've been through Toowoomba a couple of times and quite liked the place (except for when I missed a gearchange in an old Acco furniture truck on that bloody hill. :o

[Hogarthde]

Going up.... or going do...w...n..?

[Barefoot Dave]

G'Day Steve.
Congratulations on the Life change.
I strongly suggest you start with a mornings worth of chatting at the Toowoomba Visitor Information Centre.
The staff (I used to be one) and volunteers are extremely knowledgable and helpful. You will get most of your answers there.
Ok some general info.
Toowoomba has been referred to as the Retirement village without a fence due to its aging population.
A lot of mining/ gas project in the SWest mean that has probably swung away, not sure of the current demographic breakdown. This represents an opportunity for a financial planner. Younger people with a bit of money and no plan.
If you are interested in living in Toowoomba, I can PM you my experiences of different suburbs, they can can contrast greatly.
It may be a city but it is still a large country town, in its mindset.
There are substantial areas of blacksoil and 'H' class soils in and around Toowoomba that will affect house stability and cost of building.
August is a bloody shocking month. Cold Dry SouWesters blow up from NW NSW and roll up the Darling downs into town. All the cold without the snow.
Toowoomba is a School/ Uni city. As a regional centre there are a number of Private Boarding and day schools as well as State and Independant schools. Last time I counted, 25ish within 30 minutes of the city centre.
USQ is progressive and does distance Ed well.

As for Goats. Next time you are up there stay at Boerbuck country motel, about 20 minutes South at Clifton. They have been growing Boerbucks for nearly 20 years there and a few years before in RSA. Last I talked to them they were very keen in advancing the industry and I wouldn't expect them to be overly protective of 'their' patch. As paying customers, it will also make the introduction easier ;)
I hope this helps.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

You will need to join the Redneck Party. The Downs locals still think JBP was "a great man".



I gather by the gross generalisation of "Downs Locals" you actually mean anyone over 85 living on a farm that once voted for Joh.?
yea, thought so.:censored:

late edit;

Good luck with the move Steve,,
always leave a jacket in the car ;)

[Chucaro]

Good move Stevo and I am wishing you all the best.
I used to have Boer goats in Childers and they are awesome animals.
Do not live your LR close to them, they will claim in the roof of it to monitoring their territory!!
Before my back spit the dummy I was going to sell the Boer goats and go to dairy goats to make cheese and export kids to South America.
I recommend you to look into that option, goat milk and cheese have a good future and complementing it with a stud to export kids was a very good proposition. There used to be an organization of dairy goats breeders who organized exporting kids. have a look if you are interested.
Also I used to have Great Pyrenean Mountain dogs to look after the herd.
I recommend this breed, they have a better nature than the Maremas.
I can recommend a breeder if you are interested.
Remember looking on the grasses on the land, if it have an infestation of the suculent Mother of a Million forget to have goats or any other animal for that matter.
Cheers
Arthur

[stevo68]

Thanks for your comments and some great info about the area Barefoot Dave. Also thanks Arthur for that info on goats. As for the leopard skin shorts ( not panties Andy) they are alive and well but will have to wait for warmer months.

As for timing Dave being beginning of winter....no choice....its when I officially start work up there. Though noted and got ya down for a side :-).

Keep the tips coming though less about the weather, Sharleas already had a whinge ;-). House will have to have fireplace and other sorts of heating to keep her happy.

Regards Stevo

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[Chucaro]

STevo, are you considering to live off the grid?
Any research about it will be very valuable for many of us :)

[incisor]

House will have to have fireplace and other sorts of heating to keep her happy.

i have 40 acres of firewood a couple of hours away :p

[stevo68]

Hey Arthur...sort of living off the grid. We are going to buy at least a few hundred acres and grow and raise own food to be self sufficient. If you've ever watched either the English or Australian version of River Cottage, then thats what we are aiming for. Plus good for the kids to learn and experience where their meat comes from. So very much a lifestyle thing.

Dave, sounds like a good excuse for a drive. Ill be sure to bring my trailer :-),

Regards

Stevo

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[incisor]

Ill be sure to bring my trailer :-)

and chainsaw :p

[Chucaro]

A slow combustion stove with a boiler have to be in the list.
Oh! and do not forget the home made distiller to process the waste and at the same time look after the environment.
It can produce the essential oil for running the heater :angel:

[numpty]

Good luck with the plans Stevo.

Living on a small holding is not all beer and skittles, but it sure beats the 'burbs. :p

[Disco Muppet]

Dave, sounds like a good excuse for a drive. Ill be sure to bring my trailer :-),

Regards

Stevo

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Learnt to back it up yet? :p
Congrats on the new job and new direction, I'm sure you'll enjoy it :)
Couldn't stand living in the city myself, regardless of what state :D

[stevo68]

Thanks Perry, yep will be hard but rewarding work.....with plenty of beer when the work is done ;-).

As for you Muppet.....the things people remember ;-). And no, it is still a work in process but need to sharpen skills for when I get my camper trailer :-). And I hear ya on the burbs.

Regards

Stevo

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[stevo68]

Oops meant to ask for locals...any recommendations for local LR mechanics/servicing. Thanks

Regards

Stevo

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[Pedro_The_Swift]

On reflection,, there wont be many 100 acre farms in Toowoomba(read none), The smaller towns south, Cambooya and Clifton are very nice and with flat, good soil, so highly sought after---, west is Kingsthorpe and Oakey same issues, north is crowsnest, very hilly so only good for cattle but good views.

as for LR mechanics??
I wouldnt go to any of the advertised LR places--
I have had ALL my work done at Rodney Hansen Automotive, he drives a 200 series, but is forgiven 'cos he races a mean Mini:cool:

[stevo68]

Aarrffgggg 3 and a bit weeks to find a house and move. Also thanks for that info Pedro. Main focus will be on boer goats so traprock type country is fine. Also the farm could be a bit further out, am looking at all options. Good to know re: mechanics up that way.

Regards

Stevo

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[Bigbjorn]

Stevo, if you plan on a few hundred acres of prime Darling Downs cropping land, you would be better off buying a nice waterfront place at Noosa and retiring there. Far more comfortable than a Downs winter morning and a bloody sight cheaper. My mate outside Dalby (2500 acres of blacksoil plains) said they had their first frost this year on Tuesday night. "Not bad, only a one dogger, minus two"

[rangietragic]

Trouble with toowoomba in winter,it never warms up!Daughter spent 5 years at uni there.Where some places can be 2 degrees in the morning and get up to 20,toowoomba can be 3 and get all the way up to 10.It's a nice place though.

[stevo68]

Hey Brian, the focus is more on boer goats not cropping land. So land out that way is perfect as it is dryer and ground firmer/ rockier ( reduces hoof issues). Plus Im a long way from retiring and if its cold, you rug up ;-). Also good excuse to have a fire going all day and night.

I hear ya rangietragic.....its something Ive had to get the missus over. However summers are dryer as opposed to humid which is a plus. Also lifestyle etc come into it and Toowoomba was voted 4th best place in Aust to raise a family.

Mimd you, I say all this now ;-)

Regards

Stevo

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[Bigbjorn]

One of my rellies had 1100 acres of irrigated black and red soil between Allora and Clifton. Farmed there for 21 years after inheriting from his parents. Sold it wowi for over $3,000,000 and promptly moved to the Gold Coast saying they were never going back to that cold bastard place again. That is why I say to spend the required amount of money on beachfront property at Noosa and retire. Cheaper and more comfortable than alternately freezing and frying your butt off as a DD cockie.

[numpty]

One of my rellies had 1100 acres of irrigated black and red soil between Allora and Clifton. Farmed there for 21 years after inheriting from his parents. Sold it wowi for over $3,000,000 and promptly moved to the Gold Coast saying they were never going back to that cold bastard place again. That is why I say to spend the required amount of money on beachfront property at Noosa and retire. Cheaper and more comfortable than alternately freezing and frying your butt off as a DD cockie.

All that may be so, but that's not Stevos lifestyle choice.

I might be naive, but I can't see him raising goats on a beachfront suburban block in Noosa or the Gold Coast :angel:

Put a jumper on or take a shirt off. That's been the way of it in the past.:D

[VladTepes]

As has been said be careful when choosing where to live. Of course there ought to be a growing supply of Sudanese food available.....

[DiscoMick]

Yep, quite a number of ex-refugees doing farm work out that way cause the farmers can't get Aussies prepared to do the hard work. Still, it's all good.

[Chucaro]

Stevo, plan B can be Tasmania it is a wonderful state all is close and there are excellent opportunities for supplying goat meat and milk to many restaurants that use the local produce.
Land is heaps cheaper than the Darling Downs ;)

[stevo68]

Perry hit the nail on the head. Ive researched properties out that way for over 6 yrs...its been a dream long coming. Brian, if I wanted the beachy lifestyle Id stay where I am on the coast. Doesnt mean I wont buy a holiday appt down the track though ;). Part and parcel with the move up that way is dealing with the elements. Also Im still close enough to my older children 17& almost 16 who live in Brissy...so Arthur that would rule out Tassy ;-).

Hoping to go up this weekend and find some temporary digs :)

Regards

Stevo

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[Chucaro]

Perry hit the nail on the head. Ive researched properties out that way for over 6 yrs...its been a dream long coming. Brian, if I wanted the beachy lifestyle Id stay where I am on the coast. Doesnt mean I wont buy a holiday appt down the track though ;). Part and parcel with the move up that way is dealing with the elements. Also Im still close enough to my older children 17& almost 16 who live in Brissy...so Arthur that would rule out Tassy ;-).

Hoping to go up this weekend and find some temporary digs :)

Regards

Stevo

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I fully understand you Stevo, I moved from Queensland to Tasmania to be closer to my sons and grandchildren.
After all there is nothing nicer to be close to your love ones and see the little ones grow :)

[Ean Austral]

Stick with it Stevo, see the dream become reality . It wont be easy but am sure it will all be worth it.


Best of Luck.


Cheers Ean