[As you know] Working in the mining sector can offer opportunities that effect your entire family. This means you have a lot to consider when considering new opportunities. Fly-In-Fly-Out (FIFO), residential, roster schedules, living situation, role and responsibility, company or mine size, etc.

Our Technical Search Consultants often speak to potential candidates about rural v city living. As a base for your family, understanding what option is best for you can decide whether FIFO, residential, roster schedule works for you.

Rural life

Relocating your family to a rural location can seem daunting, but it brings back a human element that is missing from our city lives.

Community feel

Rural communities are friendly and bring a sense of “togetherness” that may help if you’re moving from a major city away from friends and family. People get to know you and your family and offer support. In return, giving back to that community can motivate you and make you become a part of that community.

This can be a welcomed change when comparing to our city life. How many of us know our next-door neighbour?

Simple living

Living in a rural area let’s you get back to basics, removing the materialist things we have become custom to, offering a better quality of life. With less screens and more outdoors to explore where the country air replaces the unnecessary distractions of city life certainly makes an attractive option.

Safety

Knowing everyone in the community doesn’t leave many opportunities to act unlawfully on one another, unless you’re in Hot Fuzz.

Less traffic allows the kids to play outside without the traffic incident worries.

Common bonds

The community feel really helps you create bonds and friendships when living in rural areas. There’s growing trends of produce sharing in Australia now, which really allows you connect with the entire community.

But as these rural areas are mining towns, families in that community have been through or going through the same life changing decisions as you. This means you always have support and someone to talk to helping you build friendships.

City life

City life brings several advantages focused around not having to choose between your wants or needs, as they are both all on your doorstep.

Convenience

When living in urban areas, everything is on your doorstep: shops, transport, schools, work, doctors, everything. Just being able to walk to places could be enough of an advantage to not consider other options.

Extended support network

Having friends near by to escape family life can be a huge relief. Being able to get a $10 Uber to meet them for a drink can be beneficial to reducing stress and overall happiness. An extended family network can be a great way to support a growing family. Reduced day care costs can help financially, but if you are close with that family, moving away from them could be difficult for you and the children.

Partner’s work opportunities

Living in the city can mean you doing FIFO work, the partner is more likely to find work related to their own trade in the city or more urban areas. Having the partner’s job already sorted can take a huge pressure of your shoulders.

High valued services

Large and specialised hospitals, police precincts and fire departments are all within a 20-minute drive in case of any emergency situations. Cities and urban areas generally have the larger universities and better schools that is something families think of from the set go.

Both city and rural life have their advantages, but what matters is that it best suits you and your family along with the opportunity that if offered to you.