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10 Most Popular Things to do in Brisbane

Guest Blogger:Gagandeep Singh

Active Winters with Brisbane City Council.

The change in weather has brought with it new energy and plenty of winter active programmes around the neighbourhood.

What’s Hot in Brisbane’s Winter.

For the latest fashion, winter hair trends, the art scene and cultural activities check out this resource website: www.ourbrisbane.com/winter

Australia ~ Not So Cheap.

Our first three months in Australia were bliss. We were living in between two worlds; Switzerland and all the long hours commuting, expenses and past stress was behind us and Australia with the reality of integrating here and setting up our new life somewhere ‘out there’ in front.

These first few months were spent imagining all we could do now we were here. The reality of decreased salaries, real comprehension of the daily cost of living and value of the dollar hadn’t hit home. This is what’s known as the ‘honeymoon’ period.

Point to Consider: During the time of planning the move and applying for visas, having an idea of the day to day living costs can suddenly become essential. With all the talk of Australia being great for life style, it is still important to consider whether you can afford to enjoy the life style you want and to start to build realistic expectations.

Arriving with large lump sums of cash after selling up overseas can leave an inflated sense of wealth, until the bills start rolling in.

During the ‘honeymoon’ or before, is a good time to start drawing up a preliminary budget. It is of course difficult to get an overall feel of the change of the day to day expenses all at once. Prices are different; some items cost more and others a lot less.

In a World wide Survey carried out by http://www.finfacts.com/costofliving3.htm, comparing the Cost of living in over 100 countries, at number 20 (listed as the most expensive city in Australia) is Sydney, at 68 Melbourne, at 84 Brisbane, at 89 Adelaide and Perth is at 93 (Darwin didn’t feature in the top 144). Compare these results to your own city to get a general perspective.

Australia ~Hosts the Most Expensive Cities Worldwide.

In a news report this week, it has been noted that Australian cities have now become the world’s most expensive and most unaffordable to live in.

The cost of houses, mortgage interest rates, cost of living (food and gas) etc. are not in line with current salaries which are staying stagnant.

It’s also worth commenting that the US market crash is helping to put Australia in the spotlight.

Choice of School

Public State schools are free and typically places are given to the children in that district.

Private schools are categorized either by religion: Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran etc. or are prestigious schools: Boys/Girls’ Grammar, and there is also a range of other co-education and boarding schools.

Scholarships are available but some are by year and need an exam needs to be taken each year rather than being one exam at school entry point.

Private school fees range from 2000$ per year to 12 000$.

Typically there is a tendency for schools to rely on parent participation: help with reading for the early years, tuck shop, excursions and fund raising for even some basics equipment such as air conditioning.

Parents also do need to equip their children with uniforms, sports kits, books and lunch.

In terms of the financial management, it’s said that a lot of state funding goes to private schools so state schools do feel like they operate on the bare minimum.

State schools do have good teaching all the same. However, another aspect of the management of state schools is that the head doesn’t typically have the ability to hire and fire permanent staff. Australian teachers, once trained, go to the outback to cut their teeth. Once they’ve proven themselves they have a job for life in the education department.

Schools are typically resourceful and can point you in the right direction if your children have adjustment difficulties, learning difficulties, behavioral adjustment issues or you need more family help.

Queensland Education: http://education.qld.gov.au/

Child Care, Brisbane

There are 4 main childcare providers here in Australia: C&K, Local Community Care, ABC Care Centers and the Family Day Care Association.

There are also some occasional day care centers where you only need to book a week in advance and pay per hour.

Each Care association varies in style, opening hours, structure, philosophy, capacity and nature. What they do have in common is the stipulated regulations in terms of health and safety regulations, qualifications of Carers (Blue Card holders), ratio of care staff to children etc.

Typically children are organized according to age there are classrooms and an outdoor shaded play area. The fees decrease as the children reach the Kindergarten year (aged 3.5 years until prep year aged 5)

Some centers are long day care, opening at 7am and closing at 6pm and are open all year round, the daily rate is the daily rate. Others follow the school semester. With places, priority goes to moms who are returning to work, first, then ‘mother’s rest’ care, second .

The fees are means tested, that is calculated on earnings. The most expensive all-day care fees I’ve seen are 70$ a day and the cheapest are 35$, with family day care having a hourly rate of 7$. There is a 30% tax rebate on these fees and as mentioned they are reduced further depending on your income.

Places at child care are in demand, particularly in state capitals. It is worth visiting all the care options in your area and putting your name down on the list at several, being prepared to wait or take the days available.

Financially, one of the big complaints is that in some lines of work it isn’t financially worth working and sending your child to care as you barely cover the fees. When working there is also a decrease in family assistance (child payment given by government to all families).

Useful Resources:
Child Care Tax Rebate
C and K Child Care: www.candk.asn.au/
ABC Child Care: www.childcare.com.au/ourfamily/dod-details.php

Shortage of Workers.

In spite of Brisbane’s growth issues, there is still a need for skilled workers, particularly in healthcare, tourism and business.

Recruiters are concerned that the state is being held back due to shortages of staff.

All in all Brisbane is still a tropical coastal relaxed city with a lifestyle.

Useful Resources:
Immigration package to ease skills shortage

Expanding Brisbane Infrastructure.

A further current debate is how to best improve the local infrastructure to cope with the population boom.

The city council is working like mad to reduce city center traffic congestion.

Public transport and roads are in a constant state of being up graded and neighborhood planning is at full tilt.

With the necessary expansion of bus and bike ways, car parks around major shopping areas and train lines there has been and continues to be care taken to preserve and protect the things most loved: green open spaces and park lands.

What is probably worth knowing, is that commuting is a relatively new concept to Brisbane. Many like to cycle or drive to work and there isn’t a metro or subway in the city center.

The big push is really to encourage more use of commuter car parks ~ thus traveling to work by train and buses.

The plan is to have the current transport lines extended with improved service and a city tunnel is underway.

For us, who are used to commuting and live not to far from buses and a train station, the congestion really hasn’t been a problem.