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Living overseas

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Original poster

PLEASE HELP all people who live or who have ever lived in Australia!!

55 replies

Helenemjay · 22/06/2006 16:54

My dp and i are hoping to move to Aussie Next year but i have had loads of people putting me off lately saying there are LOADS of spiders everywhere all the time! - if this is true it could be a problem as i am truly truly terrified of spiders!! Can anyone who lives there or has lived there and knows for sure give me an idea of how bad spiders are out there please? i would be most grateful xx

OP posts:
purpleturtle · 22/06/2006 17:23

I spent 3 months in Perth last year without seeing a spider till we went to the zoo.

Obviously, they do exist, but tbh I'm seeing more of the critters in my Sheffield terrace at the moment.

eidsvold · 22/06/2006 22:38

we do have some of the most poisonous spiders int he world but in my 38 years ( mainly living in Aus including country Aus) I have only seen some redbacks in the last couple of years in our garage - spray them and they are gone.

Daddy long legs are probably the ones I see the most and they are harmless.

If you live in an urban area the likelihood of being inundated by spiders is very rare.

Gingerbear · 22/06/2006 22:39

Unless you are a plumber (they like to hide in pipes and cupboards)

Original poster
Helenemjay · 23/06/2006 13:35

Oh thanku! i had someone telling me the other day that the one of the biggest causes of car accidents is when a huntsman is spotted in your car and cuases you to panic and crash, (apparently this is more common in women) it seems most people portray Australia as a big nasty bug infested country, and thats while your dodging that huge crocs and man eating dingo's! im supposed to be looking forward to our move not dreading it

OP posts:
Albert · 23/06/2006 13:39

I lived there for 2 years and never saw a thing but like you I had been told that the place was inundated with scary things. Go for it, it's a brilliant country.

Original poster
Helenemjay · 23/06/2006 14:26

Oh thanku Albert i need to hear that more than i can say! xx

OP posts:
harrogatemum · 23/06/2006 14:46

Helenemjay have you ever been to AUs? Its a big move to consider if you have not seen the country itself. DH is an Aussie so I spent a year there 12 years ago and have been back 4 times since. I love it and we plan to go next year but I would highly recommend a recce visit before you start applying!

eidsvold · 24/06/2006 04:39

i think people are just trying to wind you up especially if they know you don't like spiders.

Have never had a spider drop on me whilst driving...

threebob · 24/06/2006 08:03

There was a show on the TV where they showed the spider falling on someones knee - it was completely set up. He also dived into a pool that had a spider on the bottom in it's own bubble of oxygen. Again totally set up.

If you are terrified of all spiders then how deadly they are doesn't make any difference.

I have been there on holiday and not seen any spiders at all. I saw loads of orb spiders on webs in Norfolk Island, but they were all in one place and actually quite fascinating to see so many in one place.

I also saw lots of cockroaches in Samoa, and I really hate cockroaches, but no, I've never seen a spider in mainland Australia.

Original poster
Helenemjay · 26/06/2006 10:21

Thankyou all!! im so pleased i asked now harrogatemum - i havent been to aus no, we were supposed to be going this october but alot of people said not to bother that if we wanted to go then we should just go, my sister and her husband and kids are going to and they were out there for 6 weeks in jan/feb and she said its an amazing place and we shouldnt waste our money going in october that we should just go! i have to be honest i would feel better going for a holiday first but we have 3 small children and this would cost us £2,500/£3,000 in flights alone! and thats not to mention a 24 hour flight with 3 kids (id go nuts i think) we are concentrating on selling our house at the moment so i think once thats gone through we may sit back and decide we would feel better about going there first like you say, its all just this great big 'thing' at the moment - v scary!

OP posts:
fairyjay · 26/06/2006 10:39

Helenemjay
I sympathise. My SIL lives in Australia, and we have never visited because I'm scared of snakes. She never sees them, but then I watch some stupid programme, and it puts me off again.
You'll be fine Helenemjay - good luck

arfishymeau · 26/06/2006 12:48

HMJ, Don't worry, really. You will be so busy being amazed at the new birds and flowers, smiling friendly people, sparkling water, HUGE barbeques, wonderful food and everything else that's great about Australia that you won't give a stuff about the spiders.

melissasmummy · 01/07/2006 13:42

Helenemjay, we arrived on tuesday and early days, but haven't seen a spider yet. We have emigrated, and I am already feeling at home here, but I do put that down to the fact that I have been to the area twice & have people here i know. If you don't have relatives here, I would recommend a visit.

emmatom · 01/07/2006 14:40

Whilst staying in an outback station not far from Alice Springs, we returned to our room one evening to be greeted by a spider the size of a dinner plate, well, a side plate actually.

Even my husband, who is not normally bothered by the critters, spluttered a prophanity.

I was so shaken by it that even after killing it I had to move the bed into the middle of the room and barely slept that night.

Went to many other places - Sydney, Ayres Rock, Cairns and never saw another one though. My thinking is unless you're going to the back of beyond, you'll be fine.

Even after my experience, the country is so wonderful I'd quite happily put up with a few creepy crawlies and I absolutely hate spiders.

suzywong · 01/07/2006 14:43

don't be such a big blouse

BadHair · 01/07/2006 14:44

Cousins lived in Brisbane for 10 years and reported giant cockroaches and cane toads as being the worst beasties. They reckoned spiders were slightly bigger but no more plentiful than in the UK, apart from when it was hot and wet, then there were more. In 10 years they never came across a poisonous one, but they did get infested by cane toads.
HTH!

emmatom · 01/07/2006 14:54

But I just can't help it suzy - not where spiders are concerned anyway!!!

suzywong · 01/07/2006 14:55

I trod on one that felt like a kitten's paw under my foot once

And it bit me back

it was a Huntsman. It was in the living room

It was as big as a 5 year old child's out stretched hand

emmatom · 01/07/2006 14:57

Mine was bigger - and furrier!

suzywong · 01/07/2006 15:00

blouse comment was not to you emmaton

to OP

as you say the benfits of living here far outweigh the inconvenice of the odd spider

eidsvold · 01/07/2006 23:16

cockroaches - just belt them with your thong - done!! Or put down cocky baits and then the only time you see them is in Winter when they play footy against the cane toads cane toads - nothing a golf club or a spray with dettol won't cure (evil cackle)

chubbleigh · 01/07/2006 23:38

When I lived in Oz did see a few in the house not really any more than would see in UK. But what the ozzies do have is absolutely fuck off bug sprays, much stronger than here. Ppppssssst and that's it.

mymama · 01/07/2006 23:46

I hate spiders and cockroaches too - so I have my house sprayed every 6 months. The only place I have seen a dingo or a crocodile is in the zoo. Have some lovely kangaroos just down the road in the spare paddock though. Poor things, their home is being knocked down at a great rate for housing.

mymama · 01/07/2006 23:46

Just to add that I go bush camping a lot and have never seen a spider or snake (yet).

cori · 01/07/2006 23:56

I grew up in suburban Newcastle NSW, I have to say there were quite a lot of spiders about, mostly harmless, but absolutely huge and very scary looking. The worst thing for me though were the coackroaches even in the cities. It didn't seem to matter how clean were the house was either. Difficult to get rid of too.