A few ?'s about Townsville :)

[AnnaT]

I have a few ?'s about Townsville that Id really appreciate someone answering :)

1. Am I going to be bombarded by mozzies?
2. How about cane toads?
3. And ticks?
4. What kind of shopping is there?
5. Does it rain alot?
6. Whats pricing like up there for things like petrol, groceries, eating out etc?
7. For those with pets, do you find they get ticks alot? We have 2 labradors Im a bit concerned about.
8. Are there any kids play centre's around?
9. Can anyone recommend some sort of child care? Im going to need to put mine in for the day of our removal into the house to keep them out of the movers way AND my older son goes once a week for 5hrs.
10. Anyone got swimming lesson recommendations? I dont want my sons to miss too many lessons if I can help it.
11. What are the electricity and gas company options?

Looks like we'll be up there sometime in the end of May, yay :smiliedance:

Thanks girls!

[roalston]

Hi Anna

Thought I would help you with a few of these:

1. Most likely so bring aeroguard.
2. Yes if you leave water around. Bring a golf club, hehe.
3. Depends on where you live, treat dogs regularly and youll be fine.
4. 3 major centres, a few smaller ones, city shopping and there are a few weekend markets. (no myer sorry, but we have most other stuff).
5. Yes during summer, no for the rest of the year.
6. Same as everywhere else really...too expensive, hehe
7. I have a german shephard, he rarely gets ticks cause we check regularly, he gets washed and treated regularly. Do that and youll be fine.
8. Freckles, Lollipops and maze mania are all indoor play centres. The Strand has a water park and a rock pool for kids. Lots of parks around.

Cant help with the last ones sorry. Hope this helps. Look forward to meeting you, hope you come along to our meets when you get here.

From Olivia :flowerz:

[Eloise&Charlie'sMum]

Hi Anna....

I am Townsville mum :wave:..my hubby is RAAF and we will have 2 kiddies aged 2.5 and 1 month old by the time you move here...look forward to meeting you...

As for your questions here i will do my best....

1. Am I going to be bombarded by mozzies? No more up here than anywhere else in queensland that i have lived....use repellant and you will be fine...
2. How about cane toads? In the wet season we get a few like maybe 3 or 4 at night in the back yard but it not like plauge propertions or anything...

3. And ticks? I think that depends on where you live, at our place in kirwan our 2 animals have never had any but I do have friends that live else where and have had there animals get a few...

4. What kind of shopping is there? We dont have Myers or David Jones but we do have Target, Big W, KMart, Best and less and the normal ladies and mens shops, cotton on for kids, pumpkin patch and so on....pretty much normal really except when it comes to maternity shops, we have NONE, maternity clothes are very limited to the bigger department stores and the selection is pretty small....

5. Does it rain alot? Yes from about Nov to April...

6. Whats pricing like up there for things like petrol, groceries, eating out etc? pertrol is about 1.35 a literat the moment, food a little dearer a normal shop for me buying a lot of no name brands and smart shopping is about $150 a week, eating out I would say standard national pricing....

7. For those with pets, do you find they get ticks alot? We have 2 labradors Im a bit concerned about. As i said we have cat and a dog and never had a tick in nearly 2 years of being here...

8. Are there any kids play centre's around? We have three...Lollipops which is the newest and only just opened, Freckles fun factory and Maze Mania for kids...all good fun....

9. Can anyone recommend some sort of child care? Im going to need to put mine in for the day of our removal into the house to keep them out of the movers way AND my older son goes once a week for 5hrs. There are heaps of ABC learning center and 2 occasional care center..I use occasional care, my DD goes 2 mornings a week for 4 hours each with my 24 hours of daycare a week through centerlink the 2 days cost me a total of $24.45...The ladies are great and in one of the bub hub mums is a teacher where i send my DD....

10. Anyone got swimming lesson recommendations? I dont want my sons to miss too many lessons if I can help it. My DD goes to Glenn Buchannan swim school they have two location we use the one in Kirwan cause it close to home..i cant rav about them enough we love it there but there is a few other place to choose from that have great reviews too...

11. What are the electricity and gas company options? Ergon is the only supplier i am aware of but that just who we use so not sure they could be another company some one else may be able to suggest...

[AnnaT]

Kristi - could you pm me the #'s of the daycare and swim school you use when you get a chance?

We're looking in Riverside Gardens, Idalia and Annandale for houses but it really depends on whats available. Im DYING to look so Im hoping they get me my password this week.

[Shauna]

[quote=AnnaT;2531988]I have a few ?'s about Townsville that Id really appreciate someone answering :)

1. Am I going to be bombarded by mozzies? Most likely but not all the time..

2. How about cane toads? since being back up here we have only seen them when it rains otherwise wouldnt even know there were any...

3. And ticks? Ticks can be a prob through the wet season but as oliviasaid keep there treatment up to date and check daily...

4. What kind of shopping is there? 3 shopping centres Myer is coming...but cairns is only a 4hr drive

5. Does it rain alot? We dont really have seasons here its either wet or dry ;)

6. Whats pricing like up there for things like petrol, groceries, eating out etc? Its about the same as anywhere

7. For those with pets, do you find they get ticks alot? We have 2 labradors Im a bit concerned about. They will be fine

8. Are there any kids play centre's around? a few as olivia mentioned

9. Can anyone recommend some sort of child care? Im going to need to put mine in for the day of our removal into the house to keep them out of the movers way AND my older son goes once a week for 5hrs. In the gone troppo DCO booklet you will recieve has all kinds of info or go to the townsville website and you can download a childcare book has everything from fulltime to occassional care listed

10. Anyone got swimming lesson recommendations? I dont want my sons to miss too many lessons if I can help it. The strand pools have a really good rep for swimmng lessons

11. What are the electricity and gas company options? Ergon Energy and Origin Energy

Look forward to meeting you :yelclap:

[rinny2007]

1. Am I going to be bombarded by mozzies? Depends on what suburb you live, aitkenvale and most inner suburbs have drainage problems and close to the city like railway estate

2. How about cane toads? tons of toads, i hate the things so i tend to think there is more then there is.

3. And ticks? new suburbs like railway estate, annandale, fairfield, and willows are loaded with them. mostly because they were old catlegrounds in the day. geez most of those suburbs are reasonably new so will need to treat yards and animals regulary.

4. What kind of shopping is there? in all ther is a total of 12 3 major and the rest minor shopping centers there is a total of 5 more planned to be built in townsville surounding suburbs.

5. Does it rain alot? The wet season tends to be from anywhere in november til april. then an occasional spit in the winter months. by the way it barely gets cold.

6. Whats pricing like up there for things like petrol, groceries, eating out etc? depending on what you want. some things are cheaper like computer part. but others depending on what you like i think its reasonable compared to major cities.

7. For those with pets, do you find they get ticks alot? our dogs have only started getting ticks since it rained. but we have had to treat them and the yard.

8. Are there any kids play centre's around? a couple there usually really crowded

9. Can anyone recommend some sort of child care? Dco has geckos which is at the army base, and there is a child care at the raaf base for defence personal.

10. Anyone got swimming lesson recommendations? there are a few decent ones. i have lived in townsville a long long time and never ever use the buchanans swimming mob. he has a very weird way of dealing with kids and lots of parents complain about him.

11. What are the electricity and gas company options? There is ergon energy. there will be a second energy company to compete against ergon in 2 years time.. and if you are in a dha house none use gas.

[bAaM]

Hey Anna these where some of the things i was worried about as well, but i can honestly say that the mossies toads (not sure about the ticks) petrol shopping ect... is the same as anywhere else.

The rain is great b ut when it rains it rains LOL

The play centres are awsome as long as u dont mind the noise of all the kids. But they have a ball and Lollipops has a bit for kids up to 3yrs that is good as well, we have a ball when we go there.

As for swimming and daycare i wouldnt have a clue but Kristi is always going on about how good hers is so maybe try that one.

its really just like anyother city here and has heaps to do with the kids.

[conorexnz]

Hey ya Anna,

We live in Aitkenvale only about 200m from the river and don't have any issues with mozzies at all... I think I've only been bitten twice and we've been walking down by the river frequently too... I think it's only if you have stagnant water around...

Cane toads - loads of them - DP went out tonight to help eliminate the population in our backyard and had a ball (sorry if I offend anyone!!!)

As for the rain - look out for the various suburbs that do get flooded, again, we had no issues where we live but there are areas you should avoid (Westend I think is one, and maybe Railway Estate) (can't help you with other areas, sorry)..

There's a new maternity shop opened up yesterday in town - EGG Maternity... YAY!!!