Coming out to study in Kal in January...
Discussion
COming out to study in Kalgoorlie in January - will be around for two years on and off. Hoping to get some travel whilst there as the course is split with time off in parts.
Anyone konw what the craic is out in Kal and can you recommend some good sight-seeing (this is me just being polite - as really, as i have never been to the place i think the whole country is worth seeing!
But some good starters would be apreciated!)
Whats the scene out there for PHers...?
Oh and whats a decent reliable boring budget estate car gonna set me back (also contingency for ridiculously powerful v8 ute, incase the girlfriend doesn't come with me....)
Anyone konw what the craic is out in Kal and can you recommend some good sight-seeing (this is me just being polite - as really, as i have never been to the place i think the whole country is worth seeing!
But some good starters would be apreciated!) Whats the scene out there for PHers...?
Oh and whats a decent reliable boring budget estate car gonna set me back (also contingency for ridiculously powerful v8 ute, incase the girlfriend doesn't come with me....)
School of Mines is it?
I hope you have long breaks if you want to see much of Australia as its pretty big.
Haven't been to Kal for years but I believe that drinking beer is a popular passtime.
Few old deserted mining towns around the area but I hear the locals pop down to Esperance for a swim. About 250 miles.
Cars. Depends if you want a banger.
I see from you profile that own an MG so you will obviously be able to do your own maintenance.
Remember that while fuel is cheaper than the UK the distances are much greater.
PH? In the Goldfields. Well if you like generally straight roads it is your scene. Over East is better.
Targa Tasmania next March/April and within about a 3 to 4 week period there is the Bathurst 1000, the Indi Cars in Queensland and the MoToGP at Phillip Island.
You should have a good time in Kal, one of our most important mining towns.
Some would say it rocks.
I hope you have long breaks if you want to see much of Australia as its pretty big.
Haven't been to Kal for years but I believe that drinking beer is a popular passtime.
Few old deserted mining towns around the area but I hear the locals pop down to Esperance for a swim. About 250 miles.
Cars. Depends if you want a banger.
I see from you profile that own an MG so you will obviously be able to do your own maintenance.
Remember that while fuel is cheaper than the UK the distances are much greater.
PH? In the Goldfields. Well if you like generally straight roads it is your scene. Over East is better.
Targa Tasmania next March/April and within about a 3 to 4 week period there is the Bathurst 1000, the Indi Cars in Queensland and the MoToGP at Phillip Island.
You should have a good time in Kal, one of our most important mining towns.
Some would say it rocks.
Buffalo,
You will be on the planet Mars and a million miles from nowhere!!
Seriously, Kalgoolie is several hundred miles from absolutely nowhere and is in the middle of the reddest desert you will see this side of Mars with white (salt) lakes and dry as buggery weather day in day out.
You can go for day trips to Albany on the coast which is beautiful or catch a flight to Perth and that has plenty to see and do.
As for cars, you had best stick to rugged stock and reliable stuff is top priority so this generally means Holden, Ford, Toyota, 4wd type vehicles mainly because you will spend a lot of time off the bitumen in this part of the world.
I only spent a month there and a lot of that time was spent in the pubs when not working but do remember thinking hat NASA wasted a lot of money to get to mars when all they needed to do was go to Kalgoolie
You will be on the planet Mars and a million miles from nowhere!!
Seriously, Kalgoolie is several hundred miles from absolutely nowhere and is in the middle of the reddest desert you will see this side of Mars with white (salt) lakes and dry as buggery weather day in day out.
You can go for day trips to Albany on the coast which is beautiful or catch a flight to Perth and that has plenty to see and do.
As for cars, you had best stick to rugged stock and reliable stuff is top priority so this generally means Holden, Ford, Toyota, 4wd type vehicles mainly because you will spend a lot of time off the bitumen in this part of the world.
I only spent a month there and a lot of that time was spent in the pubs when not working but do remember thinking hat NASA wasted a lot of money to get to mars when all they needed to do was go to Kalgoolie
Thanks guys!
It is indeed the SoM that i'll be going to... Getting quite excited now, but a bit nervous of this going back to school thing....
Cheers for the info - bathurst would be sooooo cool to try and see, especially as i missed LM this year - whats the best way to find out about it over there..?
Regarding vehicles, as i shall be there for the best part of two years, i figured the best way to get about would be to buy a cheap car - time offsets cost of course. I'm after something that can cope with high mileage and cart two peoples (minimal) luggage - doesn't have to look pretty, just run of the mill..... Should be able to convert my visa to a working one when in the country and aim to get a bit of work in there at some point as well...
Do you have any sort of PH meet ups out there - or is that sort of the point of this forum..?
It is indeed the SoM that i'll be going to... Getting quite excited now, but a bit nervous of this going back to school thing....
Cheers for the info - bathurst would be sooooo cool to try and see, especially as i missed LM this year - whats the best way to find out about it over there..?
Regarding vehicles, as i shall be there for the best part of two years, i figured the best way to get about would be to buy a cheap car - time offsets cost of course. I'm after something that can cope with high mileage and cart two peoples (minimal) luggage - doesn't have to look pretty, just run of the mill..... Should be able to convert my visa to a working one when in the country and aim to get a bit of work in there at some point as well...
Do you have any sort of PH meet ups out there - or is that sort of the point of this forum..?
www.tradingpost.com.au
that should give you a reasonable idea of prices, should be able to get something for under a grand.
that should give you a reasonable idea of prices, should be able to get something for under a grand.
Have you ever been to Kal or even to Aus, if not you will be in for the biggest shock.
I reckon it's a bit like Las Vegas probably was at the turn of the century. A real frontier town.
I'm not dissing it but it is sooo different to the UK.
For info on things to do you could try the Lonely Planet guide, basically in Kal there isn't much apart from beer and brothels - hope the girlfriend's of tough stock as feminism hasn't really caught on out there.
There's a few art galleries a cinema and Paddy's Karioke can be fun.
As for cars, as others have said reliability is the most important thing, you really don't want to break down or get stuck out there. Bitumen roads are rare out of town so some sort of 4x4 will be best and read a manual on outback driving. As stated Tradingpost is the bible for car sales.
kal lies on the Indian Pacific rail line which offers cheap travel both east and west bound, beware though as travelling for days on a train is a great way to see the country but it's bloody uncomfortable and incredibley tedius. Fly if you can afford it, Virgin now do a lot of cheap internal flights but I'm not sure if they go the Kal.
While you're out there you should venture around a bit and could do worse than the wonderful beaches around Esperance/Albany and round to Margaret River.
You can also head North from Perth into absolute wilderness with the most spectacular beaches and crystal seas. If you have time and money you can get a flight to Exmouth from Perth and snorkel the Ningaloo reef which is incredible.
Head the other way and Ayers Rock,(now known as Uluru) really is special, it may seem a long way to see a rock but it's something magical at sunset.
Good luck, you'll have a great time.
>> Edited by custardtart on Friday 24th September 11:09
I reckon it's a bit like Las Vegas probably was at the turn of the century. A real frontier town.
I'm not dissing it but it is sooo different to the UK.
For info on things to do you could try the Lonely Planet guide, basically in Kal there isn't much apart from beer and brothels - hope the girlfriend's of tough stock as feminism hasn't really caught on out there.
There's a few art galleries a cinema and Paddy's Karioke can be fun.
As for cars, as others have said reliability is the most important thing, you really don't want to break down or get stuck out there. Bitumen roads are rare out of town so some sort of 4x4 will be best and read a manual on outback driving. As stated Tradingpost is the bible for car sales.
kal lies on the Indian Pacific rail line which offers cheap travel both east and west bound, beware though as travelling for days on a train is a great way to see the country but it's bloody uncomfortable and incredibley tedius. Fly if you can afford it, Virgin now do a lot of cheap internal flights but I'm not sure if they go the Kal.
While you're out there you should venture around a bit and could do worse than the wonderful beaches around Esperance/Albany and round to Margaret River.
You can also head North from Perth into absolute wilderness with the most spectacular beaches and crystal seas. If you have time and money you can get a flight to Exmouth from Perth and snorkel the Ningaloo reef which is incredible.
Head the other way and Ayers Rock,(now known as Uluru) really is special, it may seem a long way to see a rock but it's something magical at sunset.
Good luck, you'll have a great time.
>> Edited by custardtart on Friday 24th September 11:09
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