Hi,
I'm Kate, currently still living in the US, but heading to Oz on September 18 on an ETA to look for a job in order to get sponsorship for a work visa. I'm a naturopath and acupuncturist, and also a university lecturer in naturopathy. I've had the goal of moving to Oz for a couple of years, but just starting the process now! I'm aiming to move to Adelaide--any advice appreciated!

Peace . . .
Kate

Hello guys,

I stumble upon this forum when I was searching for jobs in Australia. I just got my VISA granted two months ago and am actively looking for jobs now. I'm from Malaysia and plan to move to Sydney next year March (before 1st of April).

Anyway, just drop by to say Hi!

oh ya, I'm an antenna engineer, experience in various antenna design though. I'm trying to look around and it seems like it is very hard to find such job in Aussie. Oh well, any employer looking for such person can drop me a message, I'm willing to work in any part of Australia as I'm still single.

Hello All,

I'm Jane from India. Ive been lurking for a while but have finally decided to break out of my shell Ive just submitted my EOI on 1st July 2012 and am keeping my fingers crossed that i get a visa invitation.

We are currently living in Canada and plan to move to the Gold Coast next year.
There will be my DH (he's an Aussie) myself and out 2 children. DD is 3 and DS is 2. And our little dog Shilo who moved with us from OZ to Canada and will now move back with us.
We aren't sure which suburb yet but we've been doing some research while we are waiting.
We lived in Sydney when we lived in OZ before.
A bit scared when reading all the snake stories on the online newspapers.

How many snakes has anyone encountered and in which suburbs?

Would like to get to know other people on the Gold Coast.

Thanks, Paula

Hi Paula,

I've seen several of the carpet pythons, quite large. I was cleaning the swimming pool, and this big one, comes slithering right past me. He/she went over and stopped under some shrubbery. I watched, and the snake was bird hunting. The birds were flittering in and out and not noticing the snake, but the snake was certainly noticing them.

http://resources2.news.com.au/images...al-charmer.jpg

Coastal Queensland you see these mostly, and they are harmless for the most part. If you have chickens they will get and eat the eggs, much to the chicken's dismay and discontent.

Reportedly, there are Australian brown snakes also, but I've never had the occasion to meet one. These have a deadly venom, so best to keep your distance. The venom is more deadly than a eastern diamondback in the USA. Also there is the coastal tiapan, I haven't seen one of these, even though my wife and I have walked several rain forests, and several islands.

The following article should give you some peace of mind. As a teen age boy, I walked all over the big swamps and river basins of the USA deep south. Snakes are rarely a problem even though they are plentiful. They hear you coming and get out of the way. The only exception was the cottonmouth moccasin, they are just so slow, about the only way you could be bitten by one would be if you didn't see it and step on it.

Dangerous Snakes of Australia

Just keep an eye out, and recognize the possibility of snake presence.

Cheers,

Thanks for replying.
I've lived in Canada most of my life and camped and hiked and never seen a snake. Not even a garter snake. So probably just media hype making me fearful. I have 2 small children so that is a bit scary.
Trust me......I would be running much faster than a snake slithers if should see one.

Guess I'll leave the pool cleaning to hubby, LOL!

Thanks, Paula

Hi Paula,

Depending on where you are in Canada, you do see snakes. I've seen the massasauga rattlesnake, in Ontario. These are poisonous. I was doing some work at an engineering company in Ontario, and this small rattlesnake went right past me on the sidewalk and under a shrub. Since it looked like a smaller version of the eastern diamondback rattler in the USA, I kept a safe distance.

The engineer I was working with, identified it as a massasuagua rattlesnake and said they see them regularly in the summer time. Of course, I'm extremely snake conscious since I grew up in an area where snakes are so plentiful they get into your house. One of my elementary school teachers got bitten by a copperhead.

She said she reached in a kitchen cupboard drawer to get some silerware for a meal, and bing she got a snakebite. People just grew accustomed to being snake conscious. So it could be this is why I see them even when others don't.

I've never been bitten, and I've been up close and personal with lots of poisonous snakes. Once, when I was a young boy, my father came in and picked up a glass jar on the TV. He looked into it and asked who put this snake here? I responded I caught it in the yard and planned to take it to school to use for "show and tell".

My father identified it as a baby eastern diamondback, and told me to take it outside and let it go. He explained to me that even baby eastern diamondbacks have enough venom to kill you if they bite, so he told me I should never catch a snake unless I was certain what kind it is.

When rattlesnakes become too plentiful, they have rattlesnake roundups. People who are have been trained come and gather up the rattlesnakes and transport them to unpopulated areas and release them. Am I saying snakes are not dangerous? Absolutely not. What I am saying is a little observation and caution when there is danger will allow one to move about when there are snakes without being bitten.

Recently a teen age boy was bitten and killed by a Australian brown snake. As I read the story I understood why. A neighbor saw the snake in his garage. The teenage boy said I know how to get him out of there, ran in and started poking at the snake with a stick. He hurt the snake, made it angry and the snake got him.

I have watched pros catch snakes, and that is just not how it is done. So the advice is don't do anything stupid, and you should be OK. The pros have snake catchers. It is a long pole (long enough to keep the snake at a safe distance from you) and the pole has a remotely operated noose. The pro puts the noose near the snake and moves the noose (gently) until the snake's head is through the noose, and remotely tightens the noose. Now both the snake and the pro are safe.

Cheers,

Let's revive this

I'm visiting Melbourne on December.

Hi I'm Liz

I finally arrived here on the 31st July after 4 years wait for my 475 visa. I now live in Adelaide

I would love to here from other expats, especially anyone else from the Essex area and I'm always happy to offer advice or inspiration if you're feeling defeated or confused as I know what your going through!!

Hi Kate

Hope you got over ok. Where are you staying? I hope you are enjoying your time here.

I've been looking at teaching in the Universities here and found another expat that already does it who told me you need a certificate from one of the TaFE colleges here it's called Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and I'm hoping to start it shortly.

All the best at achieving your dreams

Lizzie