wetnwindy Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 Hi all new to forum and currently considering FIFO opportunity in Perth. DH would be fine but I worry that I wouldnt. Have 3 kids, 2 at school and a 1 year old so have major reservations about moving to other side of world and being on own immediately. Has anyone experienced this type of move or would you consider it. We have lived abroad before (ME) so are used to being away from family. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.:biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vixxy666 Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 I'd been interested in this two got some options at the moment one of which is for my OH to FIFO in gold and nickel mine its just us to and i dont know whether i would cope at first until i made friends (hopefully) so much to think about. Thanks Vicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiara Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 Hi wetnwindy. Sounds like we've a bit in common -- just returned from ME after three years and are moving to Perth hopefully within the month so DH can start a FIFO position. And while I'm happy to start a new adventure, like you I'm not overwhelmed by the idea of being on my own the minute we get there with my five kids (!!!), four in school, one baby at home. It is with very mixed feelings that we leave -- we're in Ireland at present and have no choice but to leave since there's no work here, but FIFO is far from ideal. We're hoping that after a few months DH might be able to switch to working in Perth....hope so.... when are you heading over? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hano Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Hi wetnwindy, I'm also in the same boat as yourself. I've a 17 month old boy and we're hoping to move to Perth in the new year. My oh is hoping to do fifo also. I've never been away from home before and I just hope that I'll b able for it! I'm a nurse and i plan on getting a job as soon as I can when we arrive so I suppose that will help me settle, very very nervous at the thoughts of bein so far from home and oh not.being there with me!! Like Chiara we're in Ireland at mo & work is so scarce for oh that we just can't survive here anymore. So rest assured that you are not alone! Karen x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bowow2011 Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Hi my oh does FIFO 4on 1off it's ok for us at the moment as we are 24/28 but getting married next year and want to start a family so hoping the rota will be more flexible next year. I find it ok but had the usual horrors of being on my own being scared to death of the smallest of noises at night!. But its ok and the tine we get together when he is home is fab! The money is fantastic and will set you up in Oz so for us it's only a small sacrifice, please feel free to ask any questions I'll be happy to help :0) xxxxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bowow2011 Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Hi wetnwindy,I'm also in the same boat as yourself. I've a 17 month old boy and we're hoping to move to Perth in the new year. My oh is hoping to do fifo also. I've never been away from home before and I just hope that I'll b able for it! I'm a nurse and i plan on getting a job as soon as I can when we arrive so I suppose that will help me settle, very very nervous at the thoughts of bein so far from home and oh not.being there with me!! Like Chiara we're in Ireland at mo & work is so scarce for oh that we just can't survive here anymore. So rest assured that you are not alone! Karen x Hi Karen I'm a nurse too :0) xxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 why up route and move across the ther side of the world where you dont know anyone to then live apart? money isnt much better either. If i was thinking of doing that I would stay put in the UK and send other half off to work in russia, rotations are much better as is the money. essentialy you could holiday for a month every other month in Oz food for thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bowow2011 Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 why up route and move across the ther side of the world where you dont know anyone to then live apart? money isnt much better either. If i was thinking of doing that I would stay put in the UK and send other half off to work in russia, rotations are much better as is the money. essentialy you could holiday for a month every other month in Oz food for thought Hi I think it's harsh to say money isn't much better in Oz and you may have been informed as if I choose too I would never have to work with the wage my partner is on and we'd still be able to live more than comfortably . I think if anybody is offered FIFO it's worth trying if it doesn't work out just come home but there ate so many people in Oz in the same situation and everybody is so nice so you wouldn't have problems making friends, if you have children there are so many mums and tots groups xxxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hano Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Hi Karen I'm a nurse too :0) xxxx Hiya Bowow, That's great that your life is suiting you both at the mo. My oh is hoping to be able to work 2 on 1 off but sure we'll see eh! I'm used to him being away as he used to be a long distance lorry driver but I'm just not used to bein away from home! Did u find work yourself ok, are ye out there long? I'm a intellectual disability nurse, developmental disabilitynursr out there, oh is flat out researching jobs for me, he's better on pc than me!! I'm sure I'll hav lots of questions for you as time goes on!! Karen :cute: xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Hi I guess it depends on what you do for a living. Oil & gas contractors earn less in Oz than in the UK but you also get tax breaks working away in the UK and as an ozzy resident you are subject to tax anywhere you work. So no money isnt better. From the people I know in my sector and who live in Perth, there all on mining money as there working on mining projects but in the head office. best of both worlds. I'm not moving to Oz for the money as there are better places for money. If you move for a lifestyle then I wouldnt consider working away IMO. Each to there own as they say.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bowow2011 Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Hiya Bowow,That's great that your life is suiting you both at the mo. My oh is hoping to be able to work 2 on 1 off but sure we'll see eh! I'm used to him being away as he used to be a long distance lorry driver but I'm just not used to bein away from home! Did u find work yourself ok, are ye out there long? I'm a intellectual disability nurse, developmental disabilitynursr out there, oh is flat out researching jobs for me, he's better on pc than me!! I'm sure I'll hav lots of questions for you as time goes on!! Karen :cute: xx Hiya Karen, it is hard at first and extremely daunting I miss him so much and find myself on countdown all the time but with the money comes the lifestyle, holidays ect :0) but I found at first there was nobody and felt like I had landed in the middle of nowhere and hated it but I just got our there and went with the flow. we originally lived there for a year a few years ago and luckily stayed in touch with friends we've made but I'm sure you'll have no problem settling in, no I'm not working in nursing yet :0( I went on my oh skills for the visa hes an electrician so I need to register with nursing boatd ect which is taking forever. Are you already in Oz? If not have you looked for sponsorship? That's probably the easiest way with nursing u think but not 100% We love Perth and plenty to do for the little ones :0) xxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hano Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Hiya Karen, it is hard at first and extremely daunting I miss him so much and find myself on countdown all the time but with the money comes the lifestyle, holidays ect :0) but I found at first there was nobody and felt like I had landed in the middle of nowhere and hated it but I just got our there and went with the flow. we originally lived there for a year a few years ago and luckily stayed in touch with friends we've made but I'm sure you'll have no problem settling in, no I'm not working in nursing yet :0( I went on my oh skills for the visa hes an electrician so I need to register with nursing boatd ect which is taking forever. Are you already in Oz? If not have you looked for sponsorship? That's probably the easiest way with nursing u think but not 100% We love Perth and plenty to do for the little ones :0) xxxx No not there yet. We're applying for 176ss visa also. We're hoping to be Perth bound early next March if all goes according to plan. I'm just about to apply to APHRA for reg, seems to be taking a while to get registered. Yes I'm sure once we get there i'll be fine and hopefully love it. I've made a good few friends on here already & it helps to kno you've people to meet up with when we get over there.... From all the research we've done Perth seems lovely, very family orientated which is what we are looking for. And lifestyle has to be better there than what we have here at mo as money is unbelievably tight for us, work practically non existent for oh! Karen x x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ezme Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 We are a FIFO family doing a 2/1. I have 2 in school and 1 at home. I find that with schooling and after school activities I am too busy to be too lonely. I also hit the gym most mornings and that gives me a kid free break for the day. You will also meet lots of familes through school, etc. It does take a while to meet those special friends. I can find the weekends the hardest as I know that most people have their OH at home. And having no family is tough but it is the life that we chose. For me, the hardest part was the idea of FIFO. I was dreading being by myself and was full of self-doubt on my abilties to cope with the children. The reality has been so much better. I am stronger than I thought. Good luck for the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lornarees Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Hiya , my name is Lorna hubby is Jamie and I've got 2 boys aged 2 and 6 , my hubby is FIFO on a8 on 6 off rota id luv to meet up with Otha families as I'll be on my own a lot with 2 kids Hope to hear from u soon lorna x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourcorners Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 The mining industry is completely different from the oil and gas industry so you can't really compare wage differences in one part of the world in one industry with those in another industry in another part of the world. I work in mining and know plenty of people doing FIFO work, although most are either single or child-less couples. I have worked FIFO myself in Canada and didn't like it, as when I came home my OH was working and we only had weekends together, and I struggled to make friends as I was away so much. Then in the UK my OH did FIFO to Australia on a 6/3 roster. Very hard for him with the long journeys and jet-lag, and again I was working so we didn't get a huge amount of time together. But, having said all of that, I think if you are a stay-at-home mum then you will get more quality time together when your OH is on his days off, and can go and explore the area and feel like you're having a holiday every few weeks. The money is good, better than a residential job, but the FIFO lifestyle does get very tiring after a while. We put up with it for 3 years and don't want to do it ever again! We now live in Kalgoorlie where we both work residentially at local mine sites. Meaning we spend every evening and weekend together and often both get an extra day or two off each month. The money is not much less than FIFO but its more than made up for by the fact that we feel we have a life together. And when we decide to start a family it will be much easier to cope with OH there for support. Yes its not Perth and its not near a beach, but there is a great community spirit here and its very easy to make friends. So if you're having serious doubts about a FIFO lifestyle, maybe consider a residential job instead? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lornarees Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 I find FIFO ok tbh but I have children so they keep me busy , I'm always happy to meet up with people even If they avnt got children Give me a bell if u want to meet for a coffee and a chat x Lorna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozenger1967 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 I find FIFO ok tbh but I have children so they keep me busy , I'm always happy to meet up with people even If they avnt got children Give me a bell if u want to meet for a coffee and a chat x Lorna what does your other half do lorna, if you dont mind me asking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lornarees Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 He is a electrical engineer in a nickel mine called Minara im a stay at home mum as he 8-6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud-u-like Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 I'm currently in the final stages of my 457, just awaiting medical clearance, I'm going to be working in the Pilbara region at a all inclusive mine site (accom/food/transport free), 60 days on/30 off and then commute back to the UK or my wife can fly to Oz. I do this rotation for a year and then go onto a normal 8/6 rotation. I think I'm fairly luck, I get to totally immerse myself in my new job without the worry my wife is somewhere all alone and fed up, once my first year is up we'll both have a better idea if this is the life for us as well as, hopefully, found some location to live that suits us both. If not for us my new company will repatriate me back to the UK, having spent next to nothing....if on the other hand all is good they'll fly my wife to Oz (and all our belongings) as well as provide a great cash disturbance allowance to start us off! Yeah I know a great scheme, I've been incredibly lucky and with the added bonus if it all goes pear shaped I have a route out back to the UK. I currently work in the Sinai desert and have 40 days leave a year, my wife and I have gotten used to the idea and extra tax free cash....yes its lonely (this year we've been apart over both xmas/new year) but when I do go home its like when we first met!! If you can get over the separation/loneliness and just set yourself some goals (pay the mortgage off, big holiday, new car) and take everything in small steps you'll be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lornarees Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 i agree , in the uk i worked evenings and my hubby worked days and most weekends so we only saw each other maybe 2 nights a week , even tho he is away for 8 days when he's home it is all family time then , I've not found it to be tho yet as I'm busy with kids in the days n then keep in contact with family in the evenings the only thing i avnt got here is my friends and family but on ce we join all the activities like swimming karate and gymnastics we will be fine we come on a 457 visa so all relocation costs were paid so we were lucky the bad thing is if we don't like it and want to go home we have to pay it all back but so far i wouldn't go home ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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