Hello everyone,
I live in Brazil and I'm currently thinking about moving to Australia for a timeframe! Australia however is so large, I'm sort of confused which locations to start my search.

My only requirements are to be near good kite spots and have good internet connection (for remote work). At first, I though about a small town because may be it's cheaper. Major cities like Sidney seems very expensive, but I may be wrong on that.

I really love some paradisiac pictures that shows up in some Australia Kite stores/schools, like this one: .

How far is it from reality?

Flat water or small waves locations are preferable.

Any tip is appreciated. Thanks!

Galo, couple of questions:

1. What time are you coming?
2. Is your partner coming?
3. Are you coming for holiday or want to work?
4. What type of work can you do?
5. What size are you?
6. What gear are you bringing?

It sounds quite specific right, our distances are quite vast going from one side of the country to the other takes 3 days driving 8 - 10 hr days. The wind sesons can be quite different so gear choice is critical. Work over here at the moment is becoming short in some areas we have 20 - 25% Youth unemployment. Also some areas are quite remote communication (internet) can be limited. We are not a third world country mind you but I have met some Euro Kiters that are blown away by some of the remoteness.

I'm not trying to put you of just want you to give us specific information. I would say that Melbourne in Summer is a greta place to work Kite and hang out. But Perth has Nuclear winds and awesome places to kite. Depending on the time of year Northern Queensland can be great but we also have blue bottles and stingers in the water and remember we have Crocodiles as well up there.

Give us some info we can use and we are more than willing to help.

Head to the Northern Territory.

Select to expand quote

Galo said..
Hello everyone,
I live in Brazil and I'm currently thinking about moving to Australia for a timeframe! Australia however is so large, I'm sort of confused which locations to start my search.

My only requirements are to be near good kite spots and have good internet connection (for remote work). At first, I though about a small town because may be it's cheaper. Major cities like Sidney seems very expensive, but I may be wrong on that.

I really love some paradisiac pictures that shows up in some Australia Kite stores/schools, like this one: .

How far is it from reality?

Flat water or small waves locations are preferable.

Any tip is appreciated. Thanks!

where is that?

The reality here in Melbourne is solid wind for most of summer and gusty fronts through winter, kite year round, perth (WA) seems to have a fair bit of hyp e(or WA people are frothers)

as with anywhere you get to know the people, conditions and lifestyle and kite as much as you can :)

which part of Brazil?

looks very coco'sy

Thank you for the replies!

I'm a software engineer from Rio de Janeiro, I plan to live 1 year in Australia. My current gears are 12m Kite, 1.36 board. My partner is not going with me.

Luckly I can work remotely to my current country, so job doesn't worry me now, just the internet connection...

I've checked some Melbourne rentals listed for $400/week, about $1600,00 month. Converting to reais it's about R$3800,00, which here in Rio I would rent a front beach apartment in some of the best neighborhoods of the town ( e.g. http://cidaderiodejaneiro.olx.com.br/aparthotel-barra-beach-posto-2-praia-iid-677999357).

Is that the common price range in Australia? Just astonished :)

Select to expand quote

Galo said..
Thank you for the replies!

I'm a software engineer from Rio de Janeiro, I plan to live 1 year in Australia. My current gears are 12m Kite, 1.36 board. My partner is not going with me.

Luckly I can work remotely to my current country, so job doesn't worry me now, just the internet connection...

I've checked some Melbourne rentals listed for $400/week, about $1600,00 month. Converting to reais it's about R$3800,00, which here in Rio I would rent a front beach apartment in some of the best neighborhoods of the town ( e.g. http://cidaderiodejaneiro.olx.com.br/aparthotel-barra-beach-posto-2-praia-iid-677999357).

Is that the common price range in Australia? Just astonished :)

Yeah, you better brace yourself. I moved to Melbourne thinking I would spend the same on rent as I spent in Germany and found only $hitholes in that price range. Had to triple the budget. Melbourne is awesome but expensive.

Select to expand quote

Galo said..
Thank you for the replies!

I'm a software engineer from Rio de Janeiro, I plan to live 1 year in Australia. My current gears are 12m Kite, 1.36 board. My partner is not going with me.

Luckly I can work remotely to my current country, so job doesn't worry me now, just the internet connection...

I've checked some Melbourne rentals listed for $400/week, about $1600,00 month. Converting to reais it's about R$3800,00, which here in Rio I would rent a front beach apartment in some of the best neighborhoods of the town ( e.g. http://cidaderiodejaneiro.olx.com.br/aparthotel-barra-beach-posto-2-praia-iid-677999357).

Is that the common price range in Australia? Just astonished :)

In Perth you would be looking at at least $400pw to rent a small house in an average suburb. Internet connection everywhere in Australia sucks a big one. Over the last 10 years accommodation/housing price and availability has become a real issue all over Australia. You may be better off trying to rent a room/share. Geralton on the mid west coast has even better wind than Perth but I'm not sure of the rental situation. I have seen rooms for rent by fellow kiters in Perth advertised in the hookup section of Seabreeze forums - maybe keep your eye on that or post in it yourself. I gotta say a beachfront apartment in the best neighbour hood in Rio sounds like a much better option

It's all relative, as a software engineer you'll be earning more than enough to afford decent rental accommodation, plenty on offer in Geraldton just not in Rangeway, Spalding, Karloo, Wonthella. Look at Point Moore, very affordable and can offer the lifestyle many dream of.

Select to expand quote

Galo said..
Thank you for the replies!

I'm a software engineer from Rio de Janeiro, I plan to live 1 year in Australia. My current gears are 12m Kite, 1.36 board. My partner is not going with me.

Luckly I can work remotely to my current country, so job doesn't worry me now, just the internet connection...

I've checked some Melbourne rentals listed for $400/week, about $1600,00 month. Converting to reais it's about R$3800,00, which here in Rio I would rent a front beach apartment in some of the best neighborhoods of the town ( e.g. http://cidaderiodejaneiro.olx.com.br/aparthotel-barra-beach-posto-2-praia-iid-677999357).

Is that the common price range in Australia? Just astonished :)

Brisbane my friend and Gold Coast. Plenty of wind, babes and nicer weather than the other cities. If you go North from there, it becomes more and more like that picture you have shown, but not quite. Cocos Islands is EXACTLY like that.

Select to expand quote

Loftywinds said..

Galo said..
Thank you for the replies!

I'm a software engineer from Rio de Janeiro, I plan to live 1 year in Australia. My current gears are 12m Kite, 1.36 board. My partner is not going with me.

Luckly I can work remotely to my current country, so job doesn't worry me now, just the internet connection...

I've checked some Melbourne rentals listed for $400/week, about $1600,00 month. Converting to reais it's about R$3800,00, which here in Rio I would rent a front beach apartment in some of the best neighborhoods of the town ( e.g. http://cidaderiodejaneiro.olx.com.br/aparthotel-barra-beach-posto-2-praia-iid-677999357).

Is that the common price range in Australia? Just astonished :)

Brisbane my friend and Gold Coast. Plenty of wind, babes and nicer weather than the other cities. If you go North from there, it becomes more and more like that picture you have shown, but not quite. Cocos Islands is EXACTLY like that.

I tend to agree with Lofty - Brisbane and north is the way to go.
www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-agnes+water-411722951
Agnes is the last place with real waves then the reef takes out the swell.
flat water all the way north, Tannum Sands, Yeppoon, Mackay, Bowen, Alva Beach, Townsville and etcetera... to Port Douglas.
And best of all, no freezing your nuts off in winter, I have a Brazilian friend in Brisbane and she reckons that is the furthest south she could go.

Sunshine Coast is the way to go. Wind, lots of relatively scenic locations (beaches, rivers and lakes) all within a 40 minute drive, waves and flat water, nice people, warm weather, not quite as busy as major cities but still lots to do (an hour from Brisbane) and there's a few kite shops. A little pricey but most good places in Australia are

Galo,
Anywhere north of Sunshine coast ie: Past Noosa you will find the internet connection to be very very bad. I am a teacher and have taught in remote areas and interent connection is a joke (well done government for getting rid of the NBN). You really have to be near the capital cities for you to work.

I dont get how people from overseas complain about the prices in Melbourne. I have worked In Germany and in France the rentals are all realtive to your income.

Its funny that all people from overseas want to live and work in St Kilda but you could rent in Altona for half of the price and the kiting is way better.

I would suggest that if you have work sorted via remote. Don't live in a capital city. Melb, Perth and Syd are pretty expensive in comparison. Try and find a regional town with good internet.

What about Peregian or Coolum? When I lived there the rent prices were not too bad, and there seemed to be plenty of kiting. Cool little towns too and not too far from Noosa

That picture is not reality for 99% of Australia. It only looks like that on the outer Barrier Reef (boat required), possibly Ningaloo, Cocos Islands or some of the Pacific islands. You may be disappointed if that is what you're coming for. From what I have seen on the internet and in videos you probably won't get better conditions here than what you have at home in Brasil.

If you want to get away from crowded beaches then stay away from the big cities. If you want waves then stay in the southern half. If you like it warm go north (but watch out for deadly box jelly fish in summer and crocodiles). The west coast is much better for wind than the east coast.

Lets face it though, the sunshine coast, and most coastal towns around Australia, are more or less just bland suburbia by the beach. If you're coming from Rio it's going to be a complete let down in terms of nightlife and cultural activities for when you're not working or kiting. Rio (from my limited experience there) even puts Sydney, Melbourne and indeed a lot of world cities to shame in that respect. I think Barcelona rocks as hard as Rio, but few others do.

Without knowing exactly what sort of lifestyle / experience the OP is after it's difficult to suggest a suitable location. Though if he's just after a place to chill out, work, kite and enjoy a relatively low key relaxed vibe, then sure there's plenty of options outside of the big capital cities.

Dont be disheartened though, I have a number a number of Brazilian friends here in Sydney who absolutely love it here and don't want to go back.

Good wind on the west coast .The capital of WA is Perth and it is expensive to live ,but the wages are also good to pay for those expenses.There are pockets of cheap areas just south of Perth. The world best go and train and these locations and they are in kite mags ,on youtube and Vimeo ect ......!.
The are affordable levels of accomadation in areas such as mandurah.There are units/older houses for $250 a week and if you share between 3 people thats just over 80 dollars a week.Good kiting with flat water and waves.
Close to Perth is expensive ,but it can be done cheap .I just sold my apartment and when I was renting it out it was getting me around $330 a week .It was a 2 bedroom unit about 20 minutes walk from Scarborough beach.

If you want to do the country town thing in Western Australia don't expect it to be a s cheap as Perths southern suburbs or even the CBD. .I run my car on LPG and I know a place in central Perth where I pay 72c a litre for LPG .The most expensive LPG I have seen is in WA is Denham Shark bay at a $1.68 a litre.Diesel and Petrol range between $1.80 and $2.00.
The further north you go generally the more expensive things will be because its out in the middle of nowhere and things need to be trucked there through heavy haulage.Shop owners out in the middle of nowhere have the monopoly within the townships and can charge a premium for everything.
Great kitsurfing locations in the North west such Shark bay and Exmouth would be 30% to 40% more expensive than majority of Perth Suburbs for food and general shopping.
The mining boom also sent things through the roof up there!.

On the south coast its not as expensive as up north ,but I have not found it to be cheaper than Perth either .

Geralton WA in the central west is very small city and things are nicely priced there .It blows it bazookas off there in the summer and has the most reliable winds through the September to April period in Australia.

In WA the cheapest will be mandurah without a dought with solid reliable winds .Geraldton will be slightly more expensive ,but it has the reputation for the best and most reliable seabreeze in AUZ.

Victoria, Surf Coast or Mornington Peninsula, Spring, Summer & Autumn (October to April) - Ocean one side Bay beaches the other, Melbourne is only 1 hour away by car or just under 2 hours by public transport with medium sized town/cities of Geelong or Frankston only 30 minutes away for good priced chain stores but the coastal towns have awesome farmers markets most weekends for cheap organic local food that is easy to walk to or ride a long board or bike too or the local bus service ($5.00au for 3 hrs). Surf in the morning with offshore winds then kite in the afternoon with the Seabreeze....water temperature in Summer is 20 'c + day temps average 30 c peak summer cranks for all beach action. Chilled during the week but hectic over the week ends but not as busy crazy as Rio beaches....fishing, snorkelling, skate parks, forests & Australian wild life animals of both description furry & drunken... Kite & surf crew often drive back and forth from Melbourne to either coasts regularly so hitching a lift is easy if you post on Seabreeze forums specific to Melbourne get to know a few locals & your all good as most of us here are chilled, friendly & extend the hand of friendship (unless you are an arigant prick like some European show ponnie or disrespect our kite & surf beach rules - then it might get nasty). Rent is way cheaper than Melbourne but you need to share a house to make it even cheaper say $400 a week for a nice 3 bedroom house with good space, close to the beach - I recommend buying a car for getting to the best places or if you are fit enough a bike as you can ride to pretty good beaches within 30 minutes surf or bay beaches.... Now the internet is relatively slow but if you don't need to be online all the time you can upload-download while your out ripping it up....

Good luck mate, hope you find what works for you & enjoy your Oz experience as you will luv it...

Hangloose

Aido

Check where the NBN(National Broadband Network) is available! This will solve your internet problem!
You can see where is available.

CS

All town ships in wa have internet state wide .It can get very slow in the smallest towns.Mining towns do have 4 g and that is quick!

Hate to burst your bubble but that picture is in PNG, a place called Torlesse Island from memory

And if your looking to ask IT questions you can try wingepoolhttp://forums.whirlpool.net.au/

If you want real wind forget the northern states.

Have a look at Happy Valley Caloundra. Affordable, walking distance to beach, shops etc. Good internet connection.
Best coffee on the coast.
Flat and surf kiting.

Perth in WA is calling your name!

Yep loud and clear....... Perth is your best option

Thank you all! A lot of helpful information.

It seems there are many good options. I've come to the conclusion that to take a tour in Australia before making a choice is the best thing to do.

I should plan my next vacation to some spots you've mentioned. When doing so, I'll post on forum, who knows I can get to know some of you.

If someone is coming to Rio and needs a guide or some local advices, just drop me message, I'd glad to give in return the favor.

The sunshine coast is not bland ssburbia by the beach, I live 3 kms from the beach surrounded by cane fields as far as you can see, much like parts of northern nsw. All this area is listed as rural. Some densely populatated parts of course. Great weather great climate great Australian laid back people (mostly) who appreciate our freedoms and way of life. You want dancing in the street, jiu jitsu, and samba try somewhere else (maybe sydney when the gay parade is on). You can jump in a 4x4 and be surrounded by nothing but nature a short distance north, gold coast and nsw 2 hrs south. No matter where you go- find someone responsible like minded to rent a room off and youll get by no worries. Try gumtree.com.au/share accomadation. Can kite and surf too. Australia has pristine locations and very limited pollution compared to the rest of the world ok

Oh and the reality of that picture is QLD is fringed by 1600 kms of islands that look just like that, its one of the 7 wonders of the world called the great barrier reef & it can be seen from outer space. From the southern most point of Lady Elliot island the islands and reef stretch right
up through the Torres straight all the way to Papua New Guinea.

The Sunshine coast Qld has epic kiting,

long downwinders in the surf and 3 worldclass flatwater rivermouths for doing tricks with a runout tide,

80% of the time Im kiting by myself doing downwinders,can get a little crowded in the rivermouths,

Wind is generally between 12 -25 kts, light wind can be fun in the surf doing downwinders on a SB

have a bus service that runs up and down the coast so just jump on the bus back to where you start your downwinder,buy a transit bus tickit,too easy

can find a room share accomadation near the beach starting $120 a week,eat at home and its not too expensive or try the surf clubs or Bowls Clubs for the cheapest places to eat out

has ok-good internet

Vic is definatley the most underated spot in Aus. Thats why they keep shouting about WA to keep it all to themseves.

Vic=
less sharks
Better night life
Cheaper coffee
Better drivers

Seriously Mebourne should be the only choice