Rural change

[whzzz28]

Hi all.

I don't mind my job, actually i do enjoy it some days but i loathe working in the City and living in the suburbs.
I have worked there for 5 years now and am completely over it. The long drives, the smell of rotting food, exhaust, smokers, noise and the sheer mass of people isn't something i like. Yes i am an introvert and crowds tire me.

For now i am still living with my parents but this is to change within the next two years so i have been house hunting. Costs aside, i really don't like what i am seeing. New houses have tiny backyards and the houses are generally so close you could touch your neighbors. Want a big backyard? Expect to fork out a lot just for land.

I am entertaining the idea of moving away from the city and finding another job. That is where the problem lays. I work in I.T so most jobs are within the city.
I have a few places lined up where i wouldn't mind living.

Has anyone on this board been in a similar situation of wanting to get away from the city and or actually followed through with it? If so, what were your biggest hurdles. Do you enjoy the lifestyle change or have you realized it wasn't for you?
Did you have to change the field of job you were in or did you have success finding something in your field?

If anyone else has any comments on this; I'd like to hear them.
This is obviously a big change for myself and whilst i don't think it will be a problem, there is bound to be something I've forgotten.

PS: This is not motivated (ok it is, but only very slightly) by Astronomy or any other hobbies.

Cheers.

[multiweb]

I'm like you. I hate crowds. I lived in London city center for years and that did it for me. It was good at the time but now I enjoy green spaces. I moved to Oz in 95 and I bought straight away out in the west (cowpasture road) which was as far west as it could be at the time (with cows). Land and house packages were still very affordable. Now it's a joke to even get in the game and for what? A sugar box sized house with a 3m gap around for the fence.

I took the train to commute to Bondi Junction where I was working for years. I couldn't stand driving there every day. The best thing after work was to lay down in the grass in the garden and have a breather out of the smoke.

If you can find a job somewhere else then go for it. You'll never look back. Now I work from home as I had the opportunity to do so. Best thing I ever did. I probably went to Sydney once or twice in the past 3 yrs. I spend more time driving out west next door and breathe a bit of fresh air. :)

[Stardrifter_WA]

Hi Nathan,

Most of us here would love to move to the country, I would think, if only for the dark skies. I know I have considered it, on more than one occasion, however, in WA country prices match or exceed city prices, unless, of course, if you go to really remote regions. This, of course, as you have mentioned, brings up the issue of work. Unless you have oodles of cash, it is a catch 22 situation, in most respects.

Just a suggestion though; if you work in IT, consider approaching some of the biggest country shire councils, as they may need someone with your expertise. Just don't expect to get the same salary thought. Alternatively, if you can get broadband where you decide to live, can you work from home?

Cheers Peter

[MrB]

Hi Nathan,
You have almost exactly echoed sentiments I have held for more than the last decade.
I just have to get out of this madness, but have the same issue as you(and I guess most other people that want to escape)... that of work in a remote location. I am an electrical engineer in the oil&gas industry and while I like it most of the time, I'm not in love with it.

I have been trying to come up with a small mail-order home business that could be run from a quiet rural town with a half decent post office. Nothing that is going to make me rich, obviously, but something that can comfortably pay the bills and leave me some pocket money.

I have been watching the rural property listings for some time now(and buying the occasional lotto ticket on the kazzillion to one chance I'll be one of the lucky buggers), but still haven't been able to make the decision to just go for it. With stress at work and recent trips to the girlfriends family farm, that decision has been getting much closer of late.

[mithrandir]

Working from home is good if you have the discipline and a cooperative management. Unfortunately more of the larger companies are demanding you go to the office. (It works for them - you get more collaboration.)
Peter's idea of looking for a council jobs makes sense. Otherwise you'd need to look for a place with good transport to get back to the big smoke.

[Stardrifter_WA]

Also, another avenue may be the bigger hospitals in country regions or mining operations. In fact, any of the bigger companies may need IT people too. Just a suggestion. :)

That is what I have done in the distant past before before moving. Secure a job, then move to that location. I have moved a number of time throughout country WA. Just getting too old to do that anymore. :sadeyes:

[Astro_Bot]

It must be catching. I used to live in inner Sydney, and at one time thought that the best place to be, but it gets old, like me. Now I prefer open space; peace and quiet. Even 800m2 blocks seem too close together.

If I won lotto, I probably would retire to the country, but until then, it's suburban "living" and the daily slog for me.

More practically, to make it work, the key would seem to be organising a decent income first ...

[Stardrifter_WA]

Gee, if I had a $1 for every time I heard that, I would be a multi-millionaire. Then I wouldn't have to win lotto! :lol:

[sheeny]

Engineering is a lot like IT in that most of the jobs, especially the high paid ones are in the city. I consider myself lucky, I've had a few forays into cities and jobs others than engineering, but luckily I've been back in the country now for nearly 30 years. I would say I could get 50 to 100% more pay working in a city or mining area, but I'm happy with my job and where I live. I know where you're coming from... I moved onto a little property 5 years ago to get away from downtown Oberon!:lol:

I imagine that for IT jobs you will need to look at the larger businesses/organisations in the country areas: councils, government departments (maybe - I'm thinking state forests, LPI, etc), or factories. You didn't mention where in the country you're looking at moving to (that's OK;)) but I'd say look for those larger type of organisations and approach them.

Al.

[Terry B]

There are IT jobs in the country. Just look around.
Even if the pay isn't as high (and this may not be the case) the cost of living is generally lower in rural areas.
For me I earn significantly more in the bush than I would in a city and have much greater job satisfaction plus lovely dark skies.

[KenGee]

I'm the IT Manager for a mining company there are high paid IT jobs in the bush. As other have said the cost of living is much lower as well. I have a 5 min drive to work with one set of traffic lights. I was born in Sydney and wouldn't live there for $500,000 a year.

[simmo]

hey Nathan,

I come from the country and I just loved growing up there. I was priveliged with having the wide expanses of a farm to roam on as a kid and when we lived in town it was on the coast. The lifestyle is very much different to city living. The great thing about the country is the time that you have free. Like said before there is no travellin hours to get around town, no hassles of crazy drivers in bumper cars, your kids can play outdoors as there is enough space and you can usually sleep with no locked doors or alarms. There is the health benifits that go with it. Less stress. You can walk to the shops or ride your bike from one side of town to the other in minutes not days. Fresh air. People are generally friendlier and will say hello (or howz it goin') and you will get to know your neighbours.

I too have been thinking about it a lot recently and if I didn't have my family and a house to finish building I would have left the city a long time ago. It sucks big time :mad2:. I got a motorbike to cancel out half the problems of commuting. You wouldn't believe how much time it saves by lane splitting.

If your gonna do it do some research of where your going to go. I have some friends that tried it and returned home broke and disheartened because they moved to an area that looked good but had no work.

Some big country centres are just as good as a remote town too. They have a mix of both worlds. Good ones have some vibrancy to them but still retain the country charm and character. They will generally still have decent services too if you need them.

If you go real remote then your in a different world again. You'll learn patience. You can't just go down the local as it takes several hours to get there. Nature is a lot more dominating too but at the same time beautiful. I never felt more Australian :gday:than when I worked up north mustering cattle in the feet of big red mountains. Money wasn't good from what I was used to from working in big construction :work: but the memories and the peacefulness more than made up for it at the end of the day. Ahhh the memories :rolleyes:. Money's not everything mate. No money can buy peacefulness if you have some then you only want more.

You can save money too in the country by doing things yourself. Grow your vegies, raise chickens, go fishing etc. Most govy jobs will have incentives for you to move there as well. Subsidised housing, Relocation payments etc.

All I can wish for is to get off this merry go round. Hope you find what your after. Somethings that need to be achieved in this life are risky but take a bit of b#$ls too to get done. Once you've done it you look back and go yeah that was totally worth it. Go skydiving, ride a high powered motorbike as fast as you can or jump in the yards with wild cattle for the first time and you will understand what I mean. :thumbsup: Life is for the living.:D No use looking back with regrets when your too old goin "wish I could have done that".

Cheers
Simmo ;)

[jjjnettie]

My son lives here in Kilcoy and commutes to work in Strathpine every day. It takes him an hour to drive in. The same amount of time it used to take him to get from Sandgate to his old job at Eagle Farm.
You really don't have to go too far from Brissie to get some dark skies. :)

[Shano592]

There must be a pandemic going around.

I have a further dream to add to what a lot are saying.

My aim / dream (and it is still alive) is to retire with a couple of local properties earning residual income, as well as a house by the sea. I can't get away from it - the sea is attractive, and is clearly the best place to surf ...

Then I would get some land way out past Ilford (for example), and get my private pilot's licence. Then I can spend a week or 3 away, and use the most direct route to get there.

Then, on the full moon week, I can go surfing, as the tides will be higher.

I reckon 5-10 years should see me sorted.

Fingers crossed.

[elfinke]

Hospitals and universities (or related educational facilities) in regional areas. Well worth looking into. There are also things like recruitment agencies (think the mobs that operate between unemployment and Centrelink), they all heavily rely on IT infrastructure and skills and there is a stack of them in regional towns.

I was in Sydney last week for business. I stayed on Pitt St, walked to my commitments on George St then back to the motel. After 2 days of noise, traffic lights and just the horrendous smells of inner-Sydney, I was well and truly ready to come home. I don't know how anyone dealswithit.gif. Some of my colleagues commute from the Central Coast each morning, which I can hardly imagine submitting myself to, either.

[Shano592]

Central Coast wouldn't be so bad. As long as you know how to sleep on a train for 2 hours !

That, and the 6:30am train.

[Astro_Bot]

I know what you mean. My office was in Pitt St., near the southern end. And, yes, it was unbearable after several years of it - dero's on the doorstep, literally. You couldn't pay me enough to be there now (well, it'd have to be an awful lot of money).

It seems many people want a sea change/tree change.

[JB80]

A good point with a rural move is depending on exactly where you go there generally are plenty of seasonal jobs on offer which may be enough to keep you busy until you find the job you are after and who knows, maybe you can find something totally different to I.T and love it. If you pick the right area there should be no reason not to be able to find work of some description.

I made a similar move in my early 20's and never regretted it, I just wish I had my telescopes and the interest I have now to have taken advantage of the clear, dark skies.

After that I made a move to Europe which is slightly different but again have started to feel the need to get away from things, I miss the sun for one thing but thankfully we will be moving to an area in Spain shortly where you can have a 30 min commute and be in a rural area.

[Jen]

Good luck with the move :thumbsup: I spent 23 years in the busy lifestyle of city living then decided I'm too laid back for that, so I moved to swan hill 17 years ago and now living just on the edge of town on an acre property and I have never looked back :D I LOVE IT lovely place to relax go cruising/fishing in the Murray river and lovely clear skies :) not good for shopping though :rolleyes: oh well we can't have it all can we haha thank god for Internet shopping online :D

[torana68]

doing it since just before Christmas, house in town hits the market tomorrow? (hopefully!, google 33 morton street queanbeyan if you want a heritage listed home with huge block near Canberra) . I moved to a bigger block and with that ( I knew it would) comes all the extra stuff you need to consider, fuel bills and wear on cars, shopping is in bulk (freezers), requirements for tractor , ploughs, slashers, mowers, chainsaw and lots of tools so I dont have to rely on others. There is also megga fencing , dam repair, firewood cutting etc etc , its not a holiday! however , once I "retire" from Navy I will enjoy it a lot more, the nights are really really dark too :)