Education & Work Long service leave

Hi,

Seems like it was only yesterday when I was a new graduate and had such lofty aspirations, now I am just happy to survive the week and still maintain all my hair (nearly all the guys at work have the same hairstyle). I could easily just let leave the LS leave untouched and use it when I really need it but I was thinking of testing out the waters in living in another area outside of Sydney. Not sure if it is due to my youth sapping away every passing year, but I feel the goal post is getting pushed further back from work. Maybe a scenery change is going to be great for me to recharge my battery and find my smile again. Its a bad feeling when you are plotting and planning on the manner of how you may quit your job and inform the boss!

In the process of also trying to convince the significant other that a move away from Sydney may be a good idea due to a better lifestyle, slower work pace, more time to spend with the family, people are generally nicer in country towns and of course reduce our overall debt levels by selling up. I know of two friends who did sell up in the Sydney market and relocated to Port Macquarie and Birkenhead (SA).

Thoughts?

 

I have a colleague who moved to Port Macquarie about 10 years ago. He's back in Sydney now.

 

Maybe visit the places you think of moving to several times and see whether you'd like to live there? I thought I'd like quieter place, but after a visit.... Nope. Can't handle it.

I'd keep the Sydney property if that's possible for you

 

Sydney is a great place to visit... Thats it. Living is another story. Since leaving the thought of going back doesn't sit well. But to visit or go for a holiday its the best city in the world!

If you want to get out, use work to start researching areas and planning your resignation song for the boss. Start getting away for weekends and get on seek and see what's around in your industry.

Does the gov still offer the relocation $incentives if you move to regional area? There's like a grant to help cover moving costs, plus cash to get your drug habit underway

 

What type of work do you do? Can you take some leave without using your long service leave? Maybe go to an area that appeals to you and get some work there. Try it out. As others have said I wouldn't sell in Sydney.
Or if you can get work easily, quit and try it elsewhere. It sometimes sounds wonderful when you go on holidays but actually living in these places is not the same. That's why everyone in holiday destinations sell their places in peak holiday time. People visit and get caught up in the lifestyle but it's often not what it seems when the sun isn't shining.
I'd your partner willing to leave her job?
I'd give it a go. But have a plan for if it doesn't work out.

 

That's the way I feel about Sydney. The Gov do offer relocation allowance but I think it only really covers the area really rural like the Kimberley (Love watching the old Malcolm Douglas documentaries!). Even if I transferred at level to one of those towns, at least have the option of coming back and holding down a position.

 

Why did your colleague move back to Sydney? Was it due to family reasons or more opportunities in the workplace?

I feel that I am not a career man anymore and not chasing the position. Thanks to everyone here on their advice, I prefer to be less reliant on future promotions in the workplace to build on my financial freedom.

 

Firstly - if you are unsure, keep the Sydney house. We moved to rural and sold up in Merewether (Newcastle), knowing we wouldn't be back, and fully aware that we wouldn't be able to buy back in.

Not sure about now - but the government incentive of $7,000 was paid to us 3 years ago when we moved from Merewether to Pokolbin - 45 minutes further out - so it didn't need to be a "remote" move.

Have you thought about a slightly larger town than Port Macquarie - nice to visit, don't know if I could live there - like Newcastle? Basically has everything Sydney has without the masses and the price tag - and only 2 hours up the freeway if you want to go back for a weekend.

 

My parents did that in 1984 and hence my high school years were in Port Macquarie. A great place. Highway improvements make access to Sydney so much easier these days.

Don't go too far from a major regional centre, particularly if access to healthcare is important.

Smaller capital cities like Hobart are another good option for a change of pace.

 

He moved back after having worked with Lend Lease for a gig with Mirvac.

 

Think twice before moving to a regional area, I am presently living in the Nelson Bay Port Stephens area but am moving closer to Newcastle as soon as I find a house.

This area is a big retirement village, no work available unless its in the poorly paid Aged Care facility or in hospitality where you would be lucky to be given 3/4 shifts a week [and those jobs are as rare as hens teeth] and that industry takes a dive during the winter months.

There are more coffee shops up here per head of population than anywhere else and more vacant shops in Nelson Bay that I have ever seen since I moved here in 1999.

I second the thought of renting your Sydney home before taking the final plunge.

 

I've just made a decision to move from Canberra to Adelaide to be closer to my family.

Perhaps consider a different city rather than regional. Highly recommend Canberra - city conveniences with a quiet relaxed lifestyle - plenty of jobs. Great place to raise a family and only 2.5 hrs from Sydney if you want to visit friends.

 

Canberra??... He wanted to preserve his sanity

 

I was talking to someone this week who moved to canberra from Brisbane about 18 months ago. He thought he was going to hate it, but he actually loves it.

 

He's talking about relocated from a city to regional, not regional to regional.

 

I would love to get out of Sydney myself. But wife and kids wouldn't budge. I don't blame them, as its big readjustment for them. Canberra will be my pick as well. Low unemployment, closer to family and friends. I can only move to a place where I can find a job which pays decently for the next 10 years. That crosses off most of the sea change places.

 

You would only get the 7K if you sold your property - better off keeping the property. No doubt you will want to return one day.
But in the meantime, if you can get work somewhere reasonably nice, why not? But don't make the mistake of thinking the work load is lighter. You're often expected to cover all bases and often given very little support. Work often comes in the form of contracts so you don't know how long it will last.
If you're gonna do it and you're just fed up with the current situation, here's my advice:
1. One or both of you get a job somewhere first.
2. Once you've been offered the position, go and look at properties to rent. Do not fully accept the job u ntil your accomodation is secured. Sounds obvious but .... anyway, should be plenty of regional properties available atm.
3. Don't stick too close to Sydney with a bunch of retirees or drop kicks who don't want to work. If you want to go regional then do it. Rents are lower, people are nicer, everything walking distance. This will give you max advantage of the move.
4. On the other hand, try to find somewhere where there is one or two decent restaurants, a couple of good cafes, a decent pool, ...maybe yoga, maybe a cinema, maybe not. Maybe a beach? The plus side is that you can walk your dogs on a variety of dusty roads for hours and hours if you want.
5. Get your internet set up.
All the best.

 

As someone who shifted Sydney - Canberra - Brisbane - Port Mac and is now reversing that (at least Brisbane first, we feel long term we'll end up in Canberra).
- If you want good schools - forget the vast majority of regional areas - Port Mac we'd need to send the kids to the one good private and consider boarding for latter stages of HS. Used to be a couple of good public primaries - they've gone backwards in last few years. Overall the socio economics of the town are going backwards. ($2 shop capital of Australia).
- Houses may be cheaper to purchase but rates per purchase $ are generally a lot higher - and will only get more so as the population ages
- Good jobs are scarce as hens teeth - I know one reasonable sized employer putting people on (contract - 12months) - rest are down sizing. Most jobs are WOM and go to locals (although other places won't hire locals for various reasons).
- Pick somewhere with decent services - there's a wait to get a spot at the exchange for ADSL here. Forget broadband unless you buy in a new mcmansion estate. One of my biggest bugbears about this place (and many regional towns) is lack of footpaths - great climate is lovely but if to get to the shops you're dodging cars walking on the side of the road you're not going to be able to let the kids walk to the shops (or school). Also check the flight timetables and don't believe anyone who says that their regional center is about to get a flight to xyz capital city - they've been saying that here about melbourne for donkey's. Most of the Sydney flights are barely half full these days due to job cuts at essential energy - qantas cut their PQQ/Bris service.
- Don't underestimate just how slow the pace really is - there's no way we could have gone direct Sydney to Port Macquarie - Brisbane to Port was hard enough to adjust to. It's just a very very different way of life (some will love it, some will hate it). There's research out showing most people last three years at most, then move on or back to where they came from.
- If you like coffee or shopping you need to make regular trips away.
- If your kids are approaching university age be aware you'll need to have the extra cash to send them away - this goes for vast majority of regional centres.
- Find out what the true crime rates are - we've had more interactions with police due to things such as car being stolen, trespass issues, and a host of others while living here than ever in the cities. Locals will tell you a lot of things don't get reported as the police just can't respond

The NSW relocation grants are currently closed due to being oversubscribed (as far as I'm aware). Same goes for the NSW Skilled relocation incentive.

 

Thank you everyone for their valuable contribution and information! In regards to work, preferably would like to transfer with the job in tact/ transfer at level so that way if things are unbearable, can always transfer back or to another location. In regards to my current PPOR, could rent out the property to a family member.

At this stage, I don't think the move is going to be permanent and its a way to recharge myself. The movie "Eat, Love and Pray" really annoyed me as it was against my will to watch the movie and the character Julia Roberts played, had no idea what she wanted to do in her life and whenever things became alittle tough, she went for more praying and escape to another country to find the 'answers'.

Also, some of the people in the forum and also in the meet up would know, that I prefer to be a hands on father in years to come. I honestly feel that Sydney cannot provide me that option, even if I went part time. Maybe the workload is going to be alot more in a regional office, but at least I wouldn't be wasting my time on the road and being bumper to bumper. Also, being away from a toxic environment and in an environment where the core values of respect for one another still exists.

I love the idea of being involved in the community, where everyone knows each other. On one of my IPs property when I was renovating, I was there quite a fair bit and the locals were really welcoming and generally wanted to know alittle about me.

Not interested in Canberra. Maybe for some people it's a great move but not for me. I don't live for work and prefer to be closer to my IPs and the action. (Sorry no disrespect to anyone living in Canberra, as online mes can easily be misconstrued).

Coffee for me is a big thing because I was dying during the time I was travelling in Asia because they considered Star Bucks coffee to be the best coffee. Still the nespesso coffees are ok.