Calling all musicians living and working in Australia!

[ian27]

I am a UK citizen for whom my application for an Australian Permanent Residence Visa has recently been accepted. I am working in two studios in the local area (UK) and am very quickly working out that I am doing most of the work and somebody else is making most of the money - so I think, what the hell, I should do this myself!

So really I have to make a decision about where I should start this project. I tried to do some research about available work in Australia and have written to many musicians and studios asking for information and advice - so far, very few replies!

In chatting to other Australian engineers via the Internet I was told that only Melbourne and Sydney have any apparent music scene. I was told that basically anywhere else there is NOTHING! This is unfortunate as I have been tossing up between moving to Perth (Fremantle area, perhaps), or Brisbane.

Anyway, if anybody has any advice or words of wisdom you would like to offer, I would certainly appreciate it. Thank you for your time.

Ian

 

[ausrock]

Ian,

Congrats on the visa.

Sydney and Melbourne would be the places to start looking for studio work, but having said that there are studios all over the place. Whether or not they would employ staff is something you would have to pursue.

Hopefully John Sayers will see this thread and be able to give you some solid advice.

 

[John Sayers]

Hi Ian - yes you are right in that Sydney and Melbourne are the main centres but Brisbane has a few studios as does Perth. Are you intending to open your own studio?? or are you just looking for work.

BTW Brisbane is the fastest growing region in OZ.

cheers
John

 

[ausrock]

John,

Could you have a look at the "Studio?Room Help" thread, as there are some questions there that I'm not qualified to answer

BTW......sorry for attracting your attention this way.

ChrisO

 

[ian27]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies so far.

Yes, I was thinking of opening my own small commercial studio. At present I work in two studios which are both owned by other people and I also do some cover teaching in local primary schools. I really want to run my own studio because in all honesty, I really fancy the challenge. I feel ready to take it on and without really knowing why, I feel that now is the correct time to start planning this and to begin to get things moving.

I have always fancied going to Perth because the climate looks great! But then I've also heard great reports about places down the coast of South East Queensland. Decisions decisions!

I was thinking of buying a property once I get to Oz and building the studio from home - that way saving on extra rent etc.

Anyway, any more help or advice that you could offer me would be really appreciated,

Ian

 

[John Sayers]

Yes Ian - Perth does have a wonderful climate BUT it is very isolated from the rest of the country. Auckland NZ is closer Most bands from Perth head out as soon as possible to the west coast where all the action is, either Melbourne or Sydney.

South East Queensland is where I live (well actually northern NSW but I can see the border from here.) This is where the great beaches are as there are surf beaches all the way up the coast as far as Fraser Island when the Great Barrier Reef starts.

South of Brisbane there is the huge Gold Coast development which has the fastest growth rate in OZ. North of Brisbane is the Sunshine Coast which is similar. The climate is subtropical so it averages around 28 - 32 degrees throughout summer and still makes the low twenties throughout the winter. Byron Bay has the best climate in OZ according to the stats. All the tropical fruits etc are available and the main crops are bananas, mangoes and sugar cane. Lottsa fresh seafood also.

hope this helps

cheers
John

a typical house in Brisbane is around AUD $200,000 but it is cheaper if you go out into the surrounding hills or head south to the Gold Coast.