Cairns, good spot to live?

[Benz]

It looks like we will be heading into Cairns on monday to get my landy sorted before heading to Darwin.

This got us thinking, maybe we could look for some work there and spend a year or two in a new place and explore the north of NT a little later.

We spent a little while there on our way north and the place did have a nice feel to it. It's close to some pretty awesome natural attractions (rain forrest, Great Dividing Range and Barrier Reef) so getting away for a weekend or something would be pretty cheap.

as far as we can find rent is fairly cheap and a units or town houses can be easily found.

I'm not sure what kind of employment opportunities there are to be had but we both discovered how amazing scuba diving is last year and always through being a dive master/instructor would be a dream job. Surely there is opportunities for that kind of stuff. not 100% sure what's involved with getting into that kind of profession but there should be plenty of other outdoorsy kinds of jobs around if that doesn't work out. Failing that there ought to be plenty of hospitality stuff going or food wholesale stuff which I have experience in and the fact we could easily get away in our spare time should keep me sane.

Not sure what the wet season would be like though. never lived in that kind of environment. We are use to dry and hot weather, the humidity might get to us

anyone live/lived in cairns?
How do you like it?

Cheers
Ben

[disco man]

G'day mate,i spent 9 years up there and i can say it's a wonderful place to live.Big enough to have everything you need but still small enough not to feel like a concrete jungle.

Natural wonders are only a short drive away,Babinda boulders,Mossman gorge,Atherton tablelands,Daintree rainforest,Barrier reef,Port douglas.

I won't lie to you the humidty is ****house,and the wet season is as the name implies.Great fishing,great camping,good Land rover mechanic.Far better than Townsville.

Move there mate you won't regret it:)

[jonesfam]

The reason I live in Ravenshoe is so I don't live in Cairns!
To me it is a city & all cities Suck.
At least it is in North Queensland.
Jonesfam

[carlschmid2002]

Jorge Martins <president@lrocc.com.au>
I grew up in Mossman and I am currently living in Townsville so I can't help you too much. What I would recommend is getting in touch with Jorge, El Presidente, of the Land Rover Owners Club Cairns of which I am a member. I don't think Jorge does much diving but he has just bought a new Disco 4 and his running his own tour business. He might know how you could get work there. Great bloke to know, and I am sure if you join the club he will help you out.

[RisingSun]

Tablelands - one hour from Cairns, 6 degrees cooler then Cairns any day of the week.
At the right time of year plenty of farms with labour jobs, but definately not the same job opportunities as Cairns. I used to drive to Cairns every day for work, but now with a job up here don't miss it at all.

[Mudnut]

I have lived in the area for around 4 years now, and love it here.
Lots of job opportunities of the type you mentioned, but limited other types of employment. It does not have the industry of say Townsville. I am currently traveling up to the Tablelands for my work (about an hour each way).

I live in the northern beaches, and find it much nicer than in the city of Cairns, but is close enough to go there to get supplies if needed. I go to sleep to the sounds of Curlews (? spelling), and wake up to Sulfur Crested Cockatoos. Much better than doof doof cars in the big cities.

Some good schools for kids if needed, and lots of activities for them that does not include a computer. Some fantastic mtn. biking tracks also.

All in all am happy here. Would not go back to Melbourne as I like the tropical weather. I use the air conditioner maybe 1/2 a dozen times during the wet season, and ceiling fans the rest of the time.

Food, fuel, and electricity is very expensive up here, so factor that in to your calculations on cost of living.

Transient population, so people go out of their way to make you feel welcome, which is very nice.

Rene' is a fantastic LR mechanic in town (not at the LR dealer).

Decent medical for us oldies. Cairns Base, or Cairns Private Hospitals cover most medical issues, and good transport if need to go for more specialty treatment.

Have been to Darwin, and the NT, and find it better living here, as the people don't throw bottles at me here while I cross the street. I also saw more road rage in Darwin, than in Melbourne, and it was not even during to buildup to the wet.

Good luck with your decision

Ken

[defmec]

You won't find anywhere better to live. The humidity will bother you for the first summer then you will adapt. As far as the outdoors go you have everything you could want on your doorstep.

Sent from my D6503 using AULRO mobile app

[Benz]

cheers guys.

Will go into Cairns tomorrow, see if I can get my 130 sorted and see if we can find some work.

[Randylandy]

I've been a dive master for 20 yrs although been out of it few few years would love to get back into it.

[Benz]

After sorting out the car we ultimately decided that the call of darwin and the Northern Territory is too great and we aren't ready to stop just yet.

Maybe it we were a bit lower on money it might of been easier to make a decision. Guess I will always wonder "wonder what we would of done if we stopped in Cairns for a while" who knows, we might be back.

Thanks for all your insights of Cairns.

Cheers
Ben